Posted By - Aditi GargBuilding a modern home means rummaging through the material and finishes options that can help convert your dream to reality. While some people prefer conventional materials, others embrace unique construction materials for residential buildings and innovative techniques to create their dream projects. Being unique gives one an edge when it comes to aesthetics. It presents a way to explore material for unique finishes.
Does it have to be a new material in the market to qualify as being ‘Unique’?
Maybe or maybe not. One can undoubtedly count the new materials and techniques as unique. However, there might be certain old materials and techniques that could be considered unique. It's all about how you use a material to give a unique appeal to your home. One should also contemplate the sense of uniqueness for oneself – what qualifies and what does not? Material selection is one of the most important steps in building a home, and thorough research into modern home construction materials is essential. Here’s a curated list of 10 building materials to inspire you:
1. Bamboo- Renewable Rustic Charm
Bamboo has been used for centuries but is now gaining attention for its potential as an eco-friendly material for modern homes. With many architects and designers adopting the material as their primary choice, there have been numerous innovations in the bamboo construction field. Bamboo is being used as a structural material and for decorative purposes. The best part about the material is that it is a renewable source. A bamboo plant can be harvested in just 3 years, presenting it as a green choice for building material. One should not mistake the material for fragile as it is being used to construct robust structures worldwide. This material is truly unique when explored creatively. Moreover, the material gives the structure and space a warm and rustic feel.
2. Rammed earth- Timeless Earthly Elegance
Rammed Earth combines sustainable building materials for homes with age-old techniques. However, with the advent of technology and the discovery of materials, rammed-earth construction lost its way. Though with the mindful building practices taking the forefront and heightened awareness for sustainable building practices, rammed earth is steadily carving its niche. This material has a unique charm that can impart a rustic and rather urbane look to the space. The material allows endless possibilities in form and application, making it perfect for contemporary building materials for homes with a traditional twist.
3. Hempcrete- Light, Strong, Green
A bio-composite, hempcrete is a sustainable choice over concrete. With its negative carbon footprint, hempcrete is a top contender for sustainable building materials for homes. The advantage is that it is exceptionally light in weight and highly durable. The material is being explored and innovated to its potential for green building practices. This material is suitable for diverse locations due to its excellent thermal insulation properties. Exposed hempcrete surfaces can impart a lovely aesthetic to the space.
4. Mycelium- Mushrooming Innovation
Derived from mushroom root fibre, mycelium is one of the most innovative materials for home construction. It supports the sustainable movement and promotes using environmentally friendly materials as building blocks. It offers strength greater than concrete and is a lightweight solution for construction. This can easily be used to replace foam, timber and plastics in the construction of a house. Mycelium offers high moisture, mould, and fire resistance, as well as its insulative properties. This material is under research and innovation to make it a mainstream material. Mycelium is pushing the boundaries of sustainability and creativity as a modern home construction material.
5. Smart Glass- Smarter Spaces, Brighter Homes
With everything around us getting ‘smart’, it is time to adopt the ‘smart’ concept to our building materials. One such amazing and unique material is smart glass. Smart glass epitomizes integrating technology into modern home construction materials. Smart glasses are based on certain technologies that make the glass reactive towards a factor such as electricity, light, heat, etc. These glasses can change their transparency based on the technology (electrochromic, photochromic, thermochromic, suspended particle, micro blind, and polymer dispersed liquid crystal) they are based on. This material is ideal for creating climatic adaptive structures, making it a standout choice among innovative materials for home construction.
6. Engineered Wood- Sustainable Style Simplified
Engineered wood is one of the most versatile modern home construction materials for constructing and decorating homes. While we all like to use wood in our homes, the resources are limited and depleting. The solution is engineered wood to counter this and restrict our use of hardwood. Engineered or manmade wood has carved a niche in the building industry today. From wall panels to furniture elements, designers and carpenters have used engineered wood as their choice of material. These materials give ample flexibility regarding design, application, techniques and aesthetics. Plywood, particleboard, blockboard and MDF board are examples of unique construction materials for residential buildings that combine durability with aesthetic appeal.
7. Bricks from Waste- Waste Reimagined
Being mindful and conscious while constructing your home can lead you to unique materials made from industrial and agricultural waste. Bricks made of fly ash, cigarette butts, rice husk, straw, etc., are becoming icons of sustainable building materials for homes. These strong bricks help curb dumping in wastelands, thus promoting sustainable practices. There are a lot of waste materials that can be used to create bricks with structural strength more than conventional bricks.
Bricks made from extracted carbon, recycled plastics, various fibres, sawdust, etc., are being made and tested to use waste for construction efficiently.
By opting for bricks from waste, you consciously integrate eco-friendly materials for modern homes into your structure.
8. Ferrock- Stronger, Greener Concrete
Ferrock is a carbon-neutral material. It is an excellent alternative to concrete and is made using recycled scrap from the steel industry. It can be easily applied to spaces and elements that are cast from concrete. It provides the structure with enhanced strength as compared to concrete. With its ability to trap carbon dioxide during curing, ferrock is a frontrunner in sustainable building materials for homes that prioritize environmental impact. However, the availability of the material is dependent on the volume of waste from the industries, thus limiting its application in large-scale projects. But, if you can get your hands on this material, it is one of the sustainable and unique products to choose for your home.
9. Stainless Steel- Shiny Versatility
Stainless steel is a durable and unique building material for modern homes. With its diverse applications and versatility, the material can be used from structure to surface in a house. The material can be innovatively and creatively used to build or decorate a space. The gloss finish of the metal imparts elegance to a space, depending on the application and usage. Steel can be used to create drama on the façade or the interiors. By incorporating stainless steel, you bring elegance to your home while embracing contemporary building materials for homes.
10. Salvaged Materials- Treasure in Trash
If one is looking for a genuinely unique abode, then there is nothing better than to explore salvage elements and materials. Salvaged or reclaimed materials open many possibilities for creative explorations to impart a ‘one in a kind’ look to your home. These eco-friendly materials for modern homes reduce waste and add character This is not a single material and encompasses an array of materials and elements like shipping containers, old doors or windows, stone, timber, etc. However, one should be sure about the condition of the component to determine the life of the element to be reclaimed or repurposed. Most people do not take this route, yet it gives impressive results (both cost-wise and aesthetically). One certainly has to wear creative caps to work with salvaged elements.
Adopt the Old, Get Unique!
To conclude I would say that the uniqueness of the house is a total of materials selected, design and execution. This list showcases unique building materials for modern homes, many of which align with sustainable building materials for homes. Materials are an ever-evolving segment of the construction industry; a material might evolve today, and a new material might be discovered tomorrow. Similarly, the choice of materials is also ever-evolving!
We would love to read your thoughts and experiences regarding the material choice for your home. Please feel free to share them with us in the comments below!
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