Eco-Friendly Building Materials for Sustainable Development

From mass timber buildings to future-focused furniture, architects, designers, and builders need to prioritize the entire supply chain of sustainable building materials

With the recent conclusion of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties in Glasgow, the world’s supply chain remains in turmoil. Unprecedented bottlenecks at ports are causing material shortages, construction delays, rising costs, and other harmful disruptions across industries. But in this moment of chaos and climate crisis, we also nd an opportunity to rede ne the building sector. By shi ing our focus to sustainable building materials and products, we can make a profound di erence in decreasing carbon emissions, improving the resilience of global supply chains, and bringing about a more sustainable future.

Each country and every sector has a part to play in taking climate action. e building sector, in particular, has the chance now, today, to take a leadership role and swi ly start enacting positive change. Buildings generate over 40% of emissions with embodied carbon— that is, CO2 released through the harvesting, manufacture, and transportation of raw materials used in construction—accounting for around 11% of total emissions annually. at proportion is growing as building operations become more e cient, and by 2050, embodied carbon could come to represent half of all building-related emissions.

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By focusing our energies on reducing the embodied carbon of the built environment, we have the opportunity to make an enormous, lasting impact on the health of our world.

Better Building Materials

Contrary to common belief, steel is one of the most recyclable building materials in use today. Steel can be recycled over and over again. is characteristic makes it one of the most environmentally-friendly building materials used today. Metal Building Systems are also compatible with various types of insulation making them more energy-e cient.

Other materials with relatively low embodied energy are also available. e low carbon footprint of timber makes it another excellent option for residential construction. Source materials locally, streamlining transportation and easing supply chain congestion; and to use alternative materials in a way that adds both aesthetic and market value to projects.

One example of this strategy is the use of mass timber. is robust building material is made by gluing pieces of timber together to form thick structural elements such as cross-laminated timber panels. Like concrete, the material is re resistant, but it has much lower embodied energy, given that wood sequesters vast amounts of carbon. Mass timber elements can also be installed quickly on-site, with added bene ts like reduced construction time, tra c, and noise, along with minimal waste.

Healthier Finishes and Furnishings

Another opportunity to reduce emissions is found inside buildings. While structural materials have the biggest initial impact on embodied carbon, the interior elements, which are o en replaced every few years, can quickly add up. is repeated churn of materials over the life span of a project can ultimately result in an equal or greater share of the whole-life carbon footprint than the structural materials.

To rectify this cycle, designers need to consider the materiality and a erlife

of furniture and interior nishes. What is a product made from? How much space will it take up during shipping or transport? Can it be easily disassembled and recycled once its service is complete? Or can it be reused or repurposed? Environmental product declarations—reports that summarize a product’s environmental information—are one useful tool for making smart design choices.

e Road Ahead

Looking toward a more resilient future for the entire supply chain of building materials, architects need to concentrate on materials that focus on reducing high-carbon materials, using the most e cient structural solutions to reduce material quantities, sourcing materials that are extracted and manufactured locally, and minimizing waste. Not only will this initiative help to ensure that properties meet new sustainability mandates, building codes, tenant demands, and health requirements, this change in demand for sustainable materials will have a powerful, lasting ripple e ect across the building sector and the supply chain—and across our world.