It is the year 2020 and the conversation about climate change is at an all-time high. People all over the world are experiencing the adverse effects of climate change. And even in Pakistan, temperatures have notably gotten very extreme.

In the last few years, our cities have experienced the worst recorded heat waves and cold spells in decades.

While governments make efforts to combat climate change on a major scale, there are things we can do as individuals to reduce our carbon footprint on the earth. And one of the biggest contributions we can make personally is to adopt eco-friendly construction practices by using eco-friendly construction materials.

The thing is, eco-friendly construction materials are not the norm and at times it is harder to source the materials needed to keep things environmentally friendly but it is worth it in the end.

Eco-Friendly Construction Materials

While it might cost a little more than traditional building practices, in the end sustainable building practices pay off much more. And in this blog we are going to walk you through everything you could do to keep your construction site and practices environmentally friendly and how this will pay off in the end.

1. Locally Sourcing Material

When you are sourcing construction material make sure you engage local sellers. This will reduce the cost and emissions from transporting the goods to your construction site. The huge trucks that bring in construction materials cause a lot of pollution and you will want to make sure you do not make them travel more than they have to!

While purchasing eco-friendly construction materials is important, it is also important to make sure it travels to you in the most efficient way to reduce the carbon footprint as much as you can.

2. Recycle Water

Construction sites a constant supply of water. And at times the water is used mindlessly and often wasted. This is a great tip for an environmentally friendly building material without having to spend any money at all! Make sure you brief everyone on the project on the importance of saving water. And also highlight how water can be recycled.

If there is rain forecasted ask construction workers to place the empty water bins out in the open air to collect rain water which can later be used in construction. You can also source recycled water from the back units of air conditioning systems. Every drop of water recycled is a step closer to your goal of having eco-friendly construction practices.

3. Recycled Insulation

Insulation is a great way to protect your home from extreme weather conditions; something we are seeing more and more everyday in Pakistan. However commercial insulation can cost a lot and are not the best for your health.

It might be a good idea to consider other methods of insulation which are natural and at times cheaper! You can choose to insulate your home with sheep wool or recycled cotton. These options are both environmentally friendly and easy on your pockets!

4. Bamboo for Framing

Bamboo is a native plant to a lot of regions around the world, and if you live in one of these places then you should definitely take advantage of this versatile plant. The tensile potential of bamboo is amazing; it makes for a great way to frame structures.

If you live in an area prone to natural disasters then you should definitely consider bamboo because of how safe it helps make a structure as well as being an eco-friendly construction material.

5. Ashcrete

It is the 21st century and honestly, no building is complete without using concrete in some places. Concrete is a man-made construction material which goes through a lot of processes to come to its final form as we know it. However, there is an eco-friendly substitute to concrete known as ashcrete.

Now ashcrete is a byproduct of coal-burning. It occurs naturally in such instances and hence it is 97% made from recycled material which is great for your goals of having eco-friendly construction materials to reduce your carbon footprint on the earth.

6. Wood Over Concrete

If you can get away with using wood in some parts of the construction of your house then you should definitely do it. Wood is a naturally occurring element on earth which means you can easily source it locally.

You can research about which wood is local to your region and can be used for construction purposes. Once you have this sorted, make sure to consult a professional to see where you can substitute other building materials for the eco-friendly option of using wood in the construction process.

Using eco-friendly construction materials can benefit you greatly in the long run. Both financially and in terms of the environment. You could adopt these small easy steps when you build your own home and help save the environment considerably. These are not giant steps or anything that will be incredibly expensive which just goes to show how a little effort could go such a long way!

Which eco-friendly construction material are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!