Choosing the right materials is vital if you want a building to be eco-friendly. Some substances have an incredibly big carbon footprint. As a result, it is best to avoid them where possible. Luckily, there are lots of alternatives. With care and a good design, you can create a very green building. Coffey Architects would love to help with this. We are an architect London clients rate highly because of our passion, creativity, and knowledge.

Think about production

When you are choosing materials and looking for the greenest options, you need to think about how we produce them. Things like steel and certain types of stone require a huge amount of energy to extract and process. As a result, they can have a very large carbon footprint.

Supply chains

Another thing to think about is the supply chain. This can account for a huge amount of CO2 emissions if you are not careful. Keep in mind that the longer materials need to travel to reach you, the worse this can be. It is also worse for heavier substances. The best option is to choose building material from the local area. This can have a much smaller supply chain.

Longevity

It is no use opting for a material that is greener at first but will need more frequent repairs and replacement. Over time this could actually make it a worse option. Ideally what you want is materials with small carbon footprints that will last a long time without a lot of extra maintenance. You should also think about things like treating and painting materials because these processes can also be harmful to the environment.

A balance

The key is to get the right balance. Think about where materials come from, how they are made, how they get to you, and the carbon costs over time. You also need to plan for when you will eventually need to get rid of them. The best option will be a material you can reuse of recycle without releasing a huge amount of carbon.

Talk to an architect in London

At Coffey Architects we want to be a leader when it comes to designing buildings that will be gentle on the environment for the long term. We put a great deal of time into thinking about every aspect of our projects. This includes using a wide array of different resources.

If you have a project in mind, whether it is a new build or regeneration, talk to us. We are an architect London clients can bounce all kinds of ideas off. Then we can look at designs, planning, project management, and more.