construction.jpgThinking about renovating that kitchen or bathroom? Need natural, grid-free sunlight in your basement? Building a new home and want drywall that has a very small carbon footprint? Check out the new products that you can bring into your home to save energy and reduce your impact on the Earth.

“As energy prices have skyrocketed and concerns have mounted about the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on the climate, there is a new urgency in developing alternatives to traditional building products. Buildings must not only operate more efficiently, they must be constructed from materials that are produced with less energy, waste and harmful chemicals, according to a growing chorus of industry professionals.” says Amy Cortese in this New York Times Feature.

Some of the new building materials featured are: concrete that traps carbon dioxide, drywall that requires no heat to produce (usually drywall manufacturing requires large amounts of natural gas), skylights using fiber optic cable to bring sunlight to interior rooms, building panels made from compressed straw, and an “eco curtain” of mini wind turbines to provide power to a building.

Check out Transmaterial.net for loads of new types of building materials.

Good stuff. Worthy of a look if you are under construction anytime soon…

You Should Also Check Out This Post:

More Active Posts: