A “culture of aid” is focused on easing the numerous difficulties faced by underprivileged communities around the world who live in unstable economic and environmental conditions. The fact that this kind of initiative relies so heavily on donations serves as a cautionary tale against the aid paradigm and the fact that it “continues to be an unmitigated political, economic, and humanitarian disaster for most parts of the developing world,” according to the World Bank. Giving may seem to donors to be a temporary means of reducing inequality, but in the built environment, aid frequently takes the form of making “waste”—materials that have been rejected or are no longer useful to their intended users—available.
When waste is used as a building material, it is frequently not out of choice but rather because there are no other options; waste pickers have come to represent an “informal mechanism of wealth redistribution in an unequal city.” It is not by chance that those who benefit from numerous experiments in turning trash into building materials are frequently the poorest people, whether they be the homeless or people living in shaky communities.
Building with a focus on sustainability is not just a fad. A house must be designed according to modern architecture so that it is both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly. One of the top qualities that raise the value of real estate is sustainability. Without a doubt, recycling is the best choice for environmentally friendly buildings. It not only minimizes your environmental impact but is also significantly less expensive.
Recycled Building Material
Any product or material that has already been used in a building qualifies as recycled material. Brick, steel, wood, and even complete elements like windows and tiles can all be reused and put to new uses. This phrase can also be used to describe construction products made from “waste.”
Bricks made from recycled plastic or concrete made from scrap steel dust, for instance. Used materials are reprocessed through crushing, mixing, screening, and grading until they meet the necessary standards to create recycled aggregates. These supplies may be leftovers or waste from another project, excess materials, or materials from a demolished building.
Topsoil is another illustration. A layer of soil and earth will be removed during the groundwork stage of a construction project to lay the foundations. This can be transformed into nutrient-rich soil that is ideal for landscaping. Another excellent way to lessen construction’s environmental impact is to maximize its by-products.
Reusing materials is revolutionizing the construction sector by offering a more economical and environmentally friendly alternative to mining new resources and producing new goods.
Advantages of Choosing Recycled Materials
The construction industry will benefit greatly from the use of recycled building materials in a variety of positive and long-lasting ways. These advantages can be broadly categorized into community, economic, and environmental aspects.
Environmental Aspects
Saves energy and resources – Choosing recycled materials allows us to avoid using the energy and resources needed to produce new materials. Although both are processed, recycled material uses a very small amount of energy. Naturally, no fresh raw materials are required.
Controls the landfill volumes – the majority of the time, construction waste is thrown into already-filled landfills. Recycling materials is a fantastic alternative to reducing the burden on landfills.
Reduces the impact on the environment: Groundwater is harmed when improperly treated waste reacts with wet waste. When it becomes incarnate, it also releases harmful gases that pollute the atmosphere.
Economical Aspects
Cost savings: Making recycled materials is much less expensive than making new ones. When you work with recycled material, raw materials, labor, and processing are relatively less expensive.
The government typically offers freebies, loans, and other incentives when you choose recycled building materials as a way to promote eco-friendly living.
Extra credit for LEED certification by using recycled materials, architects can earn more LEED points towards their green building rating certificate.
Permits and usage are simple. The architects frequently examine the materials they employ. These materials, in contrast to new ones, are sanctioned and permitted easily as part of a campaign to promote sustainable living.
Community Aspects
Job opportunity for communities in need as new businesses and recycling facilities expand quickly, more jobs are created. Addressing the most pressing issues facing unemployed people.
Benefits of Using Recycled Building Materials
Reduces Waste
Buildings are material stores with plenty of room for recovery, reuse, and salvaging, whether they are being constructed or demolished. Recovering these materials is a very effective way to go about things.
Energy Efficient
Your project’s energy consumption will be significantly reduced if you use recycled materials entirely or in part. This is because processing recycled materials uses significantly less energy than producing or harvesting new ones.
Reduces Emissions
Reduce your carbon footprint by selecting a local recycler of building materials, which will result in a significant drop in transportation emissions.
Cost Effective
There is a perception that sustainable practices are expensive. Going green when building will benefit your bottom line.
High Performing
The durability of recycled aggregates and other materials can be on par with that of non-recyclable materials. Therefore, choosing something environmentally friendly and economically sensible need not mean compromising on quality or integrity.
Commonly used Recycled Building Material
Clay Bricks
Bricks made of clay have been used as building materials since 7000 BCE. These bricks can be reused by builders for tasks like building new walls, but they can also be crushed into chips and used as aggregate in concrete or as a substitute for gravel.
Plant-Based Polyurethane Foam Boards
You can use polyurethane, a type of plastic, as insulation in your home. Additionally, using plant oils can help producers create plant-based plastic that is better for the environment. High-quality sound insulation and good heat transfer resistance are two advantages of plant-based polyurethane boards. Insect and mold resistance are additional benefits of plant-based polyurethane.
Hempcrete
A sustainable substitute for concrete is hempcrete. The substance is made of lime-bound natural hemp fibers, which together resemble concrete. Hempcrete is carbon-negative, in contrast to cement production, which accounts for 8% of global CO2 emissions. It’s environmentally friendly and so well-insulated that it satisfies most regulations without the need for additional insulation.
Ecobricks
Global initiative Ecobricks targets the pollution caused by plastic waste. An Ecobrick is a plastic brick made from a plastic bottle that has been filled with small plastic waste. After that, you can construct things like vegetable gardens or even walls using these “plastic bricks.” Regular bricks can be replaced at a reasonable price with eco-bricks.
Bamboo
Bamboo has long been used in construction. Although technically a type of grass and not wood, bamboo is incredibly strong and flexible. It is more resilient than concrete in compression and three times stronger than wood beams. Bamboo is more powerful than steel when it comes to tensile strength (the capacity to withstand tension).
Rubber Tyres
Excellent recycled building materials include tires. They are made of both natural and artificial rubber. Rubber is a general term that covers a wide range of substances, each of which has distinct properties.
Rammed Earth
Rammed earth construction is a trend that is sweeping the globe. These walls frequently consist of soil that has been removed from the construction site and compacted. Then, it is combined with cement to become stiff and firm. You can also demolish and reuse the wall at this point.
Newspaper Wood
Paper is transformed back into wood by newspaper wood. This wood is made of paper sheets that have been glued together and compressed under great pressure to form a solid mass that can be carved and cut into.
Polycarbonate Sheeting
A common building material today for roofs or wall panels is polycarbonate sheeting. The thermoplastic polymers used to create the sheeting are fully recyclable. They can construct a lovely and stunning facade that lets in light while maintaining privacy. A facade made of polycarbonate sheets. This part of the house is entirely recyclable when combined with wood.
Chip[s] Board
This product is a prime example of experimenting with various methods and creatively displacing single-use materials. To create a lovely board, this bioplastic combines potato peels, recycled wood, bamboo, and other organic by-products. The chipboard is made of plastic that is made from potato waste. This plastic is produced using a more environmentally friendly method than other plastics and is biodegradable.
A significant part of the scope of these recycled materials is architecture. The best part is that architecture creates opportunities for recycled building materials to be available and used. It’s crucial to comprehend the situation’s urgent needs. The well-being of the environment is currently the main focus. Both professional experts and homeowners are equally responsible for their actions. It’s fascinating to observe what fresh eco-friendly materials are developed each year and how they are applied in the building sector. Utilizing recycled materials in your build requires creativity and innovation, which introduces fresh challenges that can be entertaining.
References
Archspace, T. (2023) Recycled building materials for a sustainable living, THE ARCHSPACE. Available at: https://thearchspace.com/recycled-materials-for-a-sustainable-living/ (Accessed: 05 September 2023).
Architect, A.T.A. (2022) Making it upcycled: 7 unexpectedly honest instances of reclaimed materials in Architecture – Architizer Journal, Journal. Available at: https://architizer.com/blog/inspiration/collections/upcycled-building-materials/ (Accessed: 05 September 2023).
Berlanda, T. (2021) Break the upcycle: Waste as a building material, Architectural Review. Available at: https://www.architectural-review.com/buildings/adaptive-reuse/break-the-upcycle-waste-as-a-building-material (Accessed: 05 September 2023).
Nick (2023) The benefits of using recycled building materials, ETM Recycling. Available at: https://www.recyclingbristol.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-using-recycled-building-materials/#:~:text=A%20recycled%20building%20material%20is,elements%20like%20windows%20and%20tiles. (Accessed: 05 September 2023).
Crosbie, D. (2022) 10 recycled building materials of the future, Climatebiz. Available at: https://climatebiz.com/recycled-building-materials/ (Accessed: 05 September 2023).
