Exploring Renewable Resources in Building Construction

As the demand for sustainable construction grows, renewable resources are more important than ever when it comes to reducing the environmental impact of the C&D industry. With the range of sustainable materials available growing year on year, choosing the right material and knowing how to incorporate it into your construction project can feel overwhelming.

At NORclad, we supply a range of specially developed timber cladding that provides unique and varied aesthetics while reducing your environmental impact. In this blog, we’ll cover what renewable resources are and their role in sustainable construction, noting their benefits and applications in modern architecture. We will also offer a handful of case studies and examples of how renewable materials have transformed construction projects.

What Makes a Resource Renewable in Construction?

The term ‘renewable’ is used to describe materials that can be replenished naturally or through human intervention at a rate that either matches or exceeds the rate at which they are used. In the construction industry, ‘renewable materials’ are materials that fit these criteria and can be used to create sustainable buildings and structures.

Examples of renewable materials include timber, bamboo, and cork, all of which require less energy to produce than non-renewable alternatives. Such materials also release fewer greenhouse gases during their production – resulting in an overall lower carbon footprint.

Timber as a Leading Renewable Building Material

The popularity of wood as a sustainable material has been growing for several decades. With more and more construction projects shifting their attention to designs that both look modern and help them meet sustainability targets, timber maintains firm popularity as a leading renewable building material.

Timber’s popularity within sustainable construction can be attributed to a range of benefits. These include:

Strength-to-Weight Ratio

Timber’s favourable strength-to-weight ratio maximises its usefulness as a more sustainable alternative to other building materials, without compromising on strength and structural integrity.

Timber’s relatively low weight also makes it easier to transport – meaning fewer trips to and from suppliers and emissions from associated transport.

Insulation Properties

Another key factor informing the popularity of timber for sustainable building projects is its insulative properties. Constructing properties using timber offers long term energy saving benefits for heating and cooling – making for a more comfortable interior climate and reduced heating bills.

Ease of Assembly

Wood is also well regarded for the benefits it poses for assembly. Wooden buildings can often be assembled on sight – making them more cost effective. Their relatively low weight also reduces the need for complex foundational structures that require additional labour and materials.

Likewise, timber cladding can be easily added to an existing property or design, offering a low-maintenance enhancement to your building’s exterior that provides both energy saving and aesthetic benefits!

Renewability

Above all – the most notable benefit of using timber for sustainable construction is its renewability. If wood is replanted and harvested sustainably, the supply of timber will be sustained. Growing timber also has benefits for the replenishment of our forests and biodiversity within them.

Innovative Examples of Renewable Resources in Modern Builds

Brock Environmental Centre – Virginia Beach, USA

Opened in 2014, this net zero structure serves as a model for sustainable architecture in North America.

With harvested and reclaimed cypress timber making up a large portion of exterior building materials, this sustainability-led project looks innkeeping with its natural surroundings and boasts an impressive lifespan.

Inside the build, the roof of the conference room and the exterior educational area have been made from 100% zinc, which is set to last for up to 50 years. Throughout interior and exterior spaces, fallen oak trees have been re-fashioned to form benches.

National Trust HQ – Swindon

This two-storey building, featuring 76,500 square feet of office space placed sustainability at the heart of its construction and design.

Throughout the interior and exterior of the building, finishes utilise a range of materials sourced across the national trust estate. These include carpets made from Herdwick wool and timber-clad walls with materials sourced from several national trust sites across the country. The project has also been crafted to allow for abundant natural light to reduce running costs and required energy use.

ASDA – CALDICOT

With materials supplied by the NORclad team, ASDA Caldicot features a blend of façade materials designed to add visual and textural dimension to the store’s architectural design. This design features boards and battens from our product range, both of which were pre-treated with NORclad Brunnea treatment. Designed with sustainability in mind, our treated timber products offer businesses long-term peace of mind through the prevention of rot and fungal decay. This combination also makes for fewer long-term maintenance costs.

This project illustrates just one of NORclad’s innovative building solutions for clients. To see more examples of where our has helped clients achieve their design vision, view our range of case studies.

The Role of Renewable Materials in Sustainable Architecture

Environmentally friendly building materials play a pivotal role in sustainable architecture. Not only do renewable materials enhance the sustainability of buildings and developments themselves, but using renewable materials also plays a wider role in reducing the environmental impact of construction on a global scale.

By making changes at the material level, construction projects demonstrate an ongoing commitment to sustainability goals – at the level of individual projects, nations or even worldwide.

By incorporating renewable materials into sustainable architecture, architects and builders play an active role in limiting the depletion of natural resources – which indirectly helps lower energy consumption, mitigate pollution and reduce waste.

The use of renewable materials also impacts the experience and wellbeing of those who occupy projects produced through sustainable architecture – with research suggesting that opting for sustainable materials not only benefits the planet, but the health and wellbeing of people too.

It is in this sense that sustainable materials assist sustainable architecture in fulfilling its primary goals – to reduce impact on the environment, maximise energy efficiency and enhance health and wellbeing.

Achieve Renewable Construction with Timber Cladding from NORclad

Are you looking to incorporate renewable timber cladding into your sustainable construction project? Take a look at the range of timber cladding products available with NORclad and see what best suits your design and sustainability goals. Our range of treatments also assists with effective maintenance and maximising the lifespan of your timber.

Our team of friendly industry experts are on hand to offer advice suited to the specifics of your project. If you’re looking for tailored advice regarding your timber choice, get in touch today or view our timber cladding guide.

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