Build Houses Extensions and Green Roofs

Depending on your project and the properties you require, there are a range of plant-based building materials available to you.

Most renewable building materials are commercially available, and an increasing number of builders and architects are proficient in working with them. Some renewable materials provide like-for-life substitutes for conventional materials, so builders should be able to use them easily. Others might require specialist equipment or training.

Renewable walling materials include straw bales, which can be rendered with lime, making them pest and fire proof. Alternaitvely, hemp and lime can be used together as a concrete substitute.

Because plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) when they grow, using these materials to build walls and houses 'locks up' CO2, keeping it out of the atmosphere. Concrete, on the other hand, releases one tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere per tonne of concrete made.

Green roofs are layers of plants that can be laid on flat or pitched roofs. They disguise buildings very effectively, and can be used for rainwater harvesting – the water can be used for flushing toilets or watering plants. They also help to keep buildings cool in the summer, and provide a good habitat for wildlife.

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