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Building Materials for Better Homes
"Building materials informed decision will reduce the impact on the environment and save money" - state the experts and 'building intellectuals'. These scholars point that your new house should have:
- reusable building materials,
- building materials which are easily modified,
- recyclable building materials,
- building materials which are adaptable.
In other words: "tell your wife that the Caesar stone kitchen with chrome fittings will be replaced with Shriek like small holding". If you have opportunity to create a green home design then scholars are absolutely right.
Energy efficient homes can benefit if you are able to get recyclable and adaptable building materials.
However, 90% of new homes buyers purchase houses off the shelf. It is impractical for you - the urban dweller - to design your home.
Home design plans and innovated home design ideas are constrained within time and economics of average home buyer.
But are there any building materials choices within home designs in Australia which create energy efficient homes?
Building Materials - Mud Brick
Mud bricks are very good and relatively sustainable building material. They fit well into green home design but are not ideal for energy efficient homes.
Although, mud bricks blend well into environment, they are not good insulators. The thermal mass is good but insulation is low.
The earthy appearance can benefit the character of some holiday houses and beach houses. For rental houses they do not provide enough insulation.
Mud bricks are widely used by home builders in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide.
Building Materials - Rammed Earth
Rammed earth building material is not widely used by builders in Australia. It is a building material which requires rammed earth to be compacted layer by layer in specialised formwork.
Despite popular belief, rammed earth is very strong. Some Sydney apartments, Perth apartments and apartments in Melbourne do use rammed earth in their home design plans.
Rammed earth can be easily sculptured. This is great building material for interior design ideas which often result in stunning home interior designs.
Rammed Earth has high thermal mass but insulation is relatively low.
Building Materials - Clay Brick
Clay brick building material is widely used by builders in Australia. This building material is durable, easy to manufacture and handle.
Clay bricks are attractive because they can come in variety of colours. Red is the most common but yellow, cream, green, beige are easily available.
Clay bricks are fundamental for home design plans. Not only the exterior home designs but also home interior design benefits with clay bricks.
Clay bricks last long, they are immune to vermin and are relatively cheap. Most homes for sale use clay brick because they have high thermal mass and sound insulation (especially bricks with cavities).