The Benefits of Sustainable Construction

Because the construction industry is one of the largest consumers of natural resources, recent years have seen contractors facing growing pressure to reduce their environmental impact. While technological advances have given builders access to more sustainable materials, they have also provided operations with significant cost savings by improving energy efficiency and minimizing landfill use. In addition, many innovative materials help increase a building's life span through enhanced durability.

What Is Sustainable Construction?

Sustainable construction uses renewable and recyclable materials for building projects while minimizing waste production and energy consumption. The primary goal of a sustainable construction project is to minimize its environmental impact. In addition to using environmentally friendly materials and processes, sustainable buildings often incorporate designs and features that continuously benefit the planet, like solar panels, fluorescent light bulbs, eco-friendly thermostats and more.

Sustainable buildings prioritize environmental factors at each stage of the construction process, focusing on aspects like optimal design, minimal maintenance and occupant safety. They typically offer features that make the structure a better place to work or live, such as superior air quality, enhanced noise control and abundant natural light.

Benefits of Using Sustainable Construction Materials for Your Projects

Today's sustainable building projects have become more than a trend for construction companies — they have cemented themselves as a way of doing business that pays off for the consumer, the builder and the planet. Some of the primary benefits of sustainable construction include the following:

• Cost savings: Sustainable buildings offer significant cost savings over traditional buildings through more efficient energy use, less maintenance, lower utility bills, healthier indoor environments and higher market values.
• Reduced waste: Green buildings minimize waste through their use of renewable sources. Many of the excess materials at construction sites are fully recyclable.
• Improved health and safety: Besides reducing environmental impact, one of the main priorities of sustainable construction is preserving the health and well-being of a building's occupants. Some primary features that improve health include optimized natural lighting and improved air quality. Sustainable construction eliminates materials containing potentially harmful chemicals by choosing safer paints, cleaning products and carpets.
• Increased operational efficiency: Sustainable buildings manage natural resources more efficiently than conventional options, including water and energy sources. These buildings capture rainwater for use in cleaning or other nonpotable applications. They can also store wind and solar energy for heating and cooling to preserve electricity and gas.
• Noise reduction: Noise reduction can significantly improve a person's well-being. The more absorptive materials in an area, the lower the resulting echo. Planting more trees and vegetation around a building is one of the most effective strategies for noise reduction. 

Choosing the Most Sustainable Materials

Some of the most common building materials used for sustainable construction projects include:

• Stone: Building with stone doesn't release potentially harmful contaminants or toxins into a home, and the end result requires little maintenance. In addition, leftover stone materials work well for other features like tile and countertops.
• Alternative bricks: Wool and mud are viable raw materials for creating blocks just as durable as conventional brick materials without using a kiln. These alternatives result in fewer emissions during raw material manufacturing.
• Sustainable concrete: Recyclable plastics and other materials are an ideal substitute for traditional concrete because they minimize carbon dioxide production and require less energy in manufacturing. Bendable concrete is another eco-friendly option that promotes sustainability and involves fewer maintenance and repair requirements.
• Bamboo flooring and walls: Because of its significantly shorter harvest cycle, bamboo is a much more sustainable option than conventional wood. It also offers superior durability, and it can give a building a distinctive look to help it stand out.
• Salvageable materials: Reusing old materials like brick, rubber and wood has been one of the most common sustainability principles for centuries. Also known as circular construction, this concept diverts waste from landfills to use as materials for building. 

How The Cat® Rental Store Can Help

At The Cat^® Rental Store, we provide the equipment and tool rentals you need to make your sustainable building project successful. Our excavator rentals and compact utility equipment are perfect for site prep, while our extensive range of aerial equipment offers your workers safety at high elevations. Our knowledgeable team has years of experience helping clients choose the most effective options to complete their building tasks.

We offer flexible rental agreements perfect for any company budget, whether you need the equipment for a few days, several weeks, a month or longer.

Trust The Cat Rental Store for Your Construction Equipment Needs

When using sustainable building materials for your construction project, choosing highly productive, energy-efficient equipment makes the most sense. Partnering with The Cat Rental Store gives you access to an extensive equipment line that allows you to promote sustainability while helping reduce potentially harmful greenhouse gas emissions. To learn more about how our products and services can benefit your operation, visit a dealer near you or call 800-RENT-CAT today.