Comparing Energy/Emissions of Building Products

Compare Environmental Cost When Choosing Sustainable Materials

A Green Building Solutions Report

Photo courtesy Harvel Plastics Inc

When you choose green building materials, how do they impact the environment? How much energy, emissions, etc., are used even before the product goes into a building to save energy? In a one-year study, plastic building and construction materials saved 467.2 trillion Btu’s of energy over alternative construction materials. The energy saved by using plastic building and construction materials in one year is enough to meet the average annual energy needs of 4.6 million U.S. households.

This resource compares the environmental cost – often not discussed – of creating popular building materials: steel, aluminum, iron and comparative plastic products that use less energy especially compared with the energy saved throughout the typical life of a building.