Why is Europe so ahead in green home building?
View PDF | Print View
by: hugatree
Total views: 19
Word Count: 395
Green home building is all the rage in America today, and many people do not realize that green home building practices have been in play for decades in Europe. We have many technologies that are just emerging in the United States that seem to be new and innovate...they are not. This phrase "green home building" is talked about in such a way that people are astonished by new technologies, but really, these technologies are only new to us.
In Europe, for example, there is a building material called Autoclave Aerated Concentrate, or AAC, which has been used in new construction for years. According to GreenHomeBuilding,com, this substance is fire proof, highly insulating, and lightweight. This means that it can be easily transported in larger quantities, which will consume less fuel. Additionally, AAC is made of water, sand, cement, lime, and aluminum powder. Eighty percent of the AAC is made up of air, which is the main ingredient. An important factor in the greenness of this substance is the fact that its production causes no byproducts. Builders have been using this building material in Germany for almost a century; however, it was introduced in the United States in 1996 and still is not widely accepted.
An additional green home building material that is used widely in Europe but not in the United States is the Wood Fiber Board. This type of board is created from the wood chip waste which is a byproduct of sawmills. According to GreenHomeBuilding.com, these boards are free of allergens and they do not emit any toxins during their manufacture. They are cheap to make, durable, and totally compostable. They are not used much in the United States. We prefer cutting more trees, I guess.. It seems as though we prefer not using something we already have, but rather wasting to create new products.
Europe is way ahead of us when it comes to green home building practices. They have been doing these things for about one hundred years, so for Europeans, there is nothing new or innovative about green home building; it is a way of life. We are in the right mind set to become equal in greenness to Europe, but I just hope it is not too late. See more Go here
About the Author
Find more information about info, visit greenhomes.infonow411.com/?Green-homes-are-needed&j=4538.
Rating: Not yet rated