Europe knows green home building
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by: hugatree
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Word Count: 393
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 now have many technologies here in the United States that we consider to be new or innovative, but they really 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. GreenHomeBuilding.com says that this substance is popular in Europe because it is completely fire proof, highly insulating, and very lightweight. It can be easily transported in large quantities, which will conserve fuel. Also, the AAC is made of very simple ingredients: 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. 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 are in the right mind set to become equal in greenness to Europe, but I just hope it is not too late.
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