Technology Snapshot & Benefits:
You can save a lot of money and avoid future
headaches by choosing and installing building materials that are safe and
appropriate. There is no specific cookbook path to success with building
materials. However, your decisions may be usefully guided by asking the
How well do the alternatives stack up in terms of performance? How well do
they do the job for which they are intended? [Recall the sort of discussion
found in the roofing industry about sheathing materials –
the lower cost of
particle-board vs. the superior nail-holding ability of more costly plywood]
What unexpected result might occur from each alternative building material?
Consider safety issues such as off-gassing of glues from composite building
materials and potential radon-emissions of some rock- or earth-based
What toxic effects might be associated with each alternative? Remember that
lead in paint was great as an inhibitor of mildew (before its use was
banned), but also that lead is linked with blood and bone cancers and other
and that a primary exposure pathway to humans was via lead in
What waste streams are associated with the manufacture of alternative
How recyclable will the material be at the end of its useful life? For
example, steel or tin (terne) roofing may be easily recycled into other
uses, while asphalt shingles are usually landfilled because recycling is
To the maximum extent possible, you should think
through design options and be mindful of potential consequences (both good and
bad) of the choices that you make with building materials.
Estimated Cost Savings:
The framework that you use to evaluate costs and
benefits is very important. Generally, the building trades focus on initial
cost, but increasingly groups (like the American Institute of Architects)
promote broader and more systematic thinking about true life-cycle costs and
For new construction, your architect or builder may
have information that will be useful to you. In fact, you will be able to tell
a lot about a builder by how he or she responds to questions like those
presented above. For existing buildings, you may be much more in control over
the choice of building materials.
A plan will help you with decisions. Many
builders and some architects remain generally uninformed about choices that are
available. Suggest that your builder
visit the websites and other resources that you suggest. Discuss findings and options before
committing money to a design or an approach.
Building materials vary regionally. For example,
slate roofing may make a lot of sense within several hundred miles of a quarry,
but less so at great distances. Terra-cotta roofing makes sense in the
Southwest and South, but may present issues with repeated freezing and thawing
cycles experienced in the wetter North and Northeast.
Be mindful of building materials that are
appropriate to your region of the country.
Installation (Getting It Done):
Be sure to consult with two, three or more builders, architects or suppliers. Multiple bids will allow you to gain immediate perspective of options and the
true costs and value of various building materials in your area.
Information On This Topic:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Environmentally Friendly Design
Institute - Environmentally Friendly Building Materials
FacilitiesNet - Low-VOC Paints are More Than Just "Green"
BuildingGreen.com - Getting the "Right Stuff": A Guide to Green Building