Why Building With Cedar Is Sustainable

Knowing how to start a building project can be tricky since there are so many options out there. However, with an increased knowledge of environmental awareness, it's time to start thinking more sustainably. Homebuyers have become more and more put off from buying buildings constructed from materials that are prone to harming our ecosystem. So, to discover an environmentally friendly alternative and start being kinder to our planet today, read on.

Materials Used for Previous Construction Projects

In the past, building projects depended largely on concrete and steel. These materials have been used across countless constructions for houses, skyscrapers, and stadiums, but all of this has come at a big environmental cost. Concrete is known for its release of carbon dioxide emissions and link to the depletion of the planet's sand. With such serious issues surrounding these traditionally used materials, it might be time to select an eco-friendly alternative: cedar.

Cedar and other wood materials have the smallest impact on water and air quality when compared to other construction materials.

What is Cedar?

Cedar is the wood from cedar trees, becoming popular in this modern age as a building material due to its vast array of benefits. This material has acoustic properties, easily absorbing sound to keep any space private. External use of this type of wood can be great for soundproofing buildings, making it ideal for rooms that need noise reduction like music rooms.

Further still, this type of wood improves the look of designs across the world. Western Reds come in a beautiful natural color with a variety of crisp tones. This can transform any outdoor or indoor space into something eye-catching and lively. These reasons make cedar a popular choice of building material, although its sustainability also contributes to this.

Cedar's Sustainability

With wood being the only main building material that is a renewable and biodegradable resource, it's obvious that cedar's environmental performance will easily outdo any man-made materials such as concrete. Western Red Cedar is commonly known for its excellence in decreasing greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere by absorbing carbon dioxide. Moreover, cedar is largely found in managed forests, which means it is ethically sourced. These forests have protected wildlife habitats that allow biodiversity to flourish.

Furthermore, cedar and other wood materials have the smallest impact on water and air quality when compared to other construction materials. The manufacturing process produces far fewer toxic chemicals and greenhouse gas emissions than man-made materials. Furthermore, the regeneration of forests makes new trees, absorbing even more harmful carbon dioxide and releasing plenty of oxygen for our environment to thrive in.

If this wasn't enough, Western Red Cedar surpasses other construction materials such as concrete and steel in energy efficiency through its features of heat conductivity, thermal performance, and building codes.

So, why else is cedar a sustainable building material? It can protect against fires. Western Red Cedar meets Building Code Level 3, exceeding the minimum requirements for fire safety. This makes cedar an excellent and safe choice for interior use. It could also prevent carbon from being released into the atmosphere during fires and the need for replacement materials after a fire.

Finally, cedar is very resistant and durable. With its natural chemicals, cedar is one of the most stable types of timber. Therefore, you can expect this material to be long-lasting. By preventing decay, moisture damage, and termites, you won't need to replace this construction material as much as you may need to with others. This heavily reduces the amount of material needed to be generated, decreasing the number of Earth's resources used up.

What Can Construction Companies Take Away from the Example of Cedar?

Construction companies can learn a lot from the types of materials they plan to use. By using cedar, companies can create themselves as an actively environmentally aware brand that is trying to help our ecosystem thrive. This injects meaning into a company and gives homebuyers and others a reason to collaborate with them over other less environmentally friendly businesses.

Therefore, it's clear to see that cedar is a great choice as a building material. Whilst being good for our environment, this type of wood also looks incredibly attractive and stands the test of time with its durable feature. So, on your next building project, it's certainly worth considering cedar as your main construction material!

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