Investigating Sustainable Options for the Traditional Materials in the Construction Industry

The current trends in the construction industry show that sustainable materials are increasing instead of traditional construction materials. Since the construction industry is one of the largest consumers of energy and emitters of carbon dioxide, there is a need for more sustainable materials to be applied in construction. With the advanced technology, many building materials are available as sustainable options. In this study, the application of sustainable materials as a replacement for traditional construction materials is investigated. Sustainable options are considered instead of traditional building materials in the construction industry, including their characteristics and how and where sustainable materials can replace conventional building materials. In particular, bamboo, rammed earth, and mycelium are considered sustainable materials. The common characteristics of these materials are good thermal performance, reduced CO₂ emissions, low energy consumption, low waste generation, and low price. The mechanical characteristics are quite different, as well as the density of materials and performance in earthquakes. The bamboo has quite good mechanical characteristics compared to rammed earth and mycelium-based material, making it earthquake-resistant. However, it is not fungi-resistant or fire-resistant. On the other hand, mycelium-based material is pest-resistant and fireresistant. The potential to use sustainable materials in the construction industry is rapidly increasing due to modern technology and innovations.