Building Material Evaluations

In designing a building project for minimal environmental impact it is critical to consider entire building systems, especially when selecting materials. Different material selections will impact other choices such as insulation needs, wiring plans, and fixture installation. It is rarely possible to substitute materials without having to make other adjustments as well.

Tools for Evaluating Materials

Selecting the right materials for a project can be very challenging especially if you want an environmentally-responsible material.

Below are some helpful steps in evaluating the environmental impacts of materials;

Define criteria of importance (ie. local material, low CO2 emissions, low embodied energy, is the material finite or renewable?)

Begin researching a variety of materials/products

Research LCA (if available) for the given material

Research other environmental impact assessment reports

Select a material based on your research findings and priorities

Reports that Provide Building Material Evaluations

A great deal of research has been done on the environmental impacts of different materials. Below are reports that summarize information about the environmental impacts and comparisons of different materials.

Wood