As we move further into the 21st century, sustainability has become an increasingly important consideration in all areas of design and construction. This is especially true for architecture, where material choices can have a major impact on the environmental footprint of a building. Using sustainable materials is one of the most effective ways for architects and designers to reduce this footprint. But why use sustainable materials? And what are some of the key sustainable materials that are changing modern architectural design?

Reducing Environmental Impact

The main reason sustainable materials are so important for modern architecture is that they allow structures to be built with a reduced environmental impact. The materials used in building construction require significant resources to produce and transport. Traditional building materials like concrete and steel are energy and emissions-intensive to make. Deforestation and habitat loss are also major concerns when using unsustainable wood products.

Sustainable architecture aims to minimize the depletive and polluting impacts of construction by using greener materials. Wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, for example, ensures sustainable forestry practices. Using recycled metals and low-carbon concrete reduces the embodied energy of structural materials. And selecting local, natural building materials avoids high transportation emissions. By being mindful of materials, the environmental footprint of new buildings can be substantially reduced.

Healthier Indoor Environments

Another benefit of sustainable materials is that they create healthier indoor environments. Many conventional building materials used in the past have turned out to have negative impacts on indoor air quality. Synthetic carpets and furniture made with glues and plasticizers can off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This has been associated with poor air quality and health issues for building occupants.

Sustainable materials like natural linoleum floors, wool carpets, and solid wood furniture have much lower VOC emissions. Products rated for low VOCs are now readily available. Architects also often design better ventilation and indoor air quality monitoring into modern green buildings. This focus on health and wellbeing is a key part of the value of sustainable materials.

Durability and Reduced Waste

Specifying durable sustainable materials for construction also allows buildings to have longer usable lifespans. This avoids waste from demolition and replacement. Materials like timber, stone, and earth used in structures for centuries can now be sourced sustainably. Products made from recycled metals and plastic lumber also have exceptional durability.

Architects look at the lifecycle impacts of materials to select those optimal for durability. Designing flexibility into building layouts also permits adaptive reuse rather than destruction when functions change. In a world of finite resources, reducing waste is crucial. Durable sustainable materials are key to constructing buildings with reduced demolition and replacement costs.

Improved Energy Efficiency

Green materials provide opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of buildings as well. High performance insulation made from denim fabric scraps and recycled newspaper, for example, performs better than fiberglass. Cool roofing materials in lighter colors reflect heat and keep attics cooler. Flooring, siding, and decking materials made from bamboo have similar insulating properties to hardwood but grow much faster.

Careful material selection allows architects to passively design more efficient building envelopes. Green certification programs like LEED rate energy performance, providing standards for designers. With heating, cooling, and lighting accounting for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions in the US, energy efficiency is another major sustainability benefit of green building materials.

Aesthetic & Design Flexibility

In the past, sustainable materials were often viewed as being boring or limiting for design creativity. But today, recycled metals, reclaimed wood, bamboo, cork, wool, and other green material options provide exciting aesthetics and flexibility. The natural variations in many sustainable materials add visual warmth and interest.

Designers also appreciate being able to create curved and irregular shapes easily with materials like rammed earth and engineered lumber. NewGreenBuilding.org observes that sustainable materials encourage innovation by getting designers to think outside the box. Rather than limitations, green materials provide opportunities to create novel, high performance buildings with character.

Key Sustainable Building Materials

Here are some of the most important types of sustainable materials that are transforming modern architecture:

• Mass Timber – Engineered wood products like cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glulam beams allow timber highrises and large spans to be constructed from fast growing and sustainably managed forests. The exposed wood also creates appealing interiors.
• Recycled Metals – Structural steel, exterior cladding, and roofing materials made from recycled rather than virgin metals reduce mining impacts by up to 70%.
• Natural & Mineral Materials – Renewable materials like bamboo, straw, and cork bring nice aesthetics and insulation. Stone, adobe, and rammed earth minimize processing and avoid off-gassing.
• Bioplastics – Made partially or fully from plants, bioplastics reduce plastic pollution and fossil fuel use. Options range from compostable utensils to durable exterior materials.
• Reclaimed Lumber – Wood from old barns and buildings helps preserve history. Using local reclaimed wood saves old growth forests.
• Renewable Insulation – Fabric and cellulose insulation made from recycled paper, denim, wool, and cotton scraps embodies far less energy than foamed plastic insulation.
• Permeable Paving – Paving blocks and porous concrete allow rainwater infiltration and groundwater recharge, reducing runoff and flooding.
• Adaptive Reuse – Converting old buildings for new uses like housing avoids the waste and emissions of demolition and new construction.

Conscious Material Selection

These kinds of sustainable materials are transforming architecture and construction to be greener at all scales. But material sustainability needs to be considered holistically in designing the built environment. As architect Tom Woolley summarizes, “A sustainable building is constructed and operated using materials, methods and mechanical and electrical systems that provide a healthy indoor environment while using energy-efficiently. The materials used should either be rapidly renewable or plentiful.”

With mindful design and material selection, buildings can minimize environmental harms and maximize human health benefits. This ethic of conscious material use will only become more critical as urban development continues across the globe. Sustainable materials help satisfy our needs for shelter and space without depriving future generations through resource destruction and emissions. Green design also reduces operating costs, proving sustainability fiscally sensible as well as ethical.

FAQs

Q: What are some common sustainable building materials?

A: Common sustainable materials include reclaimed wood, recycled metal, mass timber, bamboo, cork, straw bales, rammed earth, adobe, stone, wool, hempcrete, permeable pavement, insulating window glass, and composite materials made from recycled plastics or agricultural waste.

Q: Why should architects use sustainable materials?

A: Using sustainable materials reduces the environmental impact of construction through efficiency, durability, renewability, recyclability, and biodegradability. Green materials help make buildings energy efficient, long-lasting, healthy, and beautiful while minimizing harm.

Q: How do you evaluate if a material is sustainable?

A: Consider the full lifecycle impact of a material – its source material, manufacturing process, durability, offgassing, recyclability, transportation emissions, and more. Select materials that are non-toxic, zero waste, socially responsible, and don’t deplete resources.

Q: What are the most sustainable materials for home building?

A: For home building, some of the most sustainable materials are FSC certified wood, mass timber, bamboo flooring, recycled metal roofing, reclaimed lumber, natural linoleum and stone floors, non-toxic zero VOC paints and finishes, hempcrete, straw bale insulation, and recycled glass countertops.

Q: How much more expensive is building with sustainable materials?

A: Many sustainable building materials have become cost competitive with conventional materials. And designing for sustainability from the start often results in lifecycle cost savings through lower energy, water, and maintenance expenses.