Sustainable Building Materials Wayne A Morris

A brief overview of available renewable building materials, their history, their uses in modern

building design and who supplies them (within Australia)

Renewable Materials ............................................................................................................... 3

Wool ................................................................................................................................................ 4

Timber ............................................................................................................................................ 5

Cork ................................................................................................................................................. 6

Bamboo .......................................................................................................................................... 7

Straw ............................................................................................................................................... 8

Silk................................................................................................................................................... 9

Spider Silk ..................................................................................................................................... 10

Kirei Board .................................................................................................................................... 11

Paper ............................................................................................................................................. 12

Plywood ........................................................................................................................................ 13

Cotton ........................................................................................................................................... 14

Thatch ........................................................................................................................................... 15

Linoleum ....................................................................................................................................... 16

Soy ................................................................................................................................................ 17

Hemp ............................................................................................................................................ 18

Rubber .......................................................................................................................................... 19

Palm .............................................................................................................................................. 20

Green Paints ................................................................................................................................. 21

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 22

Appendix ............................................................................................................................... 23

Resources ..................................................................................................................................... 23

Suppliers ....................................................................................................................................... 26

Bibliography .................................................................................................................................. 31

1.

“We can't solve problems by using

the same kind of thinking we used

when we created them”

—Albert Einstein

This is by no means a comprehensive compilation of renewable building materials as I am sure

there are a number of other materials available as well as other materials in the design process or

still to come that can be made from using renewable materials, however the following is a guide

to what materials one might look at using if wishing to construct a dwelling using as many

renewable and environmentally friendly resources as possible. In order for a material to be

renewable it would most likely be derived from some form of biological source whether it be

animal or plant. Other materials such as clays, sand or other minerals may still be considered

renewable but operate on a much longer timeline to more conventional renewable materials

such as living organisms and as such I have omitted them from my research. I have attempted

here to organise a list of materials which can be categorized and accessed as simply as possible so

that each material is easily allocated to a specific use within a building or in some instances a

number of uses can be found for a single material

Each materials is written on its own fact sheet with each sheet indicating the materials name,

the materials classification, information about the material, suppliers of the material or where

more information can be obtained regarding the material, material suitability tabs indicating

which components of a building the materials can be used for as well as a preview image of the

material at the top of each sheet to help identify what the material is or what it may look like.

Suppliers with a stamp next to them indicate that they are recognised by the

Australian Good Environmental Choice Program and are certified as suppliers of Good

Environmental Choice Products and have been listed on the Australian Green Procurement

database which can be found at www.greenprocurement.org

Material Name

Material Classification

Preview Image of Material

Information about

the material

Suppliers of the material or

links to more information Material Suitability Tabs

3.

Wool is produced by several animals including sheep, llamas, goats and rabbits although

because of the ease of domestication of sheep and their ability to grow large quantities of Wool

(about 25 mm each month. Adult sheep can be expected to cut in the order of 6-7 kg per year and

a yield of 78-80% is typical1) sheep wool is the most common source for wool used in the

building, flooring and clothing industry at present. The qualities of wool that suit it to a range of

different applications include its ability to be fire resistant up to higher temperatures than other

materials such as cotton and nylon, It has lower rate of flame spread, low heat release, and low

heat of combustion2.

Wool can be woven to form floor coverings such as carpet or it can be mechanically

bonded together into the form of batts which are used as insulation. Wool is a good alternative to

other forms of insulation such as fibreglass, cellulose or mineral wool because of its higher R

value of approximately 3.5 to 3.8 per inch of material thickness3 which is 0.3 to 0.6 points higher

than fibreglass, cellulose, or mineral wool4 and the fact that it is hypoallergenic which means that

it is not irritating to the respiratory system or the skin like fibreglass and other alternative

insulating materials5. Compared with other insulation materials wool has significantly lower

embodied energy being only 15 kilowatt hours per m³ which is half that of cellulose insulation and

practically one sixth of the embodied energy required to produce mineral wool6

1State of Victoria, Department of Natural Resources and Environment 2002, retrieved date 9 may 2009, <http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nreninf.nsf/9e58661e880ba9e44a256c640023eb2e/c12b1a2fd793afaeca2571800000981f/$FILE/ag0134.pdf> 2 Wikipedia, received 9 may 2009, < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheep_wool> 3 Wikipedia, received 9 may 2009, < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Wool_insulation> 4 Ibid 5 Ibid 6 Ibid

www.goldenfleeceinsulation.com.au 1800 641 101

www.higgensinsulation.com.au 1300 130 233

http://www.cavbrem.com.au/cbconsumer 1800 251 172

http://www.woolset.com.au 1800 111 231

http://www.greenliving.com.au 1800 224 184

4.

According to the Australian Timber Database there are 51 different species of timber to choose

from each with different qualities regarding density, appearance, termite resistance and

durability etc. What all timber has in common is that it is a natural resource capable of, with the

exception of old growth forests, being replenished as supply demands. At the end of 2008 there

was a total of 149.4 million hectares of forests in Australia7, of that 1.97 million hectares was

plantation forest8 increasing at a rate of 61,000 hectares a year9 with timber harvesting being

permitted in 9.4 million hectares of public native forest10. In 2006-07 a total of 27.1 million m³ of

timber was harvested in Australia11 accounting for approximately 1% of total renewable

plantation with new plantations constantly being replenished and re harvested every 10 – 15

years12 mostly for the purpose of being converted to woodchips for paper manufacture.

Australian plantations are categorised as either softwood, mainly pine (Pinus) species, or

hardwood, mainly eucalypts, including Eucalyptus and Corymbia species13. The largest plantations

being radiata pine which accounts for 75% of total softwood plantation14 and blue gum which

accounts for 62% of total hardwood plantation15. Embodied energy of timber products can range

from 0.5mj/kg for air dried timber16 to 11 mj/kg for plywood17 due to its more complex

manufacturing process, with 75% of energy requirements being consumed in the drying

process18. Sustainably harvested timber has a very low carbon footprint compared to other

building materials19 this is because although the timber is removed from the plantation it still

retains carbon dioxide obtained from the environment for long periods of time and with new

plantations being grown in its place the cycle can continue where more carbon dioxide is

continually removed from our environment. It is estimated that at present there is more than 12

billion tonnes of Co₂ stored in Australian forests20 positively contributing to lowering the carbon

footprint of the building industry and helping to sustain a healthier environment.

7 Australia’s forests at a glance 2009. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Union Offset Printers, Canberra, 2009 pp.2

8 ibid

9 ibid

10 Ibid pp.3

11 ibid

12 Ibid Pp.33

13 Ibid Pp.31

14 Ibid pp.32

15 ibid

16 Review of the Environmental Impact of Wood Compared with Alternative Products Used in the Production

of Furniture, Australian Gov. Forest & Wood Products Research & Development Corporation, 2003 pp.10 17

ibid 18

ibid 19

Carbon Footprint, The Australian timber database, retrieved 9 may 2009

< http://www.timber.net.au/index.php/Environmental-Design-Carbon-Footprint.html> 20

Australia’s forests at a glance 2009. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Union Offset Printers, Canberra, 2009 pp.2

5.

Cork is produced from stripping the bark from Cork Oak trees without having to cut down

the tree itself which can live for as long as 200 years21. Once a Cork Oak tree reaches 25 years old

the outer layer of bark is removed every 9 years and used for a variety of different purposes

ranging from cork stoppers in wine bottles, parts in musical instruments or created into building

products which can be used as walling or flooring in our homes. There is currently around 2.2

million hectares of cork forest worldwide with 33% being found in Portugal, 23% found in Spain22

and other plantations being found in other regions of southwest Europe and northwest Africa23.

Cork is considered an environmentally friendly material due to the nature in which it can be

harvested without having to destroy the environment around it. Organisations such as the World

Wildlife Fund have commented on the harvesting of cork in the Mediterranean as being “one of

the finest examples of a system which perfectly balances the needs of both humans and nature”24

with other organisations such as the Forest Stewardship Council or FSC helping to maintain

control of the cork Oak plantations and prevent illegal harvesting of the product or any

degradation or damage to the environment caused by improper forest management.

Locally, programs such as the Australian Good Environmental Choice Program have

awarded companies such as Comcork flooring by Logic Australia with the Good Environmental

Choice label, indicating that the product manufactured is an environmentally safe product

although it should be noted that comcork flooring systems are produced from using recycled cork

and rubber material and not plantation grown cork.

21

Cork (Material), Wikipedia, received 14th

may, 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork_(material)> 22

ibid 23

Cork Oak, Wikipedia, received 14th

may, 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork_Oak> 24

Cork Supply, Sustainable Forestry, received 14th

may, 2009. <http://www.corksupply.com/sustainability-matters/sustainable-forestry.aspx>

http://www.logicaustralia.com.au 03 9544 2288

http://www.spec-net.com.au/company/premium.htm

http://www.corkfloors.com.au/cf03a_cork.htm 03 9569 2222

http://www.jelinek.com/wall.htm +905-827-4666

http://www.amcork.com

6.

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth being able to grow at a rate of up to 60

centimetres or 24 inches in a day25 although its growth rate is highly dependent on soil conditions

and the climate in which it is grown. Bamboo is a member of the grass family and can be found in

many regions throughout the world in a diverse range of climates from cold mountains to hot

tropical regions26. Bamboo has many uses such as having parts of the plant used as food in some

Asian dishes and medications27, it is commonly used as scaffolding in Asian countries28, it is used

as a substitute to steel reinforcement in concrete29 and more recently bamboo has been

manufactured for use as household flooring systems whereby the bamboo is steamed, flattened

and glued together into flooring panels30. Companies such as the Bamboo Fabric Store even

produce fabrics and clothing made from bamboo fibres claiming that “bamboo fibre is a unique

biodegradable textile material. As a natural cellulose fibre, bamboo fabric can be 100%

biodegraded in soil by micro organisms and sunlight”31showing that not only is bamboo an

environmentally sustainable natural resource but also that disposal of the material has no

damaging effect on the environment.

Australian company Bamboo Surfboards Australia designed bamboo wall

panels which were entered into the 2003 Australian international design awards and are one of

few manufacturers of bamboo wall systems while other companies such as House of Bamboo

provide bamboo products suitable for use as roofing or cladding materials in Australia.

25

Wikipedia, received 14 may, 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo> 26

Ibid 27

ibid 28

ibid 29

ibid 30

ibid 31

Green and biodegradable, bamboo fabric store, received 14 may, 2009.< http://www.bamboofabricstore.com.au/biodegradable.html>

http://www.stylelimited.com (08) 9367 8388

http://www.ecoflooring.com.au (02) 9410 0640

http://www.bamboozle.com.au Osborne, WA 08 9445 9011 Myaree, WA 08 9317 2883

http://www.designawards.com.au/application_detail.jsp?applicationID=2299 84 Centenial Cct, Byron Bay, NSW 2481 p: 02 6685 6804

http://www.houseofbamboo.com.au 1300 665703

7.

The notion of using straw as a building material has been around since at least the

middle ages32 where due to a need to build housing using what limited resources were available

straw was used as thatching on roofs and even as walling material in the overcrowded villages.

Although when first used it was usually combined with other materials such as clay and sand33 it

was not until the baling machine was invented in the late 1800s that builders recognised the

potential to use blocks of straw as a viable building material34. The first know straw bale

constructed houses were built more than a hundred years ago by European settlers in the sand

hills region of Nebraska35.

Straw is an agricultural by-product, the dry stalk of a cereal plant, after the grain or

seed has been removed36 and is mainly utilized as feed or bedding for livestock. Straw can be

bought in the form of straw bales which can be used as building blocks to construct the exterior

or interior walls of straw bale homes, concurrently another way of using straw in buildings was

developed in Sweden in 1933 whereby straw was compressed into boards called stramit boards37

which were rough boards used mainly for insulation in roofs and walls. Decades later the product

was invested in by Australian company Ortech Industries whom today manufacture and sell their

refined version of the original Stramit board which they call Durra Straw Panels which use no

water or gas during the manufacturing process38.

32

Wikipedia, received 15 may, 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thatching> 33

Hollis, M, Practical straw bale Building, Landlinks Press, Collingwood, 2005. Pp. 1 34

ibid 35

King, B. Straw Bale Construction A Review of testing and lessons learned to date, Building Safety Journal, May - June 2004 pp. 38 36

Wikipedia, received 15 may, 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw> 37

History and Heritage, Ortech Industries, received 15 may, 2009. <http://www.ortech.com.au/about.html> 38

Durra Panel, Ortech Industries, received 15 may, 2009. <http://www.ortech.com.au/durra/durrapanel.html>

http://www.ortech.com.au 1800 805 919

http://www.straw.com.au (02)69 546 121

http://glassford.com.au (02) 6927 6027 john@glassford.com.au

http://www.strawtec.com.au 02 4443 5282 strawbales@bigpond.com

http://www.solomit.com.au (03) 9793 3088

8.

Silk is produced from silk secreting insect larvae, in particular the caterpillar known as

the silkworm39, it was first harvested as early as 6000 B.C. by the Chinese40. Silk is one of the

strongest natural fibres although unlike spider silk it does not perform as well in terms of

elasticity and can lose up to 20% of its strength when wet41. If silk is stretched it is liable to remain

elongated and if exposed to copious amounts of sunlight it can remain attenuated or vitiated. Silk

is rarely used in buildings save for in some circumstances it may be adopted as a covering to

copper electrical conductors42 or may be used as coverings for household furnishings or as

curtains or screen which act as dividers or window coverings.

The process for harvesting silk is relatively environmentally friendly. It involves the

collection of silkworm cocoons before the silkworm pupae have time to emerge from the cocoon,

once collected the pupae are killed by dipping the cocoons in boiling water43 which prevents

damage to the cocoon and silk thread by preventing the emergence of the adult moth. Another

way to destroy the pupae is by piercing the cocoon with a needle44, the reason the pupae is

destroyed is to preserve the silk thread so that it may be harvested in one continuous thread. An

alternative to domestically cultivated silkworms is to harvest the cocoons from the wild although

these cocoons are usually damaged as a result of the emergence of the adult moth which is

conducive to the damage of the silk thread which is torn into shorter lengths45. Not only is the

quality of wild silk vitiated compared to that of domesticated silkworms but it is also found that

“wild silks tend to be more difficult to dye than silk from cultivated silkworms”46

39

Silk, BDP environmental design guide, received 18 May, 2009 <http://content.environmentdesignguide.net.au/i-cms?page=1375> 40

Silk, Wikipedia, received 18 May, 2009 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk> 41

ibid 42

Silk, BDP environmental design guide, received 18 May, 2009 <http://content.environmentdesignguide.net.au/i-cms?page=1375> 43

Silk, Wikipedia, received 18 May, 2009 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk> 44

ibid 45

ibid 46

ibid

http://www.silkdirect.com.au 03 9882 6555

http://www.silkworld.com.au 03 9419 0666

http://www.halcyonsteppe.com.au

9.

Although Spider Silk is still in the developmental stages of the material it is worth

noting the properties spider silk has which gives it the potential to be a material suitable for a

diverse range of applications. Milligram for milligram spider silk is a stronger material than steel

or Kevlar47 which leads it to have the potential for being used for the production of such products

as super lightweight bullet proof vests or pocket portable parachutes48. Bioengineering company Nexia Biotechnologies Ltd. Have been working on a

process to commercially produce what they term BioSteel® which is produced with their

recombinant dragline spider silk program which is based on their transgenic goat technology49.

Because of the difficulties in harvesting the silk directly from spiders, research has revolved

around trying to find other species of insects that are capable of producing a similar silk such as

some bee, ant and moth species and modifying their silk to produce the same properties found in

spider silk although as yet no other silks have compared to the strength found in spider silk50.

Another way researchers are trying to develop the silk is by recreating the silk by taking cells

from the mammary glands of dairy cows and modifying them with spider genes to produce the

proteins used to make spider silk51. The end result will be the production of silks and BioSteel®

that is “5 times stronger than steel, 30 times more flexible than nylon and twice as elastic”52

suitable for a range of different applications.

47

Life Scientist, Lorne 2009: Silk structure from a social insect, received 20 may, 2009, <http://www.biotechnews.com.au/article/276292/lorne_2009_silk_structure_from_social_insect?pp=1> 48

ibid 49

BioSteel, Nexia Biotechnologies Inc., received 20 may, 2009 < http://www.nexiabiotech.com/en/01_tech/01-bst.php> 50

Life Scientist, Lorne 2009: Silk structure from a social insect, received 20 may, 2009, <http://www.biotechnews.com.au/article/276292/lorne_2009_silk_structure_from_social_insect?pp=3> 51

. Spider Silk – Stronger than steel, Queensland Government, received 20 may, 2009, <http://www.smartfuture.qld.gov.au/(fgxb3555x5zzfr45cis1mq45)/content/default.aspx?ID=AHQEI> 52

ibid

http://www.smartfuture.qld.gov.au/(fgxb3555x5zzfr45cis1mq45)/content/default.aspx?ID=AHQEI

http://www.nexiabiotech.com/en/01_tech/01-bst.php

http://www.biotechnews.com.au/article/276292/lorne_2009_silk_structure_from_social_insect?pp=1

10.

Formed from the pressed stalks of rice sorghum, Kirei board is an agricultural by

product which can be used to create non-toxic, lightweight boards suitable for use as an

alternative to wood. Kirei boards can be used for anything that common wooden boards can be

used for from cabinetry, furniture, wall coverings or even flooring. Although not classified as a

plywood, Kirei board is manufactured simular to plywood but without the use of toxic

formaldehyde resins53. The boards are first woven tightly together then heat pressed together in

diagonally opposing layers to give the boards extra strength. Kirei boards can either be clear

coated and left in their natural state or a wooden veneer can be placed over the material to

protect it if it is to be used as cabinet material due to it being a naturally soft material. Because of

its softness Kirei board is not recommended for use as flooring in high traffic areas54.

53

Kirei Board, Wikipedia, received 30 may, 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirei_board> 54

ibid

http://www.kireiusa.com

11.

Although most products are derived from recycled card or paper products,

the fact that paper itself comes from tree’s which are renewable is why I have described this

material as a renewable resource as opposed to a recycled product.

International Manufacturing Company Xanita Pty Ltd has developed a

multipurpose manufacturing process whereby recycled paper and cardboard material is

converted into a multipurpose product they call X-Board. X- Board is marketed as a VOC free

(Volatile Organic Chemical) alternative to MDF (Medium density Fibreboard) suited to

applications such as temporary or semi-permanent indoor walls, Kitchen Joinery, Tables, Shelving,

Ceiling panels, room dividers, bulkhead formwork, doors, partitions and a range of other

household and building applications55. In describing their product, Xanita refer to their product as

being made from post consumer paper waste56 manufactured into a honeycomb core where

“particle board or plywood are structurally bonded to both sides of this core, creating a

lightweight composite panel which can be direct edge banded with huge strength-to-weight ratio

advantages over heavyweight, formaldehyde-based, solid MDF and particle board”57. Apart from

any resins used in the bonding process all other materials used in the creation of the X-Boards can

be sourced from renewable resources. Xanita recommend their product for the purposes of

general construction, boat building, recreational vehicles, caravan manufacturing and portable

office solutions58.

55

X-Board Plus, Xanita, received 20th

may, 2009 < http://www.xanita.com/site/about/x-board-plus.html> 56

ibid 57

ibid 58

ibid

http://www.xanita.com 07 3821 7730

http://www.halcyonsteppe.com.au

http://www.visionwall.com.au (02) 9997 5222

http://www.taylorwalloptions.com.au 0438 275 400

12.

Plywood is manufactured by bonding multiple sheets of thin wood known as plies or

veneers together into layers with each layer of veneer being glued and placed at a right angle to

the previous layer in order to provide more rigidity and strength to the finished plywood board59.

Each plywood board is usually manufactured with an odd number of plies so as to create

symmetry in the board which allows it to be less prone to warping60. Plywood veneers are

typically bonded using heat along with a phenol formaldehyde resin which makes plywood a type

of composite material61. Although plywood can be sourced from renewable resources, the use of

the formaldehyde and the carcinogens that it produces has been a source of concern regarding

the safety and environmental impact of the product and alternative bonding agent would be

desirable as “government regulations become stronger against the use of these adhesives”62.

Plywood is considered superior to wood due to” its resistance to cracking, shrinkage,

twisting /warping, and its general high degree of strength”63. Plywood comes in a variety of

different varieties in both hardwood and softwood and is suited to a range of different

applications from marine use, aircraft manufacturing in the early 20th century as well as building

construction64 and it has been used as the main construction material for skateboards for about

as long as they have been around. Benefits of plywood is that it can usually be bought in larger

sizes than standard timbers65 and as previously mentioned it is commonly stronger and less prone

to deformity. In Australia Plywood is available from a number of retailers including Boral, Austral

Plywoods and Mr Ply&Wood all of which have a large range of plywood products available to

architects, builders and designers.

59

Plywood, Wikipedia received may 20, 2009. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plywood> 60

ibid 61

Ibid 62

ibid 63

ibid 64

ibid 65

ibid

http://www.boral.com.au/plywood

http://misterplywood.com.au 1300 138 771

http://www.australply.com.au 07 3426 8666

13.

Cotton is a natural fibre grown in the form of a Boll around the seeds of the

Cotton Plant which is a shrub native to most tropical and subtropical regions around the world66.

Cotton is a textile that has been widely used by various cultures as a means to make clothing and

other accessories since early Mesopotamian times. Civilizations such as early Indian, Chinese and

Egyptians picked, spun, wove and traded cotton and cotton products even before the dawning of

the 1st century A.D.67. At present, Cotton is Australia’s Largest Agricultural Industry taking up

400,000 hectares of land68 and producing $1.7 billion worth of cotton a year of which the

exportation of cotton contributes $1.5 billion to that figure69 with Australian producing around

3% of Global cotton production70 .

Cotton is a textile which is mainly used to produce clothing and other forms of

fabrics such as curtains or carpets although at least in America cotton only represents less than

1% of all fibres used in the American floor covering industry71. One reason some companies might

avoid cotton as a material for use in carpets is its high dependence on pesticides to protect the

cotton crop72 and the fact that backing on cotton carpet requires the use of extremely toxic glues

for the bonding process73. Whether it is because of the harvesting process or the more difficult

manufacturing process of cotton products it is not as common for companies to supply items such

as cotton carpets as opposed to woollen carpets or other nylon products, never the less cotton

can be used as insulation or as an option as an alternate wall covering to either wood or plaster.

66

Cotton, Wikipedia, received 24 may, 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton> 67

ibid 68

Cotton research & development Corporation, received 24 may, 2009. <http://www.crdc.com.au/index.cfm?pageID=23> 69

Cotton Overview, CSIRO, Recieved 24 may, 2009 <http://www.csiro.au/org/CottonOverview.html>> 70

Cotton research & development Corporation, received 24 may, 2009. <http://www.crdc.com.au/index.cfm?pageID=23> 71

Cotton inc. Received 24 may 2009. < http://www.cottoninc.com/1998EFSConferencePresentations/CottonRugsAndCarpets/> 72

Cotton, Wikipedia, received 24 may, 2009< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton> 73

Faqs, Natural Home Products, received 24 may, 2009< http://www.naturalhomeproducts.com/faqs.html>

http://www.livingfabrics.com.au 1800 224 184

http://www.halcyonsteppe.com.au

14.

Thatching is a more traditional method for covering roofs that involves the use of dry

vegetation such as grass, straw, leaves, reed or a number of other materials as a roofing material

for houses. Thatch was widely used in the middle ages as a cheap effective way to provide shelter

for the villagers where it was also know to be used as a walling material74. A range of thatches are

available and easily accessible in Australia with companies such as House of Bamboo, Oz Thatch,

Mr Thatch and Tropical Thatch offering Indonesian thatch, African Reed, Alang Alang Thatch,

Natureed, Bac Bac Thatch and Palm Fibre Thatching just to name a few. Depending on the type of

thatch used, the quality of installation and the pitch of the roof thatch can last as long as 70 years

for water reed thatching75, 45 to 50 years for straw thatching76 or anywhere from 10 to 25 years

for other forms of thatching77.

Benefits of thatch roofing includes the ability of most thatch materials to provide

competitive thermal insulation when applied in thick amounts78 and that it is versatile when it

comes to covering odd shaped or more difficult roof structures79 while some of the drawbacks to

using thatch is that it is less resistant to fires80 even though most thatches do come with fire

resistant coatings81. The biggest threat to thatch roofing is from animals such as birds and rodent

that might find the thatch a source for food or as nesting material and as a result would

contribute to the decay of the thatch roof. Another contributor to the decay of thatch roofs is the

presence of fungi in high moisture environments82, for this reason thatch is generally more suited

to be used in more tropical or warmer environments.

74

Thatched roof, Wikipedia, received 26 may, 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thatched_roof> 75

ibid 76

ibid 77

Thatch.com.au, received 26 may, 2009 <http://thatch.com.au/content/view/10/26/> 78

Thatched roof, Wikipedia, received 26 may, 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thatched_roof> 79

ibid 80

ibid 81

Thatch.com.au, received 26 may, 2009 <http://thatch.com.au/content/view/10/26/> 82

Thatched roof, Wikipedia, received 26 may, 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thatched_roof>

http://www.thatch.com.au/ (08) 9530 1347

http://www.tropicalthatch.com 1300 781104

15.

Linoleum is produced from a herb called a Linseed and is used in the manufacture of flooring

materials such as Lino and natural oil based paints83 although in recent years Lino has been

succeeded by another material known as vinyl which is made using Polyvinyl Chloride84 due to

vinyls characteristics being simular to Linoleum but producing a material of greater brightness

and translucency85. To make Lino the oil from the linseed is oxidized at elevated temperatures

while it is being stirred, this process continues until the flow rate of the oil decreases and a resin

is then added to the oil and the mixture exposed to hot air86. The material that forms is then

blended with a mixture of wood flour, Whiting, binder, filler and pigments then made into sheets

which are then attached to a felt or canvas backing, these sheets are then hung and heat treated

to induce hardening of the material87.

Linseed oil is also used to create natural paints. Linseed has been used as a

component in paint for over a hundred years with linseed based paint often proving more durable

and longer lasting than paints containing more modern toxic materials88, lasting anywhere

between 50 to 100 years before it begins to deteriorate89. Linseed oil can also be used as a

treatment for raw wood materials, textiles, wood preservation, industrial lubricant, earthen floors

and as a polish or leather treatment90.

83

Environmentally Sae Paints, Paint Brushes and Rollers, received 29 May, 2009. <http://www.paintbrushesandrollers.com/environmentally_safe_paint.htm> 84

Linoleum, Wikipedia, received 29 May, 2009 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linoleum> 85

Ibid 86

Linoleum, Encyclopaedia Britannica, receive 29 May, 2009. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/342589/linoleum> 87

Ibid 88

Environmentally Safe Paints, Paint Brushes and Rollers, received 29 May, 2009. <http://www.paintbrushesandrollers.com/environmentally_safe_paint.htm> 89

Ibid 90

Linseed Oil, Wikipedia, received 29 May, 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linseed_oil>

http://www.earthpaint.net

http://www.tarkett-floors.com +61 2 96 34 73 73

http://www.forbo-flooring.com.au 1800 224 471

http://www.generalflooring.com.au 02 9622 1811

16.

Soy is used in the production of Paints and paint strippers as an alternative to using more

toxic materials that are more harmful to the environment. The real Milk Company provides a

product they call Soy-Gel which is a professional industrial strength paint stripper which contains

no methylene chloride and is safe enough to be used indoors91. Unlike some more flammable

paint strippers, soy bean paint stripper has a high flash point of approximately 200 degrees F92.

Soy Based Acrylic paints are available from EarthPaint.net which are considered to perform better

than paints made from using more toxic material93. In terms of the manufacturing of soy into a

usable paint product “Soy bean oil alone does not make a good paint. It needs to be converted

into an alkyd or polyester”94 , each converting process requiring a substantial amount of energy to

perform. Benefits of using soy based paints include not having any lead, formaldehyde, mercury,

arsenic, or other harsh and harmful chemicals in the paints, the paints tend to last longer than

traditional more toxic chemical based paints95 and no ozone depleting halogen hydrocarbons are

released into the atmosphere96.

Aside from paints and paint strippers, soy can be used to produce resins, plastics, clothing

and a fuel known as biodiesel, soy accounting for 80% of American biodiesel production97.

Although the product does not contain any harsh substances of any great threat to the

environment it should be noted that pesticides may be used in the cultivation process of the soy

plant.

91

Soy-Gel, the Real Milk Company, received 18 May, 2009 <http://www.realmilkpaint.com/soygel.html> 92

Ibid 93

Non Toxic Paint, EarthPaint, received 18 May, 2009 <http://www.earthpaint.net/nontoxicpaintinfo.php> 94

Ibid 95

Soybean Polystripper, Healthy Home, received 18 May, 2009 <http://www.healthyhome.com/products/2014/Soy-Green-Polystripper.aspx> 96

Ibid 97

Soybean, Wikipedia, received 18 May, 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy>

http://www.realmilkpaint.com/soygel.html

http://www.earthpaint.net

http://www.healthyhome.com/products/2014/Soy-Green-Polystripper.aspx

http://www.naturalbuilthome.com/products/372-soy_paint

17.

Hemp is the name given to materials made from the cannabis plant, which is widely

known for its drug related use. Hemp is one of the fastest growing biomasses known and is one

of the earliest known domesticated plants98. Hemp requires no pesticides in its production 99

which makes it an environmentally safe alternative to some other plants and trees used for the

production of papers and fabrics. Hemp can be manufactured and used for a range of different

applications including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and

fuel100. On the building site, hemp fibres are being incorporated into concrete blocks in Europe

and China to give extra strength to the concrete101 while dried seeds of the cannabis plant

produce oil similar to that of the linseed which can be manufactured into natural oil based

paints102. Another hemp product available is what is known as Hemp rope which is made using

the fibres of the cannabis plant, although hemp fibres are used less in the last two centuries as

opposed to previous centuries it still remains a viable material as it has the ability to produce

250% more fibre than cotton and 600% more fibre than flax when grown on the same land103.

Hemptech.com has listed a range of different products made using hemp. Included

in its list for construction materials is Fibreboard, Insulation, Hemp reinforced concrete, Paints

and plaster. Hemp Resources Ltd describes a Hemp product which can be used as an alternative

to fibreglass known as Hempmat. Hempmat is said to be much safer than fibreglass, lightweight

and gives a better surface finish than glass although Hempmat is not as strong as fibreglass104.

98

Hemp, Wikipedia, received 27 may, 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp> 99

ibid 100

ibid 101

ibid 102

ibid 103

ibid 104

Info, Hemp Resources, received 27 may, 2009 <http://www.hempresources.com.au/hempinfoPg5.html>

http://www.ecodirectory.com.au/index.php/hemp

http://hemptech.com

18.

Natural Rubber is produced from the milky substance found in the sap of a number of

trees and some plants105 but the most common source of commercial natural rubber latex comes

from the Para Rubber tree due to its production of latex in large amounts as a response to

damage to the outer layer of the tree106. It takes 7 years for a rubber tree to reach the productive

phase of its life before being capable of producing latex suitable for collection for up to 25

years107. Rubber can be used for the purpose of making tires, shoes, balls, door and window

profiles, gloves, hoses, belts, matting, flooring108 and a range of other products available on

today’s market for residential commercial and industrial purposes. Clark Rubber, one of

Australia’s biggest sellers of rubber products sells anything from rubber mats, door and window

channelling, weather seals, o rings and silicone which can all be used in many types of buildings

while other companies such as Australian Rubber Supplies produce rubber sheeting for use as

flooring and mats for industrial and high traffic flooring needs.

Rubber flooring products are available from a number of different retailers

throughout Australia such as Logic Australia, who also produce Cork Flooring, Mat World, Activa

Rubber Flooring and signature floor coverings. Because of rubbers elastic qualities it is well suited

for the purpose of creating weather seals around openings whether it be used as a moulded

rubber product or as liquid silicone rubber.

105

Rubber, Wikipedia, received 28 may, 2009. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber> 106

ibid 107

ibid 108

ibid

http://www.clarkrubber.com.au 13 80 90

http://www.ausrubber.com.au 61 2 9681 6815

http://www.a1rubber.com 07 3807 3666

http://www.regupol.com.au rubbersales@regupol.com.au acousticsales@regupol.com.au

http://www.ecoflex.com.au +61 2 4940 0178 mail@ecoflex.com.au

19.

Native to Tropical and Sub tropical areas, the palm tree is an exotic tree

which can be used for its wood, leaves and its coconuts109. Palm trees are grown up until they

reach the age of 70, by which time they no longer produce coconut fruit and are considered to be

at the end of their economic life110, after which they are cut down to make way for new crops.

Traditionally palm wood was overlooked as a source for building products and was disposed of as

a waste product111, in recent years producers of palm trees have begun to see the potential for

palm wood to be used as an alternative to traditional timbers in the building and furniture

industry and as a result palm wood is now available as an option for hardwood flooring, structural

posts and furniture112. The Fibre of the Palm tree is used to make anything from carpets to ropes,

flat boards, paper, acoustic material insulation and bricks and can be made from the fibres of the

palm tree itself or from the coconuts that some palm trees bare113. Palm leaves can be used as

thatching on roofs while Palm oil is able to be used as a lubricant or as a cooking oil used to make

such foods as margarine and other processed foods114.

Although Palm trees are a natural product the use of palm products, in

particular Palm oil is having a detrimental impact on the environment with the loss of rainforest

which is the natural habitat for Sumatran and Bornean Orang-utans115. This destruction is

threatening the extinction of these species and is bought upon by the increasing demand of Palm

Oil. Other Palm Products however are sourced from different species of Palm Trees and have less

of an impact on the environment.

109

Palm Tree, Wikipedia, received 28 may, 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_tree> 110

Palmwood, Wikipedia, received 28 may, 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmwood> 111

ibid 112

ibid 113

Palm Fibre, ECPlaza.net, received 28 may 2009 <http://www.ecplaza.net/product/133365_570062/palm_fiber.html> 114

Palm Oil, Wikipedia, received 28 may, 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_oil> 115

Crisis, PalmOilAction.org, received 28 may, 2009 <http://www.palmoilaction.org.au/pages/crisis.html>

http://www.ecospective.com.au 0408 681 604

http://www.houseofbamboo.com.au 02 9666 5703

http://www.palmfibre.com http://www.geocities.com/starpalmfiber starpalmfiber@yahoo.com

http://www.jiancai365.cn/building/company.asp?id=811 86-757-85209909

20.

Green paints are paints that are manufactured using Linseed, Soy, Citrus oil, lemon peel

oil, natural minerals or other plant oils. The main benefit of using green paints is that less or no

toxic chemicals are present in the product116, less or no toxic by products are produced in the

manufacturing process and the paints are safer to our health117as they don’t contain lead,

formaldehyde, mercury, arsenic, or other harmful chemicals118. Another benefit of using green

paints is that they tend to outlast and outperform paint made using more toxic materials lasting

anywhere from 50 to 100 years119.

Green Paints are available from such companies as Colours by Nature, Bauwerk, allback

from Sweden, Earthpaint and Volvox just to name a few. Plant based paints are not water

resistant however they do “allow the substrate to 'breathe', are anti-static (avoiding dust),

discourage mould growth, and improve air quality”120 and a particular benefit of mineral and clay

based natural paints is that they are resistant to cracking, peeling and blisters121, all of which are

defects associated with the use of toxic based paints which were not present over a hundred

years ago when it was the norm to have paints made from natural materials122. Colour ranges are

the same for natural based paints as for traditional paints while lucidity qualities also do not differ

from traditional paints123 .

116

House of Paint, received 29 May, 2009 <http://www.house-paint.com.au/index.html> 117

Green Paint shop, received 29 May, 2009 < http://www.greenpaintshop.com.au> 118

Environmentally Safe Paints, Paint Brushes and Rollers, received 29 May, 2009. <http://www.paintbrushesandrollers.com/environmentally_safe_paint.htm> 119

Ibid 120

Natural Paints, Greenpainter, received 29 May, 2009 <http://www.greenpainters.com.au/natural_paints.htm> 121

Ibid 122

Environmentally Safe Paints, Paint Brushes and Rollers, received 29 May, 2009. <http://www.paintbrushesandrollers.com/environmentally_safe_paint.htm> 123

Colours by Nature, received, 29 May, 2009 <http://www.coloursbynature.com.au/home>

http://www.earthpaint.net

http://www.bauwerk.com.au (08) 9433 1008

http://www.paintbrushesandrollers.com

1(585) 924-8070

http://www.coloursbynature.com.au 1300 249 347 sales@coloursbynature.com.au

21.

Other Materials that have not really been mentioned in this report but are still

classed as renewable resources include:

- Agar - Alcohol - Beeswax and other known waxes - Casein - Coir - Flax - Jute - Kenaf - Manilla - Other Startches and Sugars - Ramie - Seagrass - Shellac - Sisal - Turpentine - Various other plant and Vegetable oils - And peanuts

All of which can be made or incorporated into products used in the construction of dwellings whether it be glues, paints, adhesives, lubricants, sealants, screening, reinforcing or to form composite materials. In conclusion any resource on the planet that comes from an organic form can be found as a renewable resource. Whether it comes from a plant such as in the case of oils or thatching for example or whether the material comes from animals such as in the production of wool, any biological organism is capable through its very nature of reproducing itself to renew life on the planet and ensure that its species lives on for future generations. Other materials such as minerals like iron ore, clay or aluminium for example although produced by the earth take many centuries to form and such resources are being depleted rapidly due to the rate at which civilization on the planet is increasing and constantly needing new supplies for houses, automobiles, and other living needs. If we can begin taking a closer look at just what we can do to reduce waste and material depletion we can find that we have at our very fingertips the ability to live sustainably and at greater benefits to our health, our planet and even in some cases the sustainable choice option may prove to produce a better quality product than its alternative of which is destroying the environment with its harmful chemicals and waste products.

Sustainable materials have been around for a long time, but while it is newer more toxic products that are causing the damage to the environment, it will take a move back to the tried and tested sustainable products to ensure this planet will survive for future generations to prosper.

22.

With the ease of use of the Internet, it is now easy to access information with just a mouse click that

previously would have taken many phone calls, visits to the appropriate institutes and organisations or waiting for

information to be sent in the mail. The following pages contain links to websites where information about

sustainable building materials can be found from a range of sources including government, corporate, and some

more private organisations. Once again this is not a comprehensive list as there are many more companies,

organisations and websites were further information can be available.

Alternative Technology Association www.ata.org.au

Australian Green Procurement Database www.geca.org.au/green-procurement

Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council www.asbec.asn.au

Csiro www.csiro.au

Department of Agriculture and Food www.agric.wa.gov.au

Department of Primary Industries www.dpi.vic.gov.au

Eco Companies Directory www.ecofirms.org

Eco Directory www.ecodirectory.com.au

Eco Specifier www.ecospecifier.org

Eco Voice www.ecovoice.com.au

Eco.Com Directory www.eco.com.au

EcoZine www.ecozine.com.au

Good Environmental Choice Australia www.geca.org.au

Green Building Council Australia www.gbca.org.au

Green Building Press www.greenbuildingpress.co.uk

Green Magazine Online www.gmagazine.com.au

Greenfest www.greenfest.com.au

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development www.oecd.org

Smart & Sustainable Homes www.sustainable-homes.org.au

The Green Directory www.thegreendirectory.com.au

The Green Pages www.thegreenpages.com.au

TransStudio www.transstudio.com

UNEP Sustainable Buildings & Construction Initiative www.unepsbci.org

Your Building www.yourbuilding.org

Australian Wool Growers www.australianwoolgrowers.com.au

Australian Wool Innovation Limited www.wool.com.au

Department of Primary Industries www.dpi.vic.gov.au

Elders www.sheep-cattle.elders.com.au

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wool

Woolwise www.woolwise.com

Forest & Wood Products Australia www.timber.org.au

Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation www.fwprdc.org.au

Forest Australia www.daff.gov.au/forestsaustralia

Tasmanian Timber www.tastimber.tas.gov.au

The Australian Timber Database www.timber.net.au

Timber Communities Australia www.tca.org.au

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timber

23.

Cork www.cork.pt

Cork Supply www.corksupply.com

Ecology.info www.ecology.info

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork

World Wildlife Fund www.panda.org

Bamboo Society of Australia www.bamboo.org.au

Earthcare www.earthcare.com.au/bamboo

Rainforest Info.Org www.rainforestinfo.org.au

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo

Ausbale www.ausbale.org

Department of Agriculture and Food www.agric.wa.gov.au

Straw.com.au www.straw.com.au

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw

Fabrics.Net www.fabrics.net/silk.asp

The Silkroad Foundation www.silkroadfoundation.org

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk

Australian Museum Online www.amonline.net.au/spiders/toolkit/silk/structure.htm

Life Scientist www.lifescientist.com.au/article/276292/lorne_2009_silk_structure_from_social_insect

Smart Future

www.smartfuture.qld.gov.au/(fgxb3555x5zzfr45cis1mq45)/content/default.aspx?ID=AHQEI

Green Building Supply www.greenbuildingsupply.com

Kirei USA www.kireiusa.com

Straws Sticks and Bricks www.strawsticksandbricks.com

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirei_board

Paper Online www.paperonline.org

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper

Xanita www.xanita.com

24.

Australian Wood Panels www.awpanels.com.au

Plywood Services www.plywoodservices.com.au

Timber.Org.au www.timber.org.au

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plywood

Cotton Australia www.cottonaustralia.com.au

Cotton Inc. www.cottoninc.com

Cotton Research and Development Corporation www.crdc.com.au

CSIRO www.csiro.au/org/CottonOverview

Natural Home Products www.naturalhomeproducts.com

Wikipedia: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton

Fibre Thatch www.fibrethatch.com.au

Thatch.Org www.thatch.org

The Thatched Roofing Company www.thatch.com.au

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thatched_roof

About.Com www.inventors.about.com/od/lstartinventions/a/linoleum.htm

Encyclopedia Britannica www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/342589/linoleum

Paint Brushes & Rollers www.paintbrushesandrollers.com/environmentally_safe_paint.htm

Research Products www.research-products.com.au/pdf/rp_linoleum.pdf

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linoleum

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linseed_oil

EarthPaint www.earthpaint.net/nontoxicpaintinfo.php

Spec-Net www.spec-net.com.au/press/1008/let_291008.htm

The Real Milk Paint Company www.realmilkpaint.com/soygel.html

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean

Australian Government www.agriculture.gov.au/browse/crops/industries/hemp Green Hemp Australia www.greenhemp.com Happy Planet www.happyplanet.com.au Hemp Embassy www.hempembassy.net Hemp Gallery www.hempgallery.com.au Hemp www.harbay.net Hemp.Com www.everything.hemp.com HempTech www.hemptech.com

Natural Fibres www.binhaitimes.com/hemp.html Rain Forrest Info.Org www.rainforestinfo.org.au/good_wood/hemp.htm Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp

25.

All Rubbers www.allrubber.com.au Allied Rubber Technologies www.alliedrubber.com.au Australasian Plastic & Rubber Institute Inc. www.apri.org.au Nine News www.news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/816732/rubber-plantations-may-be-devastating Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/rubber

ECPlaza Global www.ecplaza.net

Palm fibre www.palmfibreindia.com

Palmex www.palmex-international.com

PalmOilAction.Org www.palmoilaction.org.au

Spec-Net www.spec-net.com.au/

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmwood

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_oil

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_tree

Earth Paint www.earthpaint.net

The Real Milk Paint Company www.realmilkpaint.com

Green Shop www.greenshop.co.uk

Colours by Nature www.coloursbynature.com.au

The Green Paint Shop www.greenpaintshop.com.au

Green Painters www.greenpainters.com.au

Cavalier Bremworth Pty Ltd. 1800 251 172 www.cavbrem.com.au

Golden Fleece Insulation 1800 641 101 www.goldenfleeceinsulation.com.au

Higgins Insulation 1300 130 233 www.higgensinsulation.com.au

Sustainable Living Fabrics 1800 224 184 www.greenliving.com.au

Woolset Quality Carpets 1800 111 231 www.woolset.com.au

26.

Big River Timbers 1800 800 619 www.bigrivertimbers.com.au

Boral 1300 732 010 www.Boral.com.au

Choice Timber 03 9761 6645

info@choicetimber.com.au www.choicetimber.com.au

Demark Timber and Hardware 1300 783 067

sales@demark.com.au

www.demark.rtrk.com.au

Home Hardware www.homehardware.com.au

Outdoor Timber and Fencing 13 000 87328 www.outdoortimber.com.au

AmCork USA www.amcork.com

Jelinek Cork Group USA +905 827 4666 www.jelinek.com

Logic Australia 03 9544 2288 www.logicaustralia.com.au

Premium Floors www.spec-net.com.au/company/premium.htm

The Floor Shop 03 9569 2222 www.corkfloors.com.au

Bamboo Surfboards Australia 02 6685 6804 http://www.designawards.com.au/applicatio

n_detail.jsp?applicationID=2299

Bamboozle 08 9445 9011

08 9317 2883 www.bamboozle.com.au

Eco Flooring Systems 02 9410 0640 www.ecoflooring.com.au

House of Bamboo 1300 665 703 www.houseofbamboo.com.au

Style Limited 08 9367 8388 www.stylelimited.com

27.

Huff’n’Puff Strawbale Construction 02 69 276 027

john@glassford.com.au

www.glassford.com.au

Ortech Industries 1800 805 919 www.ortech.com.au

Solomit Strawboard 03 9793 3088 www.solomit.com.au

Straw.com.au 02 69 456 121 www.straw.com.au

Strawtec 02 4443 5282

strawbales@bigpond.com www.strawtec.com.au

Halcyon Steppe www.halcyonsteppe.com.au

Silk Trade Online 03 9882 6555 www.silkdirect.com.au

Silk World 03 9419 0666 www.silkworld.com.au

At Present Spider silk is not available to consumers however research is currently being undertaken into how to make a

commercially available products using spider silk technology.

Kirei USA www.kireiusa.com

Halcyon Steppe www.halcyonsteppe.com.au

Hume International 03 93356711 www.humeinternationale.com

Newmor +44 (0)1938 55 2671

enquiries@newmor.com www.newmor.com

Taylor Wall Options 0438 257 400 www.taylorwalloptions.com.au

Vision Wall Covering 02 9997 5222 www.visionwall.com.au

Xanita Pty Ltd 07 3821 7730 www.Xanita.com

28.

Austral Plywoods 07 3426 8666 www.austply.com.au

Boral 1300 732 010 www.boral.com.au/plywood

Mister Ply & Wood 1300 138 771 www.misterplywood.com.au

Halcyon Steppe www.halcyonsteppe.com.au

Sustainable Living Fabrics 1800 224 184 www.livingfabrics.com.au

Endureed sales@endureed.com www.endureed.com

House of Bamboo 02 9666 5703

info@houseofbamboo.com.au

www.houseofbamboo.com.au

Mr Thatch www.mrthatch.com.au

Oz Thatch 1800 842 824 www.ozthatch.com.au

The Thatch Roofing Company 08 9530 1347 www.thatch.com.au

Tropical Thatch 1300 781 104 www.tropicalthatch.com

Earth Paint www.earthpaint.net

Forbo Flooring 1800 224 471 www.forbo-flooring.com.au

General Flooring 02 9622 1811 www.generalflooring.com.au

Tarkett 02 9634 7373 www.tarkett-floors.com

29.

Earthpaint orders@earthpaint.net www.earthpaint.net

Healthy home www.healthyhome.com/products/2014/soy-green-

polystripper.aspx

Natural Built Home answers@naturalbuilthome.com http://www.naturalbuilthome.com/products/372-

soy_paint

The Real Milk Company dosiever@realmilkpaint.com www.realmilkpaint.com

Eco Directory www.ecodirectory.com.au

Hemptech info@hemptech.com www.Hemptech.com

A1 Rubber 07 3807 3666 www.a1rubber.com

Australasian Rubber Supplies 02 9681 6815 www.ausrubber.com.au

Clark Rubber 13 80 90 www.clarkrubber.com.au

Ecoflex Australia Pty Ltd 02 4940 0178

mail@ecoflex.com.au

www.ecoflex.com.au

Regupol Australia Pty Ltd rubbersales@regupol.com.au

acousticsales@regupol.com.au

www.regupol.com.au

30.

Ecospective 0408 681 604 www.ecospective.com.au

Foshan Lvyuan Fibre Molding

Technologu Co.,Ltd.

lvtech@pulpmold.com.cn www.pulpmold.com.cn/en/introduce.ht

ml

House of Bamboo 02 9666 5703 www.houseofbamboo.com.au

Palm Fibre India palmfibre@airtelbroadband.in www.palmfibreindia.com

Star Palm Fibre starpalmfibre@yahoo.com www.geocities.com/starpalmfibre

Bauwerk 08 8433 1008 www.bauwerk.com.au

Colours by Nature 1300 249 347

sales@coloursbynature.com.au

www.coloursbynature.com.au

Earthpaint www.earthpaint.net

Paint Brushes and Rollers 1(585) 924 8070 www.paintbrushesandrollers.com

Australian Government, Australia’s forests at a glance 2009. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Union Offset Printers, Canberra, 2009. BioSteel, Nexia Biotechnologies Inc., received 20 may, 2009 http://www.nexiabiotech.com/en/01_tech/01-bst.php

31.

Carbon Footprint, The Australian timber database, retrieved 9 may 2009 http://www.timber.net.au/index.php/Environmental-Design-Carbon-Footprint.html Colours by Nature, received, 29 May, 2009 http://www.coloursbynature.com.au/home Cork (Material), Wikipedia, received 14th may, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork_(material) Cork Oak, Wikipedia, received 14th may, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork_Oak Cork Supply, Sustainable Forestry, received 14th may, 2009. http://www.corksupply.com/sustainability-matters/sustainable-forestry.aspx Cotton inc. Received 24 may 2009. http://www.cottoninc.com/1998EFSConferencePresentations/CottonRugsAndCarpets Cotton Overview, CSIRO, Recieved 24 may, 2009 http://www.csiro.au/org/CottonOverview.html Cotton research & development Corporation, received 24 may, 2009. http://www.crdc.com.au/index.cfm?pageID=23 Cotton, Wikipedia, received 24 may, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton Crisis, PalmOilAction.org, received 28 may, 2009 http://www.palmoilaction.org.au/pages/crisis.html Durra Panel, Ortech Industries, received 15 may, 2009. http://www.ortech.com.au/durra/durrapanel.html Environmentally Safe Paints, Paint Brushes and Rollers, received 29 May, 2009. http://www.paintbrushesandrollers.com/environmentally_safe_paint.htm Faqs, Natural Home Products, received 24 may, 2009 http://www.naturalhomeproducts.com/faqs.html Green and biodegradable, bamboo fabric store, received 14 may, 2009. http://www.bamboofabricstore.com.au/biodegradable.html Green Paint shop, received 29 May, 2009 http://www.greenpaintshop.com.au

Hemp, Wikipedia, received 27 may, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp History and Heritage, Ortech Industries, received 15 may, 2009. http://www.ortech.com.au/about.html

32.

Hollis, M, Practical straw bale Building, Landlinks Press, Collingwood, 2005 House of Paint, received 29 May, 2009 http://www.house-paint.com.au/index.html Info, Hemp Resources, received 27 may, 2009 http://www.hempresources.com.au/hempinfoPg5.html Kirei Board, Wikipedia, received 30 may, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirei_board Life Scientist, Lorne 2009: Silk structure from a social insect, received 20 may, 2009, http://www.biotechnews.com.au/article/276292/lorne_2009_silk_structure_from_social_insect?pp=1 Linoleum, Encyclopaedia Britannica, receive 29 May, 2009. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/342589/linoleum Linoleum, Wikipedia, received 29 May, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linoleum Linseed Oil, Wikipedia, received 29 May, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linseed_oil Natural Paints, Greenpainter, received 29 May, 2009 http://www.greenpainters.com.au/natural_paints.htm Non Toxic Paint, EarthPaint, received 18 May, 2009 http://www.earthpaint.net/nontoxicpaintinfo.php Palm Fibre, ECPlaza.net, received 28 may 2009 http://www.ecplaza.net/product/133365_570062/palm_fiber.html Palm Oil, Wikipedia, received 28 may, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_oil Palm Tree, Wikipedia, received 28 may, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_tree Palmwood, Wikipedia, received 28 may, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmwood Plywood, Wikipedia received May 20, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plywood Australian Government, Review of the Environmental Impact of Wood Compared with Alternative Products Used in the Production of Furniture, Australian Gov. Forest & Wood Products Research & Development Corporation, 2003 Rubber, Wikipedia, received 28 may, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber

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Silk, BDP environmental design guide, received 18 May, 2009 http://content.environmentdesignguide.net.au/i-cms?page=1375 Silk, Wikipedia, received 18 May, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk Soybean Polystripper, Healthy Home, received 18 May, 2009. http://www.healthyhome.com/products/2014/Soy-Green-Polystripper.aspx Soybean, Wikipedia, received 18 May, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy Soy-Gel, the Real Milk Company, received 18 May, 2009 http://www.realmilkpaint.com/soygel.html Spider Silk – Stronger than steel, Queensland Government, received 20 may, 2009, http://www.smartfuture.qld.gov.au/(fgxb3555x5zzfr45cis1mq45)/content/default.aspx?ID=AHQEI State of Victoria, Department of Natural Resources and Environment 2002, retrieved date 9 may 2009, http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nreninf.nsf/9e58661e880ba9e44a256c640023eb2e/c12b1a2fd793afaeca2571800000981f/$FILE/ag0134.pdf Thatch.com.au, received 26 may, 2009 http://thatch.com.au/content/view/10/26/ Thatched roof, Wikipedia, received 26 may, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thatched_roof Bamboo, Wikipedia, received 14 may, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo Straw, Wikipedia, received 15 may, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw Thatching, Wikipedia, received 15 may, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thatching Wool Insulation, Wikipedia, received 9 may 2009, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Wool_insulation Sheep Wool, Wikipedia, received 9 may 2009, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheep_wool X-Board Plus, Xanita, received 20th may, 2009 http://www.xanita.com/site/about/x-board-plus.html

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