IWA Publishing

Table 1

Traditional building materials and their relevant properties for implementation of NBS

Source	Material	Uses	Recyclable/reusable	Renewable	Environmental impact
Animals	wool/hair	blankets, carpets, textiles for insulation and shading	can be reused/reshaped or be used as an additive	yes (grows on animals)	CO₂ – impact of animal production (but could be a side product of food production)
	wool/hair	additive in clay or concrete	not reusable because bound in material	yes (grows on animals)
	leather/pelt	tipi/yurt coverage	depending on process of dressing	yes
	dung	floor, ground material	can be composted or burned	yes (animal waste product)
	dung	additive in clay or concrete	once dried out not easy to reuse, but can be returned to soil	yes (animal waste product)
Plants	living plant material	sod for roofing	can be composted or burned at end of life	yes	binding of CO₂, habitat function
	living plant material	climbers/clingers/creepers for bridges & sunscreens	can be composted or burned at end of life	yes	binding of CO₂, habitat function
	wood	large-dimension timber & poles for primary structure	can be reused/reshaped repeatedly if not chemically treated, and composted or burned at end of life	yes, but careful management needed	binding of CO₂ during growth phase/harvesting, transport and production process creates positive or negative energy balance
		boards and planks		yes, but careful management needed
		scantling, smaller pieces, shingles		yes
	cork/bark	insulation material, flooring	can be reused or recycled	yes, but careful management needed
	bamboo	roof structure, walls, fences, decoration	yes, but usually weak after initial use, can be composted or burned	yes, rapidly
	rush, straw, thatch	roofs & ropes	can be composted	yes, rapidly
	hemp	thermal insulation	yes	yes
	paper	walls and screens	can be reused or recycled	yes	water/energy demand depending on production process, various chemicals added
	paper	wallpaper	no (sticky glue on it)	partly
Earth	water	ice buildings	can be reused or recycled	no	low
	water	component in clay or concrete	no		moderate?
	mud/clay	walls, floors, stoves	once dried out not easy to reuse, but can be returned to soil		low
		bricks	after firing not easily reusable, but can be returned to soil		average, depending on energy resource for firing
		tiles (glazed material)	reusable but not easily recyclable		depending on energy resource for firing and glazing
	stone	plaster	can be reused, recycled as gravel		depending on mining process and transport
		walls	can be reused, recycled as gravel
		gravel	can be recycled in concrete
	sand	glass	can be recycled		depending on mining process, transport and energy resource for production
	metal	various products	can be reused or recycled
	lime	paint	can be returned to soil with other products
	opus caementicium (lime and sand)	walls, floors, roofs	can be recycled in concrete

Source	Material	Uses	Recyclable/reusable	Renewable	Environmental impact
Animals	wool/hair	blankets, carpets, textiles for insulation and shading	can be reused/reshaped or be used as an additive	yes (grows on animals)	CO₂ – impact of animal production (but could be a side product of food production)
	wool/hair	additive in clay or concrete	not reusable because bound in material	yes (grows on animals)
	leather/pelt	tipi/yurt coverage	depending on process of dressing	yes
	dung	floor, ground material	can be composted or burned	yes (animal waste product)
	dung	additive in clay or concrete	once dried out not easy to reuse, but can be returned to soil	yes (animal waste product)
Plants	living plant material	sod for roofing	can be composted or burned at end of life	yes	binding of CO₂, habitat function
	living plant material	climbers/clingers/creepers for bridges & sunscreens	can be composted or burned at end of life	yes	binding of CO₂, habitat function
	wood	large-dimension timber & poles for primary structure	can be reused/reshaped repeatedly if not chemically treated, and composted or burned at end of life	yes, but careful management needed	binding of CO₂ during growth phase/harvesting, transport and production process creates positive or negative energy balance
		boards and planks		yes, but careful management needed
		scantling, smaller pieces, shingles		yes
	cork/bark	insulation material, flooring	can be reused or recycled	yes, but careful management needed
	bamboo	roof structure, walls, fences, decoration	yes, but usually weak after initial use, can be composted or burned	yes, rapidly
	rush, straw, thatch	roofs & ropes	can be composted	yes, rapidly
	hemp	thermal insulation	yes	yes
	paper	walls and screens	can be reused or recycled	yes	water/energy demand depending on production process, various chemicals added
	paper	wallpaper	no (sticky glue on it)	partly
Earth	water	ice buildings	can be reused or recycled	no	low
	water	component in clay or concrete	no		moderate?
	mud/clay	walls, floors, stoves	once dried out not easy to reuse, but can be returned to soil		low
		bricks	after firing not easily reusable, but can be returned to soil		average, depending on energy resource for firing
		tiles (glazed material)	reusable but not easily recyclable		depending on energy resource for firing and glazing
	stone	plaster	can be reused, recycled as gravel		depending on mining process and transport
		walls	can be reused, recycled as gravel
		gravel	can be recycled in concrete
	sand	glass	can be recycled		depending on mining process, transport and energy resource for production
	metal	various products	can be reused or recycled
	lime	paint	can be returned to soil with other products
	opus caementicium (lime and sand)	walls, floors, roofs	can be recycled in concrete

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