Creating a Health Home: Environmental Building Materials

Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 103, Supplement 6, September 1995

Creating a Health Home: Environmental Building Materials--What are They? Where are They?

Paul Bierman-Lytle

The Masters Corporation, New Canaan, Connecticut

Abstract

During the 1970s the building industry witnessed a focus on energy-conserving building materials sparked by oil-price increases; during the 1980s attention to building materials that reduced or omitted pollutants became important as a result of the "Sick Building Syndrome" or indoor air pollution. Now, in the 1990s, we are engaged with a more comprehensive definition of environmental materials and technologies. This definition encompasses both energy-conserving products and so-called nontoxic or healthy products. But more importantly, it defines a new component, which I will call resource management. As the world enters the 21st century, we are more aware that the world's resources are dwindling at rapid speed, and the need to conserve, to recycle, and to sustainably manage these resources is vital. The building industry has a primary role to play in this management. This role begins in the selection of materials and technologies used in building itself. -- Environ Health Perspect 103(Suppl 6):67-70 (1995)

Key words: resource management sustainability, salvaged, recycling

This article was presented at the Symposium on Preventing Child Exposures to Environmental Hazards: Research and Policy Issues held in Washington DC, 18-19 March 1993.

Address correspondence to Paul Bierman-Lytle, The Masters Corporation, Environmental Architecture and Construction Resource Management, P.O. Box 514, New Canaan, CT 06840. Telephone (203) 966-3541. Fax (203) 966-2807.

Introduction

As we near the year 2000 we will witness a change in the way our buildings look and in the materials they are built with. This change will probably occur not due to choice, but rather due to lack of choice. The inventory of conventional materials is running out; many in the building industry, from architects to tradesmen, are not aware of this phenomenon, therefore the conventional mode of design and construction still prevails. However, in very subtle ways, the change is occurring. Wood products are reaching astronomical prices month by month; shortages are apparent in particular species. Products are required to show their chemical ingredients and show warning labels regarding toxic or hazardous potentials; standards to control toxicity are forcing some conventional products to shut down production. Materials made from recycled content or that demonstrate recyclability are entering the marketplace with public support and media endorsements. Regulations and building codes are requiring higher energy performance standards. Water drought conditions demand water-conserving fixtures and are accepting grey water uses. It is estimated that the world will be depleted of accessible and affordable petroleum within 35 years. Model homes are being constructed to demonstrate resource management, in other words, how to get the most from as little as possible.

Environmental building materials and technologies make up this new inventory. Some are age-old, some are conventional, some are off-the-shelf, some are recycled, and some are new. Environmental materials address at least one, but usually all, of the following:

(a) energy conservation--either in performance or in manufacturing;

(b) health--reduce health hazards to the manufacturer, the installer, and the end-user;

(c) resource management--conserve existing inventory of raw materials, follows sustainable harvesting, reduces global environmental hazards including pollution, global warming, and ozone depletion and conserves and renews water quality;

(d) waste management--uses recycled content, is recyclable, minimizes waste, and is biodegradable.

This paper will explore these different categories of environmental materials and demonstrate what they replace, why they replace current materials, where they can be found, and what is ahead as we near the year 2000.

There are many ways to evaluate whether a particular material is environmental. In fact, a number of efforts are underway by certification companies to rate products according to specific environmental characteristics; other certification efforts attempt to verify the environmental claims of the specific manufacturer. The most important evaluation, however, is a study of a product's "cradle-to-cradle" profile. Unfortunately, the ability to arrive at this profile is still in its infancy. Several university professionals and professional organizations, such as the AIA Committee On The Environment, are pioneering this approach. The profile begins with a review of a product's origin, what raw materials are required to make it, where these come from, how much energy is consumed to make this acquisition, etc. The profile continues through the life of the product until it is either disposed of in the ground, in fire, in water, or it is recycled. This profile is represented in a matrix of environmental criteria, including natural resources, energy, pollution, health, waste, recycling, life-cycle cost, availability, and durability/maintainability, to mention a few. It becomes obvious after seeing this matrix spread out that the answers required to fill it are very hard to obtain. For example, most manufacturers are unaware of where some of their constituent ingredients come from, much less how much energy is consumed to acquire them. If a product is imported from overseas, enormous quantities of fuel are required to get it to its final installation. A product can demonstrate high environmental marks on the matrix in one category and rate extremely poorly in another category. For example, aluminum is an excellent building material due to its light weight, rust resistance, conductivity, and recyclability; also, it is inert and therefore does not release toxic or noxious chemicals and it cannot absorb smells or odors. However, enormous quantities of energy are required to make it, and its main constituent ingredient is bauxite, which is typically strip mined from the rain forests. Despite the infancy and struggle of establishing these environmental profiles on building products, progress is being made rapidly and the results are being published for use more quickly than ever before. Satellite photography offers us information about our global inventory of raw materials just as it shows us information about the pollution and environmental changes resulting from human's activities.

These insights into our planet's stock and health will help us better prepare us for our role as resource managers as we near the 21st century. Until these environmental profiles, or report cards, on products are widespread, those in the building industry can become better environmental consumers and purchasers without a suitcase of data on their side.

To assist the buyer in sorting out the thousands of products, we can create a menu of building and decorating products and technologies and divide this menu into four major categories; any building or decorating product or technology will fall into these four: (a) salvaged, (b) conventional, (c) green, and (d) recycled.

In addition, under each of these four categories materials are sorted into 7 divisions, which further assists in distinguishing components in the menu. These divisions are derived from the construction sequencing. They are: (a) site, (b) structure, (c) finishes, (d) furniture, (e) mechanicals, (f) equipment and technologies, (g) and maintenance.

Site would include natural resources existing on the building site, solar access, water resources and quality, radon levels, electromagnetic radiation sources, etc. Structure would include building structure products such as wood, metal, concrete, roofing products, insulation, windows, and doors. Finishes consists of flooring materials, paints, wallpaper, caulks and mastics. Furniture includes window treatment products, decorating materials, cabinetry, and furnishings. Mechanicals include plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, and ventilation. Equipment and Technologies consist of appliances, fixtures, solar technologies, filtration equipment, etc. Maintenance covers filter and lamp replacements, cleaning products, landscape care, pesticide/insecticides, and air/water-quality testing.

As noted above, a product, material, or technology to be considered as an environmental alternative must satisfy at least one, if not all, of the following: energy conservation, health, resource management, and waste management. To rate one selection over another requires more detailed matrix analysis. These analyses can be obtained today from several sources. And although each source may be flawed in areas, they are most helpful in allowing one to draw his or her own conclusions. We recommend Environmental Construction Outfitter's (ECO) Guidebook to Materials and Technologies, Volumes I-VI (1).

The starting point in good resource management or environmental material selection is to reuse what has already been made and used. This reuse saves enormous amounts of energy that is not required to mine, harvest, or otherwise acquire the virgin resource, or fabricate, manufacture, or ship long distances; this, in turn, reduces air and water pollution that would have resulted from acquisition and production. In many cases, salvaged materials are very well made, both in craftsmanship and in the quality of the materials used. Examples include salvaged slate for roofing, bricks, cobblestones, wood planking, timber, copper, steel, furniture, and all the innumerable materials or products found in antique shops or salvage yards. Selection from these sources are excellent environmental choices and carry with them history and quality not available with new products. In most cases, salvaged materials are either inert (stone, slate, copper) and release no pollutants, or the materials are so old that the pollutant sources have already emitted their noxious gases.

Not all antiques or salvaged materials are environmental. Salvaged products to avoid include any products made with lead, mercury, or asbestos; products containing large quantities of petroleum by-products that could release pollutants or antiques which have been refinished with high VOCs (volatile organic compound) finishes; products that are made from endangered animal skins or bones which might indirectly encourage current illegal trade and animal destruction; and products that are unsafe and therefore cause injury.

Unknown to many vendors or manufacturers, several products already are used by the building trades that are very environmentally sound. The producers or sellers are not aware of the environmental characteristics; therefore, they are not marketing these advantages. However, in the last 3 to 5 years, some recognition of these characteristics has been seen.

These products include natural linoleum, first made in 1894 in Scotland, which preceded vinyl or asbestos sheet flooring. Natural linoleum is made without petroleum by-products, is long lasting, resilient, insect proof, moisture proof, and emits no harmful gases. Other products include Medite I and II, exterior and interior fiberboard panels made without formaldehyde. For many years, Medite panels were sold for use as highway signs. When the manufacturer discovered that there was a new market for nonformaldehyde panels, they began advertising this special characteristic and, in fact, created Medite II as an interior formaldehyde-free alternative. Frequently used that are very environmental include: marble and other stone tiles, ceramic tiles, earthen pavers, adobe, plaster, and glass. In particular, there are glazing products made with low-energy, heat mirror, and are argon filled, raising their R-values to 8 and above. In furnishings and floor coverings, carpets made from 100% wool, cotton, and jute have always been available although hard to find without synthetic blends or latex backings. Natural untreated grass fibers such as cocomat, bamboo, sisal, or coir have always made excellent floor coverings.

The majority of conventional building and decorating products on the market today do not meet many of the environmental criteria. They either deplete endangered natural resources flagrantly, they pollute indoor air with hazardous chemicals or compounds, they utilize too much energy in production, they frequently are not durable, and when their time is up they are not recyclable or biodegradable. As a result of increased awareness from many different viewpoints regarding this mismanagement of building resources, many newer products and technologies are being invented and created to offer alternatives to their conventional counterparts.

Green materials and technologies are creations that attempt to solve environmental problems and challenges today and in the future. In many cases, the manufacturer is out to solve only one or two of the environmental criteria; and in so doing, often accomplishes more benefits for the environment and application. For example, Air Krete, a foamed-in-place insulation, was invented to make insulations more energy conserving and free of toxic chemicals, specifically urea-formaldehyde. Yet, in addition, it is noncombustible, insect resistant, uses little natural resources, and is an excellent acoustical material. Xeroflor, a live, plant/flower blanket used as a roofing material instead of sod, was developed to solve maintenance, herbicide use, and water consumption. Yet, it also retains 60% of the water falling on its surface therefore reduces runoff; it also tempers indoor thermal climates and noise through its added insulation, and its plant-life absorbs air pollution and emits oxygen. There are a multitude of "green" products entering the market each year, some products with better results and credibility than others. The most highly regarded satisfy all of the environmental criteria. In addition to those mentioned above, lightweight concrete technologies are advancing to offer builders and designers more environmental solutions to construction using concrete, which, as conventionally produced, is not very environmental. ACC, autoclaved cellular concrete, made from cement, water, magnesite, and alumina pioneers new ways of using managed resources for construction. Seventy percent of its composition is made with either sand or fly ash. The fly ash, which today is not used for anything, is obtained from coal-fired electric generating plants. ACC can be engineered for almost all uses in a building: foundations, walls, roof, floors, furniture, ornament, etc. It is noncombustible, lightweight, insect resistant, contains and emits no harmful gases, and is recyclable. It also reduces demands for wood products and finishes. Sustainable wood management is also a source for "green" products. Rather than deplete existing old-growth forests both temperate and tropical or encourage mono-species forestry, these newer forestry practices are being spawned throughout the planet. The harvesting (cutting) methods are being monitored and certified by independent organizations so that the consumer can be assured of the vendor's claims. Furniture, window and door materials, flooring, fencing, decking, and other wood product uses are being supplied by these sources.

Other "green" products include energy efficient lighting, daylighting technologies, computer management systems for energy and air quality, solar technologies, and water technologies. Water has become a dwindling resource, despite our planet's abundance of water. This depletion includes poorer water quality as a result of pollution and reduced water quantity as a result of over use, deforestation, farming, ranching, and population. "Green" water technologies entering the market include ultra low-flush toilets of 1.5 gallons per flush and grey and black water treatment systems that clean and then recycle the water back for reuse. These water systems unfold new plumbing techniques; new designs for "green" kitchens where food production, hydroponic gardening, and aquaculture enters the kitchen environment, indoor and outdoor landscapes begin to flourish with plants, birds, and increased micro-biodiversity. Before the year 2000, all building and decorating materials will be "green" by market pressure, by choice, or by regulation.

When we take an existing material or product that has been used for one purpose, disassemble it, shred it, melt it down, and then form it into a new product or combine it with other materials to make a new product for a new use, we have recycled it. This is different from salvaging a material and reusing it the same way, even though this could be considered recycling too. Recycling is a 1990's word; it has become fashionable to demonstrate that a product is recycled, contains recycled content, or is recyclable. And, of course, this is a desirable goal. Throughout history, people with limited resources will always salvage and recycle whenever the opportunity presents itself. Now, too, modern civilizations are finding it necessary to do the same. On first glance, it would appear that anything recycled would be an environmental solution; however, it is not as black and white as this. For example, if we were to review the environmental matrix that identifies a product's full life cycle, we could discover that many renewable and biodegradable resources require more energy to recycle than to break them down into compost or fill. We might even discover that some nonrenewable and nonbiodegradable products add negative environmental impact by recycling, since energy consumption with fossil fuels used in the recycling process contributes to resource depletion, air and water pollution, and even indoor air hazards. A good example of the complex recycling issue was uncovered during the debate to use paper bags versus plastic bags. At first, the gut reaction was to use paper, sourced from wood, a renewable and biodegradable resource. Then data was accumulated showing that plastic bags required less energy (i.e. less pollution and resource depletion) than paper bags. And finally, the obvious solution was first to salvage one sturdy bag and reuse it, then recycle plastic bags if necessary; then finally paper bags. This is an important lesson. First, investigate what the job requires and select a product that will do it with the least environmental impact, when possible and reasonable. If we made more decisions based on this premise we would have less inventory to recycle.

As stated earlier, recycling is an important marketing tool for most manufacturers today, and the public supports it. Too often, however, the product demonstrating recycled content or recyclability has failed to solve many of the environmental criteria. Synthetic plastics, for example, are petroleum derived and are nonbiodegradable. Once we make these plastics they are here to stay, regardless of where we put them. Two of their major environmental drawbacks is that they deplete the planet's fossil fuel reservoirs and they emit hazardous VOCs to indoor air. To recycle synthetic plastics reduces depletion of fossil fuel, but does not stop the emissions created by hazardous emissions. The indoor air problems still remain. Also, many recycled products contain less than 50% recycled content; the remaining 50% or more is therefore derived from a virgin resource.

Some recycled products benefit society by reducing the demands on conventional products that are endangered (such as plastic woods or recycled metal studs replacing real woods) or they maximize a product's usefulness for a longer time (such as wool or cotton clothing recycled for use in building insulation). Some recycling efforts create all new products, such as recycling light bulbs to make floor tiles or computer parts to make roofing shingles. We seem to always be creating new markets for new goods for new uses. We have offered the consumer 70 varieties of breakfast cereal, when only 10 to 20% of them are actually nutritional at best. We do the same thing in the building industry.

Recycling is vital if we use it prudently. There is little solace in recycling millions and millions of product inventories to make millions and millions more products that do not satisfy the environmental criteria. A wasteful virgin product recycled might only be 10 to 50% less wasteful--it is still wasteful.

The world's resources throughout history have been taken for granted. We now understand that these resources cannot be assumed to be limitless. As we appear to take 10 steps forward with successive generations through progress in technologies, communications, education, health, and recreation, we are also becoming more aware that these are small, baby steps. Our progress has not ended global strife; lifestyles are in disarray; cancer is increasing among our young; imbalance of resources is growing; we recreate not for fun or leisure but to escape. Our children today are recognizing this at the same time we, as adults, are. They and their children will demand more responsible decisions and directions. Perhaps as the world community celebrates this new century, we will be stewarding our position on the planet for the first time and asking the right questions. If we are capable of knowing and uncovering the problems and challenges, then we are capable of solving them. Since humans will always build buildings, this is a critical arena in which to face this challenge and enact a new sensitivity to the world's resources. This arena spans the globe, yet it allows the single homeowner or apartment dweller to make the first step.

REFERENCES

1. Bierman-Lytle P, Marinelli J. Your Natural Home. Boston:Little, Brown, and Company, in press.

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Last Update: September 14, 1998