A London-based family has taken some innovative, ground-breaking, and eco-friendly steps to refurbish and extend a dilapidated house.
Their main goal from the start was to make an old and run-down house as eco-friendly and energy-efficient as possible.
It took them a few years to come up with the plans and find a suitable architect to satisfy their wishes with a limited budget.
Their most innovative idea came from building a small extension onto what was the kitchen, using mainly cork for internal and external cladding.
What made this also a cheap option is the fact that construction time was very fast with no additional materials or plastering to finish off the project.
It’s also naturally waterproof, insulating, and creates a sound barrier to block outside noises.
The Guardian featured an article detailing why cork is such an ideal material.
“Harvested from the bark of cork oak trees often grown in Portugal, it’s natural, chemical-free, carbon-neutral and cheap to produce. Cork trees are fast-growing and harvested only once every nine years throughout their 200-year lifetime. As a material, cork lasts decades, is biodegradable and easy to replace if necessary.”
Let’s see if cork becomes a more widely used building material.
Chris is one of GreenCitizen’s writers who has been a long-time advocate of individual responsibility when it comes to the environment. He shares GreenCitizen's passion for making the world a better place every day of the year.
Business & Policies ,
Using Eco-Friendly Cork As A Building Material
by : Chris Bolt | Published: January 6, 2021
A London-based family has taken some innovative, ground-breaking, and eco-friendly steps to refurbish and extend a dilapidated house using cork.
A London-based family has taken some innovative, ground-breaking, and eco-friendly steps to refurbish and extend a dilapidated house.
Their main goal from the start was to make an old and run-down house as eco-friendly and energy-efficient as possible.
It took them a few years to come up with the plans and find a suitable architect to satisfy their wishes with a limited budget.
Their most innovative idea came from building a small extension onto what was the kitchen, using mainly cork for internal and external cladding.
What made this also a cheap option is the fact that construction time was very fast with no additional materials or plastering to finish off the project.
It’s also naturally waterproof, insulating, and creates a sound barrier to block outside noises.
The Guardian featured an article detailing why cork is such an ideal material.
“Harvested from the bark of cork oak trees often grown in Portugal, it’s natural, chemical-free, carbon-neutral and cheap to produce. Cork trees are fast-growing and harvested only once every nine years throughout their 200-year lifetime. As a material, cork lasts decades, is biodegradable and easy to replace if necessary.”
Let’s see if cork becomes a more widely used building material.
Chris Bolt
Chris is one of GreenCitizen’s writers who has been a long-time advocate of individual responsibility when it comes to the environment. He shares GreenCitizen's passion for making the world a better place every day of the year.
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