Week 12 Green Building Materials

(Source: Google image, 2016)

Green building materials refer to the materials which have less consumption of resources and energy, can improve the quality of human life and do not have negative effect on environment. The connotation of green building materials is list below: Firstly, environmental load should be minimized in the whole life cycle of materials. Using less resources and energy, especially not renewable energy and minimize environmental pollution. Secondly, should not damage human health in their life cycle.

1. Characteristics of green building materials

Compared with traditional building materials, Green building materials have the following characteristic: Using clean production technology with low energy consumption; In the production process, do not use formaldehyde and other harmful substances and do not use additives; Product designed to improve the living environment and the quality of life.

2. The necessity of the development of green building materials 

Most people spend 90% of the time in room, the elderly and children even spend a longer time. According to the survey, indoor air can be detected in more than 500 kinds of volatile organic compounds and indoor harmful gases are several times higher than outdoor. Therefore, the development of green building materials is necessary. At the same time, green building material is the guarantee of sustainable development and the development of green building must start from the green building materials.

3. Current situation of green building materials

In addition to the new wall materials, green door and window materials have also been attached great importance. Although area of windows and doors usually only accounted for about 25% of building envelope, the heat radiating of windows and doors accounted for 50% of the whole building heat radiating. New doors and windows materials contain aluminum-plastic composite, glass steel, wood plastic composite etc. In order to improve the efficiency of energy saving, usually use of energy-saving glass, such as insulating glass, vacuum glass etc.. Insulating glass has the advantages of good heat preservation, heat insulation, sound insulation performance and anti condensation, safe and beautiful. Installation of 12 mm double insulating glass can save energy 20%-40%.

Reference List:

Wenku.baidu.com. (2012). Development trend of green building materials. [online] Available at: http://wenku.baidu.com/view/9308eec09ec3d5bbfd0a7416.html?from=search [Accessed 24 May 2016].

Wang, S. (2011). Discuss on Green Building Materials and Related Issues. AMR, 280, pp.165-170.