Buildgreen : About Ecologically Safer Materials.

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Insulation
Insulation is a relatively easy way to bring about a number of benefits for a building, its occupants and the wider local and global environment. Insulation works but it should be combined with a sensible amount of draught-proofing. Ideally, a building should be free from draughts but can still be well ventilated (see the bottom of this page for potential information sources) and should be able to 'breathe' (see 'Breathing Constructions, Pore-Ventilation and Dynamic Insulation').
Generally when you hear "insulation" people think of mineral wool and while this is without doubt the widest used insulation product in Britain today that does not mean it is necessarily the best. One important failing of mineral wool is that, unlike cellulose fibre (eg. Isofloc) it does not absorb or diffuse water and so does not bring the associated benefits of that (see also "The Benefits of Clay" below).
Unfortunately new houses are increasingly becoming sealed to water vapour and air which brings many negative aspects for the building and its occupants. If you live in a new house a slight improvement on humidity regulation can be brought about by the introduction of clay into the structure (even something as minor as a thin layer of clay plaster). Traditional buildings have the advantage of being built so that they were breathing, 'by accident' as a result of the materials available and in use at the time. If modern materials are introduced then moisture can become trapped, leading to deterioration of the buildings fabric and timber (due to rot) and the production of an interior environment ripe for the growth and transmission of bacteria and viruses.
For information, advice or a quotation within Scotland and Northern England contact BUILDGREEN.
Online examples of alternative insulation materials.

Plasters, Boards, Blocks and Bricks
The Benefits of Clay
Clay, because of its porous nature allows the surfaces of a building to breathe so that trapped moisture can diffuse through the structure and escape to the outside air and is therefore ideal for breathing constructions. Clay also moderates the variation of interior temperature and humidity by absorbing and diffusing heat and water vapour. The benefits are not only to the occupiers but also to the building itself since the absorption of excess moisture prevents deterioration of the building's fabric and reduces the risk of timber rotting and metal rusting. Clay also absorbs odours and is an effective acoustic insulator. The more clay bulk used in a room the greater these beneficial effects. Modern clay-based products, eg. plasters and unfired bricks, are produced on a commercial scale and are widely used all over continental Europe.
For information, advice or a quotation within Scotland and Northern England contact BUILDGREEN.
Online examples of clay based products.

Renovation and Restoration
Preservation, maintenance, and repair are areas well known to BUILDGREEN.
There are alternatives to the very unpleasant chemicals that make up standard timber treatments. One such alternative is a Boron based preservative, this mineral salt has low mammalian toxicity.
The use of lime as an alternative to cement can be a requirement (in the case of a listed building) but this traditional material has environmental benefits over cement and can be used in many other projects.
Vermiculite is an alternative to the traditional dusty and unpleasant 'deafening' that is found in the floor-ceiling cavity. Vermiculite is made from a mineral mined from opencast mines. The mined material is heated which causes it to expand to form an inert, light, safe, and effective thermal and acoustic insulator which is pleasant to use.
For information, advice or a quotation within Scotland and Northern England contact BUILDGREEN.

Natural Paints and Finishes
Modern natural paint formulations are similar in appearance and ease of application to their conventional petrochemical counterparts. Natural paints usually have a linseed oil base possibly combined with other natural oils, resins, pigments, and solvents such as genuine oil of turpentine which makes coatings that are both flexible and biodegradable. Timber paints often use boiled linseed oil or stand oil (higher grade linseed oil) which, like ordinary linseed oil, have excellent binding and 'levelling' qualities (brush strokes 'level' out and disappear). Linseed oil is not new to the paint industry (!) but modern formulations have excellent painting properties and are the product of extensive research and investment. Natural paints are micropourus which allows moisture to pass through while still being waterproof, this reduces the risk of flaking, blistering etc. and can help to reduce damp and condensation.
Natural external masonry paints are also available. One formulation, for example, is based on stabilised sodium silicate which bonds chemically with its substrate, creating a coating which is less likely to flake, crack and fail.
Wood primers based on natural oils (similar to those found in wood anyway) penetrate deep and can improve the adhesion of the paint by softening and merging with resins already present in the timber. The application of such oils conditions and rejuvenates tired and weathered wood and will repel insect and fungal attack in all wood.
Due to their 'zero plastic' component paints based on more natural ingredients can also alleviate problems such as excessive static, which means less dust (a problem for allergy sufferers as well as the overly house-proud) and synthetic chemical off-gassing (a possible component of Sick Building Syndrome). Many synthetic solvents are classified as carcinogens and the levels of solvents present in the air during paint application can exceed recommended levels by up to seven times. Vinyl resins (found in conventional emulsion) can damage the lungs, liver, and blood, irritate the skin and possibly cause cancer. Petrochemical paints also contain many other chemicals such as defoamers, stabilisers, preservatives etc. The production of a tonne of petrochemical paint can produce up to 10 times that amount in waste. Manufacturers of natural paints keep processing and waste to a minimum.
Traditional Formulation Paints
These are (usually new) formulations based on very old 'recipes'.
Chalk based Distemper is useful in traditional restoration projects but can equally be used in modern buildings. It is particularly suited to high moisture/damp interior environments. Modern formulations use linseed oil instead of the traditional glue or size.
Casein based interior wall and ceiling paint is very ecologically sound with good vapour permeability and is designed for use in the modern home or office as well as in authentic restoration projects.
For information, advice or a quotation within Scotland and Northern England contact BUILDGREEN.
An online factsheet about Natural and Traditional Formulation Paints and Finishes is available from Construction Resources. A number of online factsheets about natural and traditional formulation paints are also available from Natural Building Technologies.

100% Natural Floorcoverings
100% Wool carpets are freely available however, 100% Wool does not mean 100% natural. Most are dyed with synthetic dyes and to carry the prestigious Woolmark the wool has to have been treated with pyrethroids (eg. Eulan). Pyrethroids act as nerve poisons and their use in carpets has been banned in America for 15 years. If the carpet has a 'latex' backing there are further health and environmental concerns, generally the backing will be synthetic rather than (biodegradable) natural latex and will contain a number of anti-aging preservatives and vulcanising agents such as styrene, a carcinogen. Styrene is responsible for that 'new carpet smell'. Genuine 100% natural carpets may still contain the lanolin from the fleece which acts as a stain inhibitor and when the time comes, these carpets can be disposed of without harming the environment.
Sisal floorcoverings can often have synthetic latex backing and / or synthetic dyes too.
An online factsheet about Natural Flooring is available from Construction Resources.

Sorry, at present no online information on :

Tubular Skylights - a simple and effective way of channeling natural daylight into areas of the home which would normally be dark.
For information, advice or a quotation within Scotland and Northern England contact BUILDGREEN.
For online information go to www.monodraught.co.uk (manufacturer of 'SunPipe' and other similar products) or www.natralux.co.uk.

The importance of ventilation for a healthy interior environment.
I don't know of any online information about this or relevant products. If you find any it'd be good if you could send us an e-mail. The Association for Environment-Conscious Building (AECB), the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) or Construction Resources (CR) should all know about this and CR may stock relevant products, you could try e-mailing them. See the BUILDGREEN Links and Other Info page for contact information, a short explanation of who these organisations / companies are and a review of their websites. Also, although again there is no online information on their web site, Monodraught (see 'SunPipe' above) do manufacture ventilation systems too - could try e-mailing them (?).

Making better use of rain and waste water.
For online information and relevant products go to : CAT's Online Tipsheets or CR's Building Services page.

Photovoltaics ('Solar Power'), passive solar and solar water heating.
For online information go to : The AECB's Greener Products and Services Directory - 'Heating and Ventilating' Sample page, CAT's Information and Resources - Sample Publications page and Online Tipsheets, CR's Building Services page for solar water heating products or for a factsheet about a passive solar heating product (from CR) go here.

Cement and its alternatives, Recycled aggregate concrete, and High slag content foundations.
I don't know of any online info, again it'd be good if you could send us an e-mail if you find any. The AECB should be able to help you out with this - see the BUILDGREEN Links and Other Info page for contact information.

Low energy light bulbs. Available from supermarkets, DIY stores, etc. (I noticed that IKEA are selling them for £1.90 - may be useful info if you live near one.)
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		Insulation Insulation is a relatively easy way to bring about a number of benefits for a building, its occupants and the wider local and global environment. Insulation works but it should be combined with a sensible amount of draught-proofing. Ideally, a building should be free from draughts but can still be well ventilated (see the bottom of this page for potential information sources) and should be able to 'breathe' (see 'Breathing Constructions, Pore-Ventilation and Dynamic Insulation'). Generally when you hear "insulation" people think of mineral wool and while this is without doubt the widest used insulation product in Britain today that does not mean it is necessarily the best. One important failing of mineral wool is that, unlike cellulose fibre (eg. Isofloc) it does not absorb or diffuse water and so does not bring the associated benefits of that (see also "The Benefits of Clay" below). Unfortunately new houses are increasingly becoming sealed to water vapour and air which brings many negative aspects for the building and its occupants. If you live in a new house a slight improvement on humidity regulation can be brought about by the introduction of clay into the structure (even something as minor as a thin layer of clay plaster). Traditional buildings have the advantage of being built so that they were breathing, 'by accident' as a result of the materials available and in use at the time. If modern materials are introduced then moisture can become trapped, leading to deterioration of the buildings fabric and timber (due to rot) and the production of an interior environment ripe for the growth and transmission of bacteria and viruses. For information, advice or a quotation within Scotland and Northern England contact BUILDGREEN. Online examples of alternative insulation materials.

	Plasters, Boards, Blocks and Bricks The Benefits of Clay Clay, because of its porous nature allows the surfaces of a building to breathe so that trapped moisture can diffuse through the structure and escape to the outside air and is therefore ideal for breathing constructions. Clay also moderates the variation of interior temperature and humidity by absorbing and diffusing heat and water vapour. The benefits are not only to the occupiers but also to the building itself since the absorption of excess moisture prevents deterioration of the building's fabric and reduces the risk of timber rotting and metal rusting. Clay also absorbs odours and is an effective acoustic insulator. The more clay bulk used in a room the greater these beneficial effects. Modern clay-based products, eg. plasters and unfired bricks, are produced on a commercial scale and are widely used all over continental Europe. For information, advice or a quotation within Scotland and Northern England contact BUILDGREEN. Online examples of clay based products. Renovation and Restoration Preservation, maintenance, and repair are areas well known to BUILDGREEN. There are alternatives to the very unpleasant chemicals that make up standard timber treatments. One such alternative is a Boron based preservative, this mineral salt has low mammalian toxicity. The use of lime as an alternative to cement can be a requirement (in the case of a listed building) but this traditional material has environmental benefits over cement and can be used in many other projects. Vermiculite is an alternative to the traditional dusty and unpleasant 'deafening' that is found in the floor-ceiling cavity. Vermiculite is made from a mineral mined from opencast mines. The mined material is heated which causes it to expand to form an inert, light, safe, and effective thermal and acoustic insulator which is pleasant to use. For information, advice or a quotation within Scotland and Northern England contact BUILDGREEN. Natural Paints and Finishes Modern natural paint formulations are similar in appearance and ease of application to their conventional petrochemical counterparts. Natural paints usually have a linseed oil base possibly combined with other natural oils, resins, pigments, and solvents such as genuine oil of turpentine which makes coatings that are both flexible and biodegradable. Timber paints often use boiled linseed oil or stand oil (higher grade linseed oil) which, like ordinary linseed oil, have excellent binding and 'levelling' qualities (brush strokes 'level' out and disappear). Linseed oil is not new to the paint industry (!) but modern formulations have excellent painting properties and are the product of extensive research and investment. Natural paints are micropourus which allows moisture to pass through while still being waterproof, this reduces the risk of flaking, blistering etc. and can help to reduce damp and condensation. Natural external masonry paints are also available. One formulation, for example, is based on stabilised sodium silicate which bonds chemically with its substrate, creating a coating which is less likely to flake, crack and fail. Wood primers based on natural oils (similar to those found in wood anyway) penetrate deep and can improve the adhesion of the paint by softening and merging with resins already present in the timber. The application of such oils conditions and rejuvenates tired and weathered wood and will repel insect and fungal attack in all wood. Due to their 'zero plastic' component paints based on more natural ingredients can also alleviate problems such as excessive static, which means less dust (a problem for allergy sufferers as well as the overly house-proud) and synthetic chemical off-gassing (a possible component of Sick Building Syndrome). Many synthetic solvents are classified as carcinogens and the levels of solvents present in the air during paint application can exceed recommended levels by up to seven times. Vinyl resins (found in conventional emulsion) can damage the lungs, liver, and blood, irritate the skin and possibly cause cancer. Petrochemical paints also contain many other chemicals such as defoamers, stabilisers, preservatives etc. The production of a tonne of petrochemical paint can produce up to 10 times that amount in waste. Manufacturers of natural paints keep processing and waste to a minimum. Traditional Formulation Paints These are (usually new) formulations based on very old 'recipes'. Chalk based Distemper is useful in traditional restoration projects but can equally be used in modern buildings. It is particularly suited to high moisture/damp interior environments. Modern formulations use linseed oil instead of the traditional glue or size. Casein based interior wall and ceiling paint is very ecologically sound with good vapour permeability and is designed for use in the modern home or office as well as in authentic restoration projects. For information, advice or a quotation within Scotland and Northern England contact BUILDGREEN. An online factsheet about Natural and Traditional Formulation Paints and Finishes is available from Construction Resources. A number of online factsheets about natural and traditional formulation paints are also available from Natural Building Technologies. 100% Natural Floorcoverings 100% Wool carpets are freely available however, 100% Wool does not mean 100% natural. Most are dyed with synthetic dyes and to carry the prestigious Woolmark the wool has to have been treated with pyrethroids (eg. Eulan). Pyrethroids act as nerve poisons and their use in carpets has been banned in America for 15 years. If the carpet has a 'latex' backing there are further health and environmental concerns, generally the backing will be synthetic rather than (biodegradable) natural latex and will contain a number of anti-aging preservatives and vulcanising agents such as styrene, a carcinogen. Styrene is responsible for that 'new carpet smell'. Genuine 100% natural carpets may still contain the lanolin from the fleece which acts as a stain inhibitor and when the time comes, these carpets can be disposed of without harming the environment. Sisal floorcoverings can often have synthetic latex backing and / or synthetic dyes too. An online factsheet about Natural Flooring is available from Construction Resources. Sorry, at present no online information on : Tubular Skylights - a simple and effective way of channeling natural daylight into areas of the home which would normally be dark. For information, advice or a quotation within Scotland and Northern England contact BUILDGREEN. For online information go to www.monodraught.co.uk (manufacturer of 'SunPipe' and other similar products) or www.natralux.co.uk. The importance of ventilation for a healthy interior environment. I don't know of any online information about this or relevant products. If you find any it'd be good if you could send us an e-mail. The Association for Environment-Conscious Building (AECB), the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) or Construction Resources (CR) should all know about this and CR may stock relevant products, you could try e-mailing them. See the BUILDGREEN Links and Other Info page for contact information, a short explanation of who these organisations / companies are and a review of their websites. Also, although again there is no online information on their web site, Monodraught (see 'SunPipe' above) do manufacture ventilation systems too - could try e-mailing them (?). Making better use of rain and waste water. For online information and relevant products go to : CAT's Online Tipsheets or CR's Building Services page. Photovoltaics ('Solar Power'), passive solar and solar water heating. For online information go to : The AECB's Greener Products and Services Directory - 'Heating and Ventilating' Sample page, CAT's Information and Resources - Sample Publications page and Online Tipsheets, CR's Building Services page for solar water heating products or for a factsheet about a passive solar heating product (from CR) go here. Cement and its alternatives, Recycled aggregate concrete, and High slag content foundations. I don't know of any online info, again it'd be good if you could send us an e-mail if you find any. The AECB should be able to help you out with this - see the BUILDGREEN Links and Other Info page for contact information. Low energy light bulbs. Available from supermarkets, DIY stores, etc. (I noticed that IKEA are selling them for £1.90 - may be useful info if you live near one.) Jump back to the top.