Good materials for people and the environment

Green and recycled building materials are growing in popularity

Green building is not restricted to energy aspects and heating/cooling systems. Using suitable building materials plays an equally important role. Whether they come "fresh" from a builders’ yard or have been recycled, green building materials are a major trend.

Numerous studies have drawn media attention to the fact that a surprising number of workers suffer from non-specific health problems such as headaches, circulatory problems or difficulty concentrating which are associated with the workplace and grouped under the term "sick building syndrome". These individuals were found to be affected by solvents, toxic ingredients in wood preservatives (pentachlorophenol (PCP); lindane) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from sealing compounds. Toxins can clearly impact health and trigger high costs due to lost production.

Healthy, aesthetic construction
It is therefore hardly surprisingly that healthy, natural materials are increasingly being specified. Environmentally friendly materials such as clay and reeds are undergoing a renaissance. Ecologically sound building materials are not only harmless from a health perspective, they also feature a number of other benefits.

Ideally, green building materials

• can be recycled or are biodegradable and present no risk to health,
• help save energy due to their insulating properties,
• have a low transport requirement,
• require little energy consumption for production and processing.

Thanks to advanced recycling methods, the quality of recycled building materials has long been on a par with their new counterparts and they are actually cheaper. It is therefore well worth taking a closer look at the options available.