Alternative natural materials

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Alternative natural ingredients are natural materials such as stone or adobe that are not commonly used as materials such as wood or iron. Alternative natural materials have many practical uses in areas such as architecture and sustainable engineering. The main purpose of the use of such materials is to minimize the negative effects that can occur in our environment on the planet while increasing the efficiency and adaptability of the structure.

Video Alternative natural materials

Histori

Alternative natural materials have been around for some time but often in very basic forms or just as materials for certain materials in the past. For example, the earth used as building materials for the walls of houses has existed for thousands of years. Recently, in the 1920s, the United States government promoted crashing into the earth as a fireproof construction method to build farmhouses. Another more common example is adobe. Adobe's house stands out in the southwestern US and some Spanish-speaking countries.

Construction of bale straw is a more modern concept, but there is even evidence that straw is used to make homes in the African meadows as far back as the Paleolithic period. Alternative natural materials, especially their applications, have recently made their way more commonly used. Ideas to be green and sustainable in response to global warming and climate change shift more focus to the materials and methods used to build our city and home landscape. As environmental conscious decisions become commonplace, the use of alternative natural ingredients as a substitute for typical natural ingredients or man-made materials that rely heavily on natural resources stands out.

Maps Alternative natural materials

Materials

Rock

Stone is a great alternative to conventional materials containing chemicals that may be harmful to humans, pets or the environment. Rocks have two major characteristics: good thermal mass and thermal insulation. This characteristic makes the stone a good idea because the temperature at home remains a bit constant, requiring less air conditioning and other cooling systems. The type of rock that can be used is a reject stone (pieces of stone that can not be used for other tasks), limestone, and stone times.

Straw

Hay straw can be used as a base for walls, not drywall. Straw provides excellent insulation and fire resistance in traditional post-and-beam structures, where wooden frames support the home. The straw wall is about 75% more energy efficient than standard drywall and since no oxygen can penetrate the wall, the flames can not spread and there is no chance of burning.

Bamboo

In Asian countries, bamboo is used for structures such as bridges and houses. Bamboo is surprisingly strong and somewhat supple and grows very quickly, making it a rather abundant material. Although it is difficult to join together in a corner, bamboo is very strong and make up for the difficulties that can be faced when building it.

Cordwood

Cordwood is a combination of the remains of small firewood and other wood that is usually wasted. This small wooden block can be easily put together to create structures that, like rocks, have good insulation and thermal mass. Cordwood provides a rugged look log cabin without using much wood. You can build entire buildings only by wooden trees or using stones to fill the walls.

Crash into the earth

Rammed earth is a very abundant material that can be used as a substitute for concrete and bricks. The soil is packed tightly into a wall mold where it is united and hardened to form a durable wall packing made of nothing more than earth, rocks, and sticks. Rammed Earth also provides a large thermal mass, which means great energy savings. In addition, it is extremely weather resistant and durable enough to be used in the Great Wall of China.

Protected Earth

Earth Shelter is a unique building technique in which buildings are fully built on at least one side by some form of Earth whether it is a grass roof, clay walls, or both. This unique system usually includes many windows because of the difficulty of using too much electricity in such a home. This adds to home energy efficiency by reducing lighting expenses.

Papercrete

Papercrete is an exciting and very new material that is a good substitute for concrete. Papercrete is a torn paper, sand, and cement mixed together that form a brick-like material that is very durable. The buildings that use paper are very well insulated and termite and fire resistant. Papercrete is very cheap because it usually only costs about $ 0.35 per square foot.

Adobe

Adobe is an old technique that is cheap, easy to obtain, and ideal for hot environments. A mixture of sand, clay, and water is poured into the mold and left in the sun for drying. When dried, it is very strong and heat resistant. Adobe does not let much heat get into the inside of the structure, thus providing excellent insulation during the summer to reduce energy costs. Although this clay mixture provides excellent insulation from heat, it is not very water-resistant and can be dangerous in earthquake prone areas because of its tendency to crack easily.

Sawdle

Sawdust is a good material to be combined with a mixture of clay or cement and used for walls. These walls are surprisingly sturdy and effectively recycle any trees that may need to be extracted from the building area. Depending on the type of sawdust used (hardwood is the best) wood chips on the walls absorb moisture and help prevent cracks during the freezing/liquefaction cycle. Sawdust can be combined with water and frozen to produce a material commonly known as pykrete, which is strong, and less susceptible to melting than ordinary ice.

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Example

Although this is a newer technology, there are some buildings that have used these materials, as well as other tactics, to make themselves green.

One such building design is Dubiotech's proposed headquarters in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. This design requires solar panels and windows, which will let a lot of natural light come in while also getting the maximum use of sunlight. This building (under pending construction since the 2008 financial crisis will also be built with an alternative kind of steel that is not made by a process that releases tons of chemicals into the atmosphere.
Another example is the School of Arts, Media and Design located in Singapore. The school has a roof made entirely of grass (an example of Earth protection). This allows the use of fewer concrete and other materials for the roof, and the building also includes many windows to utilize natural lighting.