OVERVIEW
Is wood a sustainable material? It depends: a table made from reclaimed wood has a much smaller environmental footprint than one sourced from a monoculture plantation that replaced a rainforest.
Defining responsible material sourcing—and then finding responsibly sourced products—is complicated. Here you will find in-depth resources that detail the benefits and challenges of using biobased materials, reclaimed wood, fly ash, and other materials. Our resources also detail which companies and industries are ahead of the curve in offering responsible choices.
What about the materials you don’t use? Using less is always a good idea—as long as that doesn’t compromise performance.
Doing more with less takes knowledge and attention: it’s about investing in human resources instead of wasting natural resources. And since our small planet has more humans every day, we’re not likely to run out of them anytime soon. Durability, efficient structural systems, and repairing and retrofitting rather than replacing are all key strategies to consider.
IN-DEPTH
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The Potential of Prefab: How Modular Construction Can Be Green
Spotlight Report
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Unmilled Timber Frames Go High Tech, Replacing Steel
Product Review
Keep the beauty of round logs, and get more strength from an engineered wood structure, promises Wisconsin-based company WholeTrees.
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A Tour of Cool Products from Greenbuild 2016
Product Review
These products from Greenbuild 2016 expo floor save water, use wood in innovative ways, and protect buildings and materials from the elements
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BuildingGreen Announces Top 10 Products for 2017
Product Review
Our innovative Top 10 product selections reduce stormwater and wastewater, improve efficiency and IAQ, and contain fewer hazardous materials.
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Treated Wood for Ground Contact, Minus the Toxic Pesticides
Product Review
Accoya, now code-approved for fungus and termite resistance, relies on acetylation as a benign alternative to conventional pressure-treated wood.
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SIREWALL: The Next Generation of Earthen Walls
Product Review
Made from local earth, rebar, and polyiso, SIREWALL rammed earth walls are beautiful, durable, and are stronger than concrete with less portland cement.
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Greenest Greenbuild Products for the Indoor Environment and More
Product Review
We look at products that improve indoor environmental quality and check in on advances from previous Top 10 winners.
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Bamboo Flooring: Still Green, for a Price
Product Review
Bamboo flooring, the rapidly renewable darling of the green building movement, is still sustainable if you are willing to pay for quality.
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Gunlocke Seat Back Goes Red-List Free Using Mushrooms
Product Review
The first furniture manufacturer incorporates Myco Board because the mushroom-based product is a sturdier alternative to plywood.
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Low-Cost 3D Wall Panels Use Sugarcane Waste
Product Review
Inhabit and WallArt offer decorative three-dimensional wall panels made from bagasse, or sugarcane waste fiber, and with no chemical binders or flame retardants.