Materials:
their manufacture, use & environmental impact

Materials generally

	Embodied energy As the amount of energy used in the running of a building (operational energy) shrinks, the energy used in its construction becomes more significant.
	Recycled content Thanks to the introduction of the ISO 14021 standard, it is now far easier for the specifier to determine the recycled content of building materials and products.
	Reclaimed materials Direct substitution of reclaimed materials for new can radically reduce the environmental impact of that particular item.
	The REACH Regulation - and what it means It can be argued that the recently introduced European REACH regulation will have a far-reaching influence on the constituents of common construction products.

 

E Concrete and earth

 

	Rammed earth A traditional form of construction is once again becoming popular owing to its very low embodied energy and ready availability.
	Cement substitutes With cement production regularly topping the emissions' tables, the need for using cement substitutes is becoming more acute.
	'Reducing the impact of concrete'  Andrew Minson of The Concrete Centre argues that concrete has much to offer the Green specifier.

 

F Masonry

 

	Bricks Though consuming large quantities of energy in their production, this most traditional of English building materials offers strength, durability and a high capacity for reclamation.
	Blocks Blocks are becoming available in a more diverse range of materials including clay, concrete and wood. Careful specification can exploit each material's unique qualities.
	Unfired clay bricks This ancient building material has much to offer specifiers looking for very low environmental impact solutions.
	Unfired clay bricks and structure Though commonly used in non-structural applications, recent research has indicated a potential for the use of unfired clay bricks in domestic load-bearing walls.

 

H Cladding / covering

 

	Pitched roof coverings 1:  Wood, slate & clay The roof is the component of a building most exposed to the elements. The specification of materials often involves the trading-off of environmental impacts with durability.
	Pitched roofs 2: Concrete & synthetic
	Pitched roofs 3: Metals

 

J Waterproofing

 

	Flat roof coverings In general, flat roofs should be avoided - but where a pitched roof is unavailable, a variety of roofing membranes offer different qualities of durability and environmental impact.
	Green roofs 1 Types and construction.
	Green roofs 2 Design guidance

 

K Linings / sheathing / dry partitioning

 

	Plasterboard Made simply from gypsum and paper, plasterboard is one of the most versatile materials in modern construction
	Wood panels 2: Panel types I Particleboard ('Chipboard'); Oriented Strand Board ('OSB'); Dry process fibreboard ('MDF'); Wet process fibreboard ('hardboard', 'mediumboard', softboard')
	Wood panels 3: Panel types II Cement bonded particleboard ('CBPB'); Flaxboard; Plywood
	Wood panels 4: SWPs A Solid Wood Panel (SWP) is a method of construction that uses timber to form load-bearing solid timber wall, floor and roof panels.
	Wood panels 5: European standards  In Europe, the dominant standard is the Construction Products Directive (CPD). One of the easiest ways of complying with the Directive is through CE marking.
	Wood panels 6: Technical classes  Technical classes (grades) of wood based panels
	Wood panels 7: Specification guidance  A good specification will ensure that an appropriate product is purchased for the end use that is specified.

 

L Windows

 

	Windows: Energy and materials  With the contribution made by windows to energy efficiency, understanding the performance dynamics and technologies is the key to successful specification.
	Window frames Though the heat lost through a window frame is likely to have more of an environmental impact  - much debate continues around the materials frames are made from.

 

M Surface finishes

 

	Plaster and render Successful specification of renders and plasters relies on a thorough understanding of the properties of a wide range of available materials.
	Lime mortar and render Traditional lime mortars and renders often offer a superior performance to their cement equivalents.
	Commercial carpet tiles Part 1: Materials The specification of low-impact contract carpet tiles requires a detailed understanding of the materials involved and their manufacturing processes.
	Commercial carpet tiles Part 2: Performance & treatments Ensuring that a carpet performs well, avoids toxic treatments and endures wear and tear can mean the difference between a long life and a premature commitment to landfill.
	Smooth flooring The flooring market is dominated by synthetic, particularly PVC, materials - but more traditional  materials such as linoleum, cork and rubber are staging a renaissance.
	Paint Identifying the most effective and least toxic paints through a blizzard of mis-leading information is  difficult. This section provides guidance to the basic chemistry.

 

P Building fabric sundries

 

	Airtightness & Intelligent membranes New types of membrane allow air movement through lightweight construction according to environmental conditions.
	Insulation 1:  Introduction  The wide range of products available reflects the variety of applications, materials, environmental concerns and performance.
	Insulation 2:  Plant  & animal derived insulation
	Insulation 3:  Mineral insulation
	Insulation 4:  Oil-derived insulation

 

R Disposal systems

 

Rainwater goods Specification relies on an awareness of the, often complex, equation of durability, sourcing, embodied energy and recycled content.

 

Z Building fabric reference

 

	The chemistry of plastics manufacturing   In construction a spectrum of plastics are employed in a wide number of applications. However, their production chemistry shows that some are less benign than others....
	PVC One of the most versatile of plastics is also one of the most controversial. The industry is taking great strides to reduce its impact, but critics still want it phased-out.
	Formaldehyde Formaldehyde has long been a staple constituent of binders and adhesives, but now questions are being asked about its safe inclusion in building products.
	UK wood species A review of commonly available timber species native to the UK
	Imported wood species A review of commonly available timber species imported to the UK.
	Timber preservation  The actual risks do not merit the habitual use of toxic preservative chemicals. Durable woods and careful detailing can avoid the need for preservative treatment in many cases.
	FSC certified timber The Forest Stewardship Council has grown to be the definitive international guarantor of managed and protected forests.
	Accoya Enthusiasts of Accoya hail it as the 'new wood species', but its innovation really does represent a major development in wood technology.