Sustainable construction – where do your materials come from?
Sustainable construction – where do your materials come from?
As manufacturers, we are always concerned with material quality and suitability. We want to rise above client expectations and help make their projects better than they could have ever imagined. But how many of us stop to think about the carbon footprint of the material we use to deliver our promises? What are you doing to move towards sustainable construction?
Eco-friendly construction
This year, scientists gave a final warning for the world to stop the climate catastrophe that we are heading towards. The way we build needs to change – now. Eco-Friendly construction can help to create a better outdoor environment while maintaining excellent building standards as long as the industry demands it. In our current situation, where we are heading towards a 3°C rise in average global temperature – irreversibly changing the world.
What are the more sustainable materials in construction?
Unfortunately, sometimes there is no sustainable option for the many constructs the industry build. There needs to be more innovative thinking in the industry to find these alternative options and start using them as quickly as possible. Some inventors have already begun to think outside the box. They are coming up with fantastic new materials to replace unsustainable ones. These include:
- Recycled Plastic – Recycled plastic in construction is emerging partly as a solution to the current plastic crisis. Researchers are creating concrete made from ground-up trash and recycled plastics. Considering plastic takes thousands of years to degrade, its use in building material could provide long-lasting, strong structures that help reduce plastic waste. Instead of clogging landfills, plastic will be used to create buildings and roads. Enfield council has trialled a recycled plastic road surface this year. Similar operations are taking place in the Netherlands. And in India, innovators are turning waste plastic into plastone blocks for building.
- Wood – Deforestation is no joke. It leads to a loss of biodiversity as detailed by Iceland’s new Christmas advert, increased wildfires, and excessive CO2 emissions. On the bright side, it is a renewable source of building material when forests are managed effectively. Providing they are, wood becomes a much more sustainable building material, especially when sourced locally.
- Ferrock – Described as a stronger, more flexible, and greener alternative to concrete, Ferrock is the brainchild of David Stone. It is made of 95% recycled materials, including waste steel dust, recycled glass, and iron-rich ferrous rock.
These are just a few of the new sources of sustainable building materials that can be used in construction. We need more alternatives like these to reduce the negative impact construction quickly has on the planet.
If you need more information on the materials that can be used for your project, get in touch with Inscape today on 0845 230 8565. Our manufacturing team can create bespoke designs for your project to suit your needs.