Eco-building materials, or green construction, is rapidly moving mainstream.
"Green" building supplies range from recycled fibre boards, plant-based paints to insulation products made from natural fibres. Demand has been driven by increasing awareness of the economic, health and environmental advantages of green building and as the market has developed, green building products are increasingly price competitive.
Paint
Demand for eco-friendly paint is growing with a number of “ecological” paints now on the market. The primary ingredient of eco-friendly paint is linseed oil. This is made by crushing the seeds of flax and then blending them with various other natural oils, resins and pigments to produce modern, surface coatings based on natural materials.
A market leader in this industry is the French company Derivery, whose main brand of ecological paint is called “Natura”. Other main brands across Europe include Biofa, Auro, Lreidezeit, Livos and Nature & Harmonie. The more innovative paints are a blend of linseed oil together with a mixture of 3 vegetable oils: sunflower (an excellent binder), castor oil (for its rapid drying) and hemp (for its durability).
Straw bale building in France
Using straw bales in the foundation construction of a building is one of the fastest growing green technologies in the construction industry today, and is particularly popular in areas of France. Besides their obvious ecological nature, straw bales are also locally sourced and have many advantages over traditional building materials. They are a low cost solution, have a high level of thermal insulation and can be finished with an earth or lime plaster or boarded to produce a durable and attractive result.
Address: IBT Partners - 17 rue du Colisée - 75008 Paris - France
Eco-building materials, or green construction, is rapidly moving mainstream.