A major strategy for sustainable construction materials is giving a second life to existing materials salvaged from other structures. This limits the environmental impact of construction to the small amount of energy it takes to transport materials to the site and alter them. This avoids filling up landfills with construction debris.
Reusing materials for the Greek Revival project began with a desire for authenticity -- materials with the patina of age are a better match for a historic structure than newly manufactured ones. It was impossible to find stone that matched the locally-quarried red sandstone of the original foundation, but we luckily found some from a demolished structure nearby. When we added insulation to the attic in the historic section of the house, old beadboard from the later addition we demolished was the perfect material to enclose it. Spruce trees we needed to cut on the property were planked and reused as flooring in the basement, The list goes on.
Sustainably-sourced materials are not an aesthetic compromise -- they can enhance the aesthetics of a building.
