Does anyone have tips on where to find information about organic materials?
We are building with loose lumber and, if possible, want to choose materials that are organic/healthy. However, it seems difficult to get information about, for example, organic insulation, fascia boards, and vapor barriers.
For example, is there only cellulose fiber for the walls in loose form? My partner, who is going to build, thinks it seems troublesome. Does anyone know of alternatives?
We are building with loose lumber and, if possible, want to choose materials that are organic/healthy. However, it seems difficult to get information about, for example, organic insulation, fascia boards, and vapor barriers.
For example, is there only cellulose fiber for the walls in loose form? My partner, who is going to build, thinks it seems troublesome. Does anyone know of alternatives?
Assuming you mean organic materials when you say ecological. I have seen that such materials are usually discussed under the subject "Building Conservation". Check there.
"I am against fiberglass, it's the last thing I will choose in my house.
There are many alternatives to go for, almost all are more expensive, Flax, Hemp, Ecofiber, sawdust."
http://www.byggahus.se/forum/showthread.php?t=thread_deleted7
"I am against fiberglass, it's the last thing I will choose in my house.
There are many alternatives to go for, almost all are more expensive, Flax, Hemp, Ecofiber, sawdust."
http://www.byggahus.se/forum/showthread.php?t=thread_deleted7
We expanded our cottage, which is made of logs and lacks mineral wool insulation. The extension was built with a frame structure and cellulose fiber insulation. OSB and gypsum for the interior walls, asfaboard, and wood paneling on the outside, no vapor barrier.
Insulating went like a charm - a guy with a van sprayed the insulation into the sloping roof, walls, and floor structure in one day. He charged per cubic meter - no transportation costs. However, you should build compartments so that the insulation stays in place. Check with an insulation company for more information on construction techniques.
Good luck!
Insulating went like a charm - a guy with a van sprayed the insulation into the sloping roof, walls, and floor structure in one day. He charged per cubic meter - no transportation costs. However, you should build compartments so that the insulation stays in place. Check with an insulation company for more information on construction techniques.
Good luck!
Folksam has something they call the "Byggmiljöguiden" which might be something worth looking into, although I haven't looked into it much myself yet.
http://www.folksam.se/ByggaRenovera/index.htm
http://www.folksam.se/ByggaRenovera/index.htm
I have purchased cellulose fiber boards from www.vitalfinland.fi
Personally, I think one should consider what they want to achieve with their sustainable construction.
Is it to have a house with as few health risks as possible for oneself and the rest of the family? Or do you see it from a more global perspective and want to use materials that cause as little environmental disruption as possible in production, construction, operation, maintenance, and eventually demolition?
Many "environmental enthusiasts" would probably say that both goals should be achieved, but I think that is a utopia. Every choice in a construction project is a compromise.
Do we choose glass wool or not? It is a material with unmatched insulation properties, meaning that houses with glass wool insulation will always have lower energy consumption than equivalent houses with a more "sustainable" insulation. The production process is not particularly environmentally damaging. In other words, it is actually quite sustainable.
Those are the positive aspects; the negatives primarily include potential health risks when handling the material during construction. One should use protective masks, etc. Since glass wool is not as good at handling moisture (oddly enough) as cellulose insulation, its use means that houses should be completely sealed with plastic film in the walls. Plastic can be questioned as an environmentally friendly material, but on the other hand, the plastic usage spread over the life of the house is minimal (more plastic is likely used in various packaging during construction, even when only "sustainable" materials are used).
The likely biggest objection to glass wool lies precisely in the seals required and the health risks (real or perceived) that come with wrapping the house in plastic, i.e., glass wool could be an indirect health problem for those living in the house. However, from a global sustainable perspective, glass wool is probably better than "sustainable" insulation materials because the houses become more energy-efficient.
In the same way, one comes to the question of a concrete slab or a foundation on piers. Concrete is a material that probably cannot be considered "sustainable." From a global perspective, one should likely choose a crawl space foundation. Less concrete is needed for a few piers. The crawl space carries greater risks of moisture and mold damage (albeit disputed). So, for personal health, the concrete slab is probably better.
Is it to have a house with as few health risks as possible for oneself and the rest of the family? Or do you see it from a more global perspective and want to use materials that cause as little environmental disruption as possible in production, construction, operation, maintenance, and eventually demolition?
Many "environmental enthusiasts" would probably say that both goals should be achieved, but I think that is a utopia. Every choice in a construction project is a compromise.
Do we choose glass wool or not? It is a material with unmatched insulation properties, meaning that houses with glass wool insulation will always have lower energy consumption than equivalent houses with a more "sustainable" insulation. The production process is not particularly environmentally damaging. In other words, it is actually quite sustainable.
Those are the positive aspects; the negatives primarily include potential health risks when handling the material during construction. One should use protective masks, etc. Since glass wool is not as good at handling moisture (oddly enough) as cellulose insulation, its use means that houses should be completely sealed with plastic film in the walls. Plastic can be questioned as an environmentally friendly material, but on the other hand, the plastic usage spread over the life of the house is minimal (more plastic is likely used in various packaging during construction, even when only "sustainable" materials are used).
The likely biggest objection to glass wool lies precisely in the seals required and the health risks (real or perceived) that come with wrapping the house in plastic, i.e., glass wool could be an indirect health problem for those living in the house. However, from a global sustainable perspective, glass wool is probably better than "sustainable" insulation materials because the houses become more energy-efficient.
In the same way, one comes to the question of a concrete slab or a foundation on piers. Concrete is a material that probably cannot be considered "sustainable." From a global perspective, one should likely choose a crawl space foundation. Less concrete is needed for a few piers. The crawl space carries greater risks of moisture and mold damage (albeit disputed). So, for personal health, the concrete slab is probably better.
We are probably primarily thinking about ourselves 
, i.e., we (= me, my partner Builder just does what I say as long as it's not too crazy) want to use the healthiest materials possible. Then it's a plus if it’s not too harmful to the environment...
A major reason to use, for example, cellulose or linull is that you avoid using plastic layers, allowing the house to "breathe" (I decline any comments regarding my choice of words).
The tip about linull insulation seems good to me! We will look into it further, does anyone have experience with it?
, i.e., we (= me, my partner Builder just does what I say as long as it's not too crazy) want to use the healthiest materials possible. Then it's a plus if it’s not too harmful to the environment...A major reason to use, for example, cellulose or linull is that you avoid using plastic layers, allowing the house to "breathe" (I decline any comments regarding my choice of words
).The tip about linull insulation seems good to me! We will look into it further, does anyone have experience with it?
I disagree that cellulose fiber is inferior in terms of insulation. For example, Vital insulation is reported to have a lambda value of about 0.034. For me, the most important reason was the lower risk of moisture problems. Especially if you want a house that can withstand being unheated in the winter, the risk of moisture and mold problems seems greater with mineral wool.
Hans
Hans
I have a tip on a book that covers everything about building ecologically. It addresses how to build healthy homes to live in, regarding material selection, construction methods, electricity, heating, moisture, sound, etc.
How to conserve resources: heat and cooling, electricity, clean water, and waste.
How to close cycles and how to adapt to the place you want to build on.
It's beautifully illustrated with many images and clear examples of solutions.
http://www.byggbokhandeln.com/sok/detalj.asp?ArtikelNummer=6224005
The book can be obtained for about 450 kr. Search on google.
How to conserve resources: heat and cooling, electricity, clean water, and waste.
How to close cycles and how to adapt to the place you want to build on.
It's beautifully illustrated with many images and clear examples of solutions.
http://www.byggbokhandeln.com/sok/detalj.asp?ArtikelNummer=6224005
The book can be obtained for about 450 kr. Search on google.