Anyone building or renovating a home today will almost certainly be keeping energy efficiency in mind. According to the research that’s been done, approximately 40% of all raw materials used each year are used in building and construction. This amounts of over 3 billion tons of resources each year, and many builders and home owners are trying to do their best to reduce those numbers. When evaluating building materials, there are a lot of factors to consider, and this article should serve as an effective guide to understanding the different elements surrounding green building materials.
First and foremost, the product itself must come from a renewable resource or process. For example, recycled materials from demolished buildings, bamboo or straw, which are plentiful and rapidly renewable, or linoleum, which is inexpensive to manufacture.