site.btaUPDATED Using Eco-friendly Building Materials Provides Opportunity to Reduce Carbon Footprint - Expert

The use of eco-friendly building materials is an opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint and improve people's lives, Dobromir Mashev, construction geobiologist and chairman of the Institute of Ecological Construction (IEC), told BTA. 

He pointed out that clay has many uses in construction and does not require such thermal processing as other traditionally used materials such as lime, gypsum, or cement.

"In construction, there are a total of four types of mineral-based binders that are used in making building mortars. These are cement, lime, gypsum, and clay. They have their advantages and disadvantages. However, clay does not undergo heat treatment and in the case of cement, there is a charring process up to 1600 degrees. With gypsum, the degrees go up to 1200," he explained.

Mashev pointed out that achieving these high temperatures leads to high energy consumption and therefore environmental damage increases. With clay, there is no heat treatment, only mechanical treatment. If it is used properly, it is possible to build an ecological microclimate in the home, he noted.

Styrofoam, which is used in the insulation of buildings, is another material that can be replaced, for example, with straw, hemp or wool, the specialist said, explaining that styrofoam is an easily flammable material, from which a large amount of poisonous gases is emitted when burned. When properly compressed, straw can smoulder but does not ignite because there is not enough oxygen to make it burn, Mashev explained.

Styrofoam, which is used in building insulation, is another material that can be replaced, for example, with straw, hemp or wool, the expert said, explaining that styrofoam is an easily flammable material that releases a large amount of poisonous gases when burned. When properly compressed, straw can smoulder but does not ignite because there is not enough oxygen to make it burn, Mashev explained.

The use of natural materials in painting, such as dry mineral paint, is also recommended by the IEC. According to Mashev, besides being environmentally friendly, natural paints are also beneficial for our health, especially for children, due to the lack of harmful emissions. He explained that in conventional paints, to achieve greater durability, strong chemicals are used which are extremely harmful.

The IEC chairman highlighted the Institute’s goal to bring back the old practice of using eco-friendly materials for construction. It is envisaged that the institute will be housed in an old school in the village of Dolni Rakovets, which was renovated with the help of volunteers. The idea is to have a site in the courtyard of the institute where options for using different ecological materials can be presented.