Almost every human activity can have a bad impact on the environment. Building is one of the most harmful. With this in mind architects and builders are looking at ways to be greener and more sustainable. One option is to be careful with the building materials. There are options that produce less carbon and also offer long term benefits. As an architect London clients come to with green designs in mind, we always look at these alternatives.

Below are four cutting edge building materials that may be better for the environment than traditional ones like cement.

Bioplastics

Waste is an issue with most raw materials. Bioplastics are different though because they are highly recyclable. In theory any leftover plastic can be re-used, making projects zero waste. With 3D printing it is possible to use these plastics for many aspects of a structure, from stairs to floors and even entire buildings with a large enough printer.

Advanced cement

Cement is one of the most common building materials in the world but it also produces a huge amount of CO2. Cutting down on the waste and ensuring it has a longer life can help mitigate this. One of the best advancements with cement is programming the molecular structure. As a result the molecules are closer together, leaving less space for water and chemicals to penetrate it. Therefore it can last longer.

Hydroceramic

Passive cooling is a great alternative to air conditioning. These amazing ceramic panels have a hydrogel that can absorb a huge amount of water. When temperatures increase this will evaporate and cool the building. It could reduce the temperature by 5 degrees Celsius. As a result it would cut cooling costs by as much as 28%.

Growing bricks

Firing bricks consumes a lot of energy. A US company is looking into an alternative that produces bricks that don’t need firing. Their process is to grow bricks by using sand, bacteria, and nutrients in water. When calcium carbonate forms it creates a strong brick that is more eco-friendly.

Our aim to remain an architect London clients love working with means we need to keep an eye out for new materials. We are always excited by these developments and how we could use them. If you have any questions about greener building for us, please get in touch.