Green Building Materials for Construction – Part 2

Big tax deductions provide significant motivation to pursue residential deconstruction and commercial deconstruction. There are also significant potential savings for donating deconstruction materials. To multiply your impact, consider green building materials for your next construction project.

For green building projects, deconstructed materials will be used as much as possible. When deconstructed building materials are deemed unfit for reuse, the manner in which they were deconstructed, as opposed to pure demolition, allows them to be more easily recycled. This process helps keep materials that can be recycled and repurposed into like-new construction materials from unnecessarily being dumped into overflowing landfills.

And when a green building construction project has used as many deconstructed material as possible, the next step is to use virgin green building materials. The goal of using green building materials is to construct energy-efficient structures that minimize impact on our environment.

Here’s the next part of our list of popular green building materials, their characteristics, and their environmentally friendly impact.

Green Building Materials used in Construction

Bamboo Building Material

Bamboo is one of the most used multipurpose and durable materials for a wide variety of construction projects. Sustainability experts nearly universally agree bamboo is one of the best eco-friendly building materials on the planet. These trees grow faster irrespective of climates, which makes them especially economically viable as they’re able to grow in a diverse range of conditions. Bamboo technically is a perennial grass, not a wood, and it continues spreading and growing without having to be replanted after harvest.

But don’t let its classification as a grass fool you. Bamboo has a high strength-to-weight ratio and exceptional durability—even greater compressive strength than brick or concrete—so it can take a thumping without being replaced very often, which is not necessarily the case with other fast-growing, sustainable items such as hemp. That makes bamboo a viable choice for flooring, frames, supports, walls, cabinetry, and more. Not only does it provide exceptional structural integrity, bamboo also offers beautiful aesthetics for the best of both worlds.

Cordwood Building Material

While it can be a labor-intensive construction process, cordwood does not require special skills to implement and offers an inexpensive, environmentally friendly building alternative. What makes it an especially green option is it can be constructed with local materials, oftentimes with scrap wood or sustainably sourced wood. Cordwood masonry requires short and round pieces of wood which are laid one above the other, width wise, and are bonded together by special mortar mix.

Furthermore, green benefits must persist beyond the initial construction. Cordwood masonry offers energy-efficient heating and cooling for the entire home. Thanks to the thick log-end walls and the juxtaposition of insulation and thermal mass (the mortar matrix) in cordwood masonry, cordwood homes are very energy-efficient.

Expert Green Donation and Deconstruction Services

Need help getting maximum tax benefits for your green building material donations? Want experienced consultants to take care of the entire deconstruction process from start to finish? Looking for expert guidance on deconstruction and the use of green building materials for construction? Contact Green Donation Consultants or call today at 800-870-3965 to speak with our team. We’re here to help you leverage big potential financial benefits while doing your part to keep our planet green.