More and more new homes are being designed and built as “green” homes. There is no universal industry definition for a “green home”. However, a home that is energy-efficient, uses less water and natural resources, creates less waste and employs alternative fuel could be called a “green home”.
The trend toward sustainable living in new construction homes has given rise to some innovative building materials. Five of the most unusual environmentally-conscious wall building materials include:
1) Straw: The very idea probably makes you think of the Three Little Pigs. In fact, the first pig may have actually been onto something. Bales of straw are stacked atop one another like blocks in this method of environmentally-conscious wall building. Both sides of the strawbale walls must be plastered and then finished.
The cost of constructing strawbale walls often exceeds that of constructing traditional wood frame walls. The savings is realized in practice: straw is a superior insulation material. It will control energy costs and last for years as long as the walls are breathable. Plus, straw is easily obtainable, completely renewable and biodegradable.
2) Sandbags: They’ve been used for years in the building of dikes because of their strength and ability to resist the power of a flood. It makes sense that they also make a highly environmentally-conscious wall building material.
Sandbags, or “earthbags”, are typically made of polypropylene to resist rotting. Bags are filled with materials like crushed volcanic rock and stacked between layers of barbed wire. The structure is covered with a material such as Papercrete which is water and UV resistant but still breathable. The result is a wall that won’t rot or mold, lasts for years, and minimizes the structure’s carbon footprint.
3) Tires: Old tires are among the worst pollution culprits on the planet. They are full of harmful chemicals that pose danger when left to rot in landfills. They are even difficult to recycle. This is because those potentially harmful chemicals can also be released during the recycling process.
Discarded tires that are relatively intact are filled in the center with soil or another earthy material. Filled tires are stacked atop each other and then sealed with cement. Exterior walls are then built around the tire structure.
4) Rammed earth: These are among the earth’s earliest and oldest “green homes”. Rammed earth homes date back to as early as 5,000 BC.
This building technique uses earthen soil to build walls. The soil must have a proper mix of clay soil and other materials like chalk, lime and gravel. The mixture is literally power-rammed to create an extremely compact, tight and graded wall.
The finished wall may have insulation added and is treated with a water resistant sealant. Once completed, the structure resembles an adobe building.
5) Cob: Cob homes are works of art in addition to living structures. Cob is a natural material made from a mix of clay and sand (like adobe) with a high percentage of straw fibers.
Cob must be largely assembled by hand (and even tamped with the feet) because of its gooey, moldable texture. The process, for this reason, is labor intensive. However, because the material is so moldable, walls can be formed into beautifully artistic shapes and designs.
One of the biggest problems with using environmentally-conscious wall building materials is the red tape involved. North American building codes in most areas have yet to catch up with some of this old-world-meets-new technology. Modern building codes are prone to favor tried-and-true, albeit earth-unfriendly, building materials and methods.
However, many developers, like San Diego, CA’s Scot Sandstrom of New Pointe Communities, are pushing for building code reform. North County San Diego and other areas of California are prime locations for using many of these methods of green home construction. Dry weather and arid climates lend themselves to environmentally-conscious wall building materials.
Green home building will become more mainstream as long as innovators and developers persist in their efforts to educate policy-makers. Home-builders are becoming increasingly accepting of the idea of using environmentally-conscious wall-building materials. The lofty hope is that builders will embrace a future free of harmful, wasteful building techniques.
Shea Real Estate & Investment Group is a full service real estate company servicing beautiful San Diego, California. Let them help you find your dream home today!
http://shea-realestate.com/
http://shea-realestate.com/dream_home.php
|
|