If you are building a house and you are into sustainable living and trying to be as environmentally friendly as possible, you may worry that there aren't a lot of sustainable options out there that you can use. However, there are plenty of sustainable options out there. 

Alternative Building Materials

One thing that you can do is investigate using alternative building materials. Those include things like using straw bales, cement, tires, cob, or earthbags. These materials are adaptable and will let you build a house that is fairly environmentally-friendly, especially since in some circumstances, you will be recycling things that would otherwise be thrown away. For example, if you build your house out of old tires, you are taking tires out of the landfill and putting them to new use.

Tires are stacked similarly to blocks or bricks and dirt is tamped down into the tires until the tire is solid and doesn't move. Then, with some rebar placed down into the tires, you end up with a solid wall. Since the walls built in many of these methods are fairly thick, they are fairly energy efficient when it comes to heating and cooling. You can build your house yourself with these materials, but there are some construction companies that specialize in using alternative building materials. 

Reused Building Materials

Another option is to talk to your contractor about using reused building materials. These are materials that have been taken from other buildings when they have been renovated or taken down. If the work is done correctly, then all kinds of materials can be reused. That can include plumbing fixtures, cabinets, flooring, or counters. There are stores where your contractor can buy those materials so that they can be used in your house. Your contractor may also have contacts with salvage yards or demolition companies that sell off the building materials they get when they take apart houses.

Using those materials can give you a home with more character as well as keep things out of the landfill. For example, your contractor may be able to buy boards that were used in an old barn and use them as flooring in your house. You are going to get floors that have been weathered and have things like knots and wormholes in them. It will be something that no one else has. 

If you want to build your home, but you also want to make sure that you are using sustainable and environmentally-friendly methods and materials, you have options open to you. Contact a construction company like Fischer Homes to learn more.

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