This book demonstrates that alternatives to modern building materials are available. Today it is possible to select raw materials and produce building materials on the basis of an ecological perspective.

In a time when environmental labelling is becoming increasingly popular and the producers of building materials are urged to be more environmentally aware, it is obviously important that we are acquainted with these alternatives.

Important issues discussed in this book include:

- Can raw materials from non-renewable sources be replaced with raw materials from widely available or non-depletable sources?
- Can environmentally-friendly chemicals replace environmentally-damaging ones?
- Can the make-up of building materials be altered so that individual components can be re-used?

The following aspects are also be discussed:

Work - the methods used to produce each building component. How production takes place and can take place.
Raw materials - occurence of material resources, their nature, distribution and potential for re-use.
Energy - the energy consumed when producing and transporting the materials, and their durability.
Pollution - pollution during production, use and demolition, the chemical fingerprint of each.

Gives you a comprehensive understanding of ecology in building

Learn about alternative building materials and become more environmentally aware

Vital technological information allows you to put the ideas of sustainability into practice