Europe knows green home building

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 innovative, 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. Also, the AAC is made of very simple ingredients: water, sand, cement, lime, and aluminum powder. The main ingredient in AAC is air, which makes up over eighty percent of it composition. An important factor in the greenness of this substance is the fact that its production causes no byproducts. This material has been used by builders in Germany for almost one hundred years, but was only introduced in the United States in 1996, and it is not yet widely accepted.

Another example of a green home building technology that is widely used in Europe, but is not very well known 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. GreenHomeBuilding.com explains the fact that these boards do not emit toxins when manufactured. They are cheap to make, durable, and totally compostable. But, we do not use those very much here in the United States. We prefer cutting more trees, I guess we do not like using what we already have to make something new.

Europe is way ahead of us when it comes to green home building practices. People in Europe have been using such construction methods for about a century, so it is nothing new for them, it is a way of life. We have a long way to go, but we are finally in the right frame of mind here in the United States to begin conserving resources. I just hope it is not too late. -Linda Glutmein