TBI Blogs: These 4 Sustainable Building Materials Can Make The “Concrete Jungle” a Thing of the Past!

As a growing population increases the need for housing in India, it’s important to consider using sustainable building materials for construction to avoid straining the environment too heavily. Here are four such materials that are seeing increasing usage in construction across the country.

Concrete is the substance that grasps our cities together. From apartments to bridges, sidewalks to homes, the omnipresent grey material’s prominence in contemporary urban life is irrefutable. As the global populace grows further, so will the need for housing. Conventionally, the current mainstream construction methods are unsustainable, and yield large amounts of CO₂, which is hazardous for the environment. With a modern outlook and an environment-friendly approach, builders are now introducing sustainable products which are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly.

Below are the top four green building materials that have the potential to make builders ditch concrete, while having minimal adverse effects on environment.

Bamboo

Bamboo is considered auspicious in Indian traditions, and is commonly used on several occasions. Bamboo’s light weight, tensile strength, and fast-growing renewable nature make it a perfect construction material. It can be used for framing work and shelters and is extremely beneficial for difficult-to-reach areas and post-disaster rebuilding. Bamboo is a versatile natural product, which exhibits good fire resistance too.

Bagasse Particle Board

Bagasse is a by-product that remains after the extraction of sugarcane juice. A significant amount of excess bagasse produced from sugar mills is left out and burnt for boilers to supply energy for the processing of sugar. But, bagasse is now being used to supplant wood in particle boards that are light in weight and economical. Manufacturers later transform the particle board into a laminated board by using resins as a bonding agent and wax as a dimensional stabilizer. Builders later use the laminated board for laminated floors and furniture applications.

Triple-Glazed Windows

With soaring temperatures and humidity, maintaining a regular room temperature is a big task. To avoid the extra heat and retain normal temperature, builders are increasingly using triple-glazed windows. The three layers of glass stop heat as manufacturers inject argon between each layer to provide insulation. The glass also has fully insulated window frames which uphold the inside temperature.

Solar Tiles

Roof tiles face the sun for long durations and hence absorb solar energy.  With this idea, several companies are now developing solar tiles which consumers can fix on top of existing roofing. Builders integrate these tiles into the building to provide power to the occupants.

More open space and greenery offers a pleasant environment and also improves the quality of life while undertaking vital environmental purposes. It adds to an improved urban environment, reduces heat build-up, and improves air quality. While the construction industry tends to progress slowly, it must now switch to sustainable building material. With the advent of these new materials, smart housing is a new concept which is quickly becoming popular among inhabitants and builders.

You can read more about sustainable building materials and the growth of smart housing here.

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