Sustainability in commercial construction benefits both the environment and your business! An eco-friendly remodel can help save your business model as well as give you and edge over other local business. If you are a business owner looking to remodel your building sometime soon, being aware of eco-friendly and sustainable materials for your building can be helpful as you move forward!
Why Sustainable Materials?
Using sustainable materials and the use of green technology in a commercial building helps result in lower consumption of fossil fuels and produces less waste. This benefits business as well as less waste results in more money for your business. In addition, it also can reduce the cost of maintenance as companies that make energy efficient materials are most often reputable and produce quality products.
What are Eco-Friendly Materials?
You may be interested in sustainability, but are unsure of what eco-friendly materials you can use for your commercial building. Overall, eco-friendly building materials are those that come from renewable resources that are also healthier for people. They help produce a cleaner and healthier environment. With an increasing awareness of the importance and advantages of sustainability in commercial construction, there are more and more products that are becoming available to use.
This is wood that has been previously used and repurposed for new construction and can be used for several things such as hardwood floors, furniture, and other aspects of your project.
Bamboo is another material that is sustainable due to the extremely fast rate in which it grows. It is primarily used for flooring and can produce a beautiful looking hardwood floor.
Similar to reclaimed wood, recycled steel is steel that has been used before and is repurposed. In fact, this material is one that is becoming very popular in commercial construction because it is lightweight, durable, and long-lasting. It can also be molded easily and can resemble many different things such as clay tiles, slate, or wood shingles.
Sheep Wool is surprisingly used for insulation! It is a natural, biodegradable material that is safe to work with. It can be used in walls and ceilings to keep your building warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It is also flame-resistant and resistant to mold.
Lastly, ferrock is an alternative to cement that does not produce CO2 like cement does. It absorbs more CO2 than it emits and it is a great option for business owners that desire to reduce their business’ carbon footprint.
Besides using sustainable materials, there are other ways to
make your building have fewer negative impacts for the environment. One thing
would be to use programmable thermostat that allows to set different
temperatures depending on when the building is in use. This option will also
save you money! Other things include using solar energy, low-flow toilets, or
green walls or rooftops.