Sustainable construction: materials and methods

Sustainable construction: materials and methods

Sustainable building is more than just a trend - it is a necessity in today's world characterized by climate change and resource scarcity. This concept includes both the selection of sustainable building materials and efficient construction methods to minimize the environmental impact of a building throughout its lifespan - from design and construction to operation and demolition. Below we highlight various materials and methods that support sustainable construction.

Sustainable materials

Wood

Wood is a renewable raw material and therefore an essential material in sustainable construction. It also binds CO2 during its growth and thus actively contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases. Sustainable forestry ensures that trees are felled to a level that does not exceed natural growth. Wood also has excellent insulating properties and contributes to the energy efficiency of a building.

clay

Clay is a local, recyclable and completely biodegradable building material. It offers excellent temperature regulating properties and can help reduce a building's energy needs. It is non-flammable, mold-resistant and also good for the indoor climate because it can regulate the humidity.

Recycled concrete

Concrete elements that come from the dismantling of buildings can be used to produce recycled concrete. The use of recycled concrete conserves natural resources and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, as the laborious extraction and processing of primary raw materials is no longer necessary.

Green building materials

Green building materials such as bamboo, sheep's wool or hemp are not only sustainable because they can be biodegraded after their life cycle, they also have good building physics properties. Bamboo offers a high load-bearing capacity with low weight, while sheep's wool and hemp have excellent insulation values.

Sustainable construction methods

Passive house

The passive house standard focuses primarily on insulation and ventilation in order to maintain a comfortable room temperature without additional heating or cooling systems. Passive houses are able to reduce energy consumption by up to 90% compared to conventional residential buildings.

Plus energy house

A plus-energy house generates more energy than it uses. For example, through solar panels on the roof and highly efficient thermal insulation. Excess energy can be fed into the grid or stored.

Zero energy buildings

Zero-energy buildings are designed so that their annual energy consumption is covered by the renewable energy they produce. This requires careful planning and implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy systems.

Sustainable building certification

The certification of buildings according to ecological standards such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) or DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council) helps to make the quality and sustainability of buildings visible and improve them. These certifications evaluate various aspects of sustainable building, including energy efficiency, water management, material selection and indoor environment.

Conclusion

Sustainable building is an approach that equally takes environmental compatibility, resource conservation and user health into account. By using sustainable materials and methods, the construction and real estate sector can make a significant contribution to combating climate change. Even if sustainable building may seem more expensive at first, the costs over the life cycle of a building are often cheaper because energy and maintenance costs are saved. Selecting the right material and method requires careful planning and expert advice. But the effort is worth it – for us and our environment.