Environmentally friendly home. Eco-friendly building materials Eco-friendly building material for home

We try to take care of our health by exercising the body and choosing healthy foods food, natural cosmetics, household chemicals. However, it often happens that we are the last to think about the environmental friendliness of our repair. And in vain, since this is one of the important components of our well-being.

The problem of choosing safe building materials for our housing in the modern world - quite relevant, due to the release of many materials of toxic substances, often not visible and not felt, but accumulating in our body. The modern chemical industry offers a fairly wide range of materials for finishing houses and apartments, often prioritizing durability and beauty, but by no means safety for health.


Therefore, when choosing materials for repairs, consumers have to take care of their health.

Let's try to figure out which materials are the safest for health, considering them from the point of view of application in a private house and apartment.

Let's begin to consider exterior finish , which is more relevant for private houses.

Ecological materials in home decoration

Let's start with the fact that the material from which the house is built must also be environmentally friendly and safe, of course, a house made of wooden beam, brick, stone.

Experimental materials - aerated concrete, cinder blocks, foam block, expanded clay concrete, polystyrene concrete, sandwich panels have not been fully studied, studies about their dangers periodically appear.

Therefore, many new or well-forgotten environmentally friendly materials are now appearing: geocar (peat bricks), adobe blocks(from clay and straw), kerpen (bricks made of ceramics), soil blocks (bricks from sawdust of needles, peat, clay).

An important issue remains the problem of using insulation for the home, usually mineral wool, foam glass and other inorganic materials (polyurethane foam, polystyrene) are used. Manufacturers make sure they are safe, but there are studies that over time, the smallest particles of glass begin to stand out along with the dust in our home, without benefiting our health.
Therefore, organic natural heaters are best suited - ecowool (cellulose, paper, wood fiber), a layer of flax processing waste, cork cloth.

Ecological materials in the decoration of the apartment

Choose the material from which it is built apartment house most often it is no longer necessary, but it happens that residents want to insulate the walls of their rooms, especially those living in corner apartments, so advice on choosing wall insulation will be as relevant to them as it is to homeowners.

Ceiling.
Suspended and stretch ceilings, despite their beauty, are made entirely of non-natural materials, and are capable of releasing toxic volatile compounds into the air, this is especially true for top floors and rooms where there is intense heating by the sun's rays.

Therefore, most often it is better to give preference to painting the ceiling in water-dispersed paints or paints based on natural essential oils(polyester). And you can also paste over the ceiling with ordinary paper wallpaper, or stretch natural cotton fabric, with which you can give the ceiling a variety of designs.

Walls.
Most often, people try to wallpaper them, but most use modern vinyl wallpaper made from PVC, which is not the safest material. However, they are being replaced natural materials- babmukovye wallpaper, fabric, glass, wallpaper made from natural plant fibers (reed, reed, etc.) and of course, the most reliable - paper.


For lovers of natural aesthetics - still relevant wooden lining.

Do not forget that the glue for them must also be environmentally friendly (based on starch and casein).

Floor.
For flooring, the most environmentally friendly materials will be cork tree and parquet inexpensive options from solid wood, natural carpet and natural linoleum, porcelain stoneware and ceramic tile, bamboo floor.

But laminate and linoleum, synthetic carpet are safe only if they are produced in compliance with all standards and expensive and well-known brands are bought.

As we see modern market offers many natural and safe analogues traditional materials for home decoration, so when planning repairs, you should study these materials. They, of course, will cost you more, but agree that health is priceless?

Bamboo products

The key factor in which they prefer to use bamboo, of course, is environmental friendliness. It grows in countries high humidity and very clean air, so there are no harmful substances in its fibers.

Initially, bamboo was used almost unchanged, just cutting its shoots to create elementary items. But day after day, designers perfected the processing technology of this plant, which made it possible to achieve its versatile use.

It is an excellent natural material for creating floor coverings, furniture, interior decoration items.

concrete structures

- Hero of our time. It is based on coal processing products (ash, slag, etc.), so it practically does not contain harmful and toxic impurities. Concrete, together with natural ventilation, is able to maintain a healthy indoor climate.

It is called an energy accumulator because it can long time keep warm. Concrete is successfully used as a finish, as well as to create unusual items interior.

Aesthetic external data, the highest strength and durability, as well as expressive colors create a positive image of this material.

Cork flooring

Natural cork is one of the most environmentally friendly raw materials. Coatings made from this material have many positive characteristics. They protect against heat loss and have good sound insulation. Cork does not accumulate foreign odors and static electricity. She is not afraid chemical reagents and therefore very easy to care for.

An unusual way to decorate the interior - decorating the wall with cork

Cork coatings are very wear-resistant and not subject to deformation. They do not emit harmful substances into the environment, because the basis of this material is cellulose, nitrogen and oxygen.

Another advantage of cork is hypoallergenicity. It does not develop pathogenic microflora and mold.

LED light bulbs

In modern interiors, standard incandescent lamps are practically not used. They have been replaced by LEDs. This is one of the most environmentally friendly and safe sources of lighting.

During the production of such lamps (if the company complies with environmental standards and requirements), the use of harmful substances, especially mercury, is excluded. They do not pose a threat in case of failure or damage to the housing.

LED lamps consume a minimum amount of energy and have a very long service life. This allows you to change light bulbs less often, and therefore less likely to dispose of them.

natural paint finish

The main difference between environmentally friendly paintwork materials from their counterparts (paints based on acrylic or alkyds) - their chemical composition. The basic raw materials for the production of synthetic materials are oil and refined products. Despite the fact that this is a natural mineral, it is very actively modified under the influence of chemical reagents, such as chlorine.

Unlike synthetic coatings, natural and environmentally friendly paints do not contain volatile compounds. Their basis is clay, natural pigments, vegetable oils and resin. Such paints are safe for both humans and the environment.

Safe plaster

The basic component for the production of standard plaster is gypsum. Its prey causes irreparable harm environment. And to obtain various effects, gypsum is mixed with aggressive plasticizers and pigments that contain volatile compounds that are dangerous to humans.

An innovative product - environmentally friendly plaster - is the result of hard work of chemists and builders. Gypsum was excluded from its composition, and in order to obtain the necessary shade of the coating, natural dyes and natural pigments are used.

Recycled wood

Modern trends dictate fashion for environmental safety and environmental protection. Recycled wood was the first to hit the trend. For these purposes, they use everything that comes to hand - old fences, floors, doors and even wooden boats.

Recycled wood makes very interesting furniture and decor items. With it, you can create unusual design interior style or vintage. Recycled wood products look very authentic and antique.

This approach to materials makes it possible to preserve rapidly shrinking forests and give a second life to forgotten objects.

Mosaic of broken glass

Many unusual accessories are obtained from a once broken bottle or an old stained glass window. Glass is sent to be melted down and given a second life. From the fragments are obtained unusual in beauty garden paths, if each piece is pressed into the concrete that has not yet hardened.

Such a peculiar mosaic will decorate many interiors. Broken glass also used in the manufacture of kitchen countertops.

The fragments are mixed with plasticizers and porcelain stoneware, and work surfaces are created from the resulting mixture.

Recycling aluminum

Banal aluminum is found everywhere: in cans and cans of soda, in unnecessary trash in the form of toothless forks and bent spoons. The modern idea of ​​remelting recyclables has a good reason. Such production consumes less energy and causes less harm to the environment compared to casting metal from scratch.

The recycling of aluminum is very much in demand in the conceptual directions in interior design, and a whole picture is devoted to an ordinary soup can.

waste paper

Recycling paper is perhaps the only way to extend the life of trees and save the environment for a new album or notebook. Waste paper products are not only office supplies.

Recycled paper is used to make cardboard packaging, insulating materials, kraft packaging, personal care products, disposable tableware and even decor items.

Mankind intuitively tries to return to its roots and tries to use natural materials in its home. Modern trend Merging with nature is an opportunity to preserve health and the environment.

AT recent times in construction there is a noticeable trend towards the use of environmental technologies that do not harm the environment. Companies engaged in the production of building materials are subject to stringent environmental safety requirements. And this is not a tribute to fashion, but a necessity dictated by life itself. Giving preference to environmentally friendly building materials, we simultaneously take care of our health and the health of our descendants.

Despite the fact that information about the degree of environmental friendliness of certain building materials is clearly not enough, we all know that some materials are harmless, while others, on the contrary, pollute the environment to one degree or another.

Harmful or non-environmentally friendly building materials are those materials for the production of which synthetic materials are used that adversely affect the environment. In addition, such production requires more energy consumption. Natural self-decomposition or recycling of the resulting building materials is out of the question. After use, they are thrown into landfills, where they continue to pollute the air and soil.

Non-ecological building materials:

• Styrofoam - releases the toxic substance styrene, which provokes the occurrence of myocardial infarction and vein thrombosis.
• HBCDD (hexabromyocyclododecane) is added to heaters (extruded polystyrene and expanded polystyrene), taking into account the technology, to reduce their flammability. Not so long ago, the European Chemicals Agency declared HBCDD one of the most dangerous of the 14 known toxic substances.
• Heat-insulating plates are made on the basis of polyurethane. They contain toxic substances isocyanates.
• Linoleum, vinyl wallpapers and decorative film - widely used materials in construction, which are responsible for the content of heavy metals in the air. These substances, accumulating over time in the human body, can cause the development of tumors.
• Paints, varnishes, mastics Low quality are considered the most hazardous to health, as they contain lead, copper, as well as toluene, xylene and cresol, which are narcotic substances.
• Concrete is known to be dense and durable. Unfortunately, it is the density of concrete that prevents the free penetration of air and contributes to the amplification of electromagnetic waves.
• Reinforced concrete has the same disadvantages as concrete, but additionally it also shields electromagnetic radiation. As a result, people living or working in homes and offices built from such materials often suffer from fatigue.
• Polyvinyl chloride is a component of many varnishes and paints. In contact with air, with the assistance of sunlight, it decomposes, releasing hydrochloride, which in turn provokes diseases of the liver and blood vessels.
• The polyurethane foam in the composition of the dust has a bad effect on the skin, eyes and lungs.

When buying materials for the construction of your house, demand that you be issued a sanitary-epidemiological certificate for them. This conclusion will give you an idea of ​​the degree of toxicity of your chosen building material.

Fortunately, there are other materials, the presence of which in the room not only does not harm, but, on the contrary, has a positive effect on the physical and spiritual state of a person - environmentally friendly building materials.

Eco-friendly building materials

Environmentally friendly (environmentally friendly) building materials are materials that do not affect the environment during the manufacturing and operation of which. They are divided into two types: absolutely environmentally friendly and conditionally environmentally friendly.

Absolutely environmentally friendly building materials are generously presented to us by nature itself. These include wood, stone, natural adhesives, rubber, cork, silk, felt, cotton, natural leather, natural drying oil, straw, bamboo, etc. All these materials have been used by man to build houses for centuries. Their disadvantage is that they do not always respond technical requirements(insufficiently hardy and refractory, difficult to transport, etc.).

In this regard, conditionally eco-friendly materials which are also made from natural resources, are safe for the environment, but have higher technical performance.

Conditionally ecological building materials include:

• brick
• tile
• roof tiles
• foam concrete blocks
• materials made of aluminum, silicon

The brick is made of clay without the use of chemical additives and dyes. The walls of this material are strong, durable, resistant to harmful environmental influences. The least energy-intensive type of brick is considered to be one that is made from clay with the addition of straw reinforcing it. After drying in the sun, such a brick is ready for use. More than a quarter of the population of the entire planet lives in houses built of this kind of brick. In areas with a dry climate, they are especially durable.

Each of us has the power to make our lives better. According to statistics, a person spends most time indoors (at work or at home) approximately 75% of the time. Therefore, it is of great importance what this room is built from. Building our house from ecological materials or using them in the interior decoration of the premises, we create a unique and at the same time healthy atmosphere.

Tips: for interior decoration the walls of the room are best suited for wood or mats made of straw, jute, bamboo. In extreme cases, plaster and paper wallpaper. If you decide to use parquet or laminate for flooring, then be sure to pay attention to whether it has a CE mark (meaning that the material is made according to European standards).

Dialogue between a buyer and a sales assistant in a building supermarket

We want to buy thermal insulation and Decoration Materials for walls. Recommend us something cheaper.

- How often do you plan to visit the cottage?

We are going to live there all summer, and to retire completely.

And how to choose these eco-products?

in diversity various kinds products on the market or in the store is quite difficult to navigate and make right choice. This article will focus on building materials that are safe for health. We will try to answer the questions: which materials are considered environmentally friendly and which are not, how to choose environmentally friendly products, which companies produce safe products, and why environmentally friendly materials should be preferred for repair and construction.

Which materials are considered sustainable and which are not?

Building materials can be environmentally friendly (safe) or emit harmful substances. For construction and repair, it is wiser to choose safe products. Most of all, natural materials that have been used by man since ancient times meet the criteria for environmental friendliness. It is wood and stone. They are absolutely safe for health, create a favorable microclimate in the room.

Stone and, to a greater extent, wood are renewable materials: correct use of these resources, they are fully restored over time. But for modern construction, natural materials are not always suitable due to significant shortcomings: for example, wood does not have sufficient fire resistance and strength. Stone is an expensive material and is not suitable for the construction of multi-storey residential buildings.

Therefore, materials based on natural materials are often used - concrete, glass and others. Similar products good quality also safe for human health.

However, there are materials that emit toxic substances during operation. Usually these are polymers and products with the use of various additives to improve their properties: strength, ductility, and others.

For example, thermal insulation boards on the basis of polyurethane emit toxic substances isocyanates, and foam plastics - styrene, which provokes the development of thrombosis and myocardial infarction. Insulation materials such as expanded polystyrene and extruded polystyrene contain hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), which is used to reduce their flammability. The risk of using this substance was recently recognized by the European Chemicals Agency, which found HBCDD to be persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic and ranked it first in a list of 14 substances of very high concern.

PVC-based materials that have recently become fashionable - linoleum, decorative film, vinyl wallpaper - can be a source of high levels of heavy metals in the air, which accumulate in human body and contribute to the development of tumors.

But perhaps the very first on the list hazardous materials there are low-quality varnishes, paints, mastics containing copper, lead and a number of narcotic compounds - toluene, cresol, xylene.

To preserve your health, when choosing building materials, pay attention not only to appearance and useful qualities, but also on their safety. Naturally, a completely logical question arises: how to choose a material?

What should be considered when buying building material?

Products must have a sanitary and epidemiological conclusion.

This requirement applies to absolutely all products sold on construction markets and in stores. Such a certificate is issued after the study of the material, during which its compliance with sanitary standards and safety for health is revealed.

Be sure to investigate whether the product emits harmful substances. This is especially true for a group of building materials, in the manufacture of which chemical additives were used to give the product the necessary characteristics, for example, strength.

As such additives, wastes from various industries are used - textile, chemical and others. But without them in the production of, for example, bitumen, fiberboard, chipboard, polymer materials cannot be avoided, therefore similar materials are in the risk group.

After passing special testing, in case of compliance acceptable standards the content of harmful substances, products receive a sanitary and hygienic certificate. This document is available from the seller or supplier.

Materials should not be a source of a specific smell in the room

If you feel that the material emits an unpleasant "chemical" smell, most likely it releases toxic substances. A bad smell is a kind of "indicator" that suggests that a product may be hazardous to health. But it should be noted that most of the "harmful" construction products do not emit a suspicious odor, so it is more reliable to familiarize yourself with the sanitary and hygienic certificate of the selected product and ask about the reputation of the manufacturer in the construction market.

More reliable products of well-known companies

Before going to the market or to a store for building materials, it’s a good idea to analyze the information: find out which companies are leading in the production of certain materials, which products meet environmental requirements and your needs, and then compare prices.

Thanks to the Internet, this entire procedure can be carried out quite quickly - fortunately, all leading manufacturing companies have websites with detailed information about products, prices, and deliveries to stores. The company's website usually has all the documentation, including sanitary and hygienic certificates.

Imagine that you are looking for wallpaper, flooring and thermal insulation (insulation) for a bedroom or children's room.

Step 1 is to find the most commonly used types of materials on the market.
Step 2 - identify their features and scope.
Step 3 - Determine what you need trademark according to the given parameters.

Wallpaper

Vinyl wallpapers are not environmentally friendly, but they wash well, are dense, so they can be suitable for the hallway and kitchen. Textile wallpapers(fiber-containing fabrics) are beautiful, fade resistant, but difficult to glue. Such wallpapers are suitable for residential premises, except for counterparts made on the basis of foam rubber with glued synthetic threads.

Linkrust is original, durable, but the presence of mastics (vinyl chloride and others) in the composition limits the scope.

Vegetable wallpapers (jute, based on golden flower, bamboo, reed) are safe, as they are made from natural materials, are wear-resistant, and can be used in the bedroom.

Paper wallpapers "breathe", are made from environmentally friendly materials. Due to the pleasant price-quality ratio, the paper version is most often bought for a nursery, living room and bedroom.

The oldest wallpaper manufacturers AS Creation and Eco Tapeter use expensive French and Belgian papers for their production. The products of these brands are of high quality.

Floor coverings

Parquet, parquet board - the most environmentally friendly, durable coating. However, it is important for him to choose the right varnish. It should be as safe as possible. Then parquet without fear can be laid in living quarters, including nurseries and bedrooms.

Cork flooring is hypoallergenic, durable and safe and is also used in nurseries and bedrooms.

Carpet does not emit harmful substances, but is contraindicated for allergy sufferers because of micromites that can settle in carpet fibers.

Laminate has a great parquet-like appearance, but can release harmful compounds.

Linoleum is the least environmentally friendly. Particularly dangerous are nitrolinoleum, relin, PVC-based linoleum. Even quality species products are recommended to be used only in the hallway, bathroom or kitchen.
Ceramic tiles are durable, reliable, environmentally friendly material, but you can’t lay them in the bedroom or hallway.
So, for residential premises we choose between parquet, parquet board and cork coating. The latter has recently become very popular. The technologies of the German company Meister in this area are considered advanced.

insulation

Expanded clay (expanded clay gravel) - environmentally friendly, durable, but inefficient and difficult to install. Not used for interiors.

Glass wool - effective insulation, but it crumbles heavily and over time can “sag” and leave uninsulated areas.

Styrofoam, expanded polystyrene are durable, affordable, but they do not remove vapors from the premises to the outside, forming condensate and fungus on the walls, they are combustible and emit harmful substances in case of fire.

(mineral wool based on stone) protects well from heat and cold, is safe for health, recommended for use in children's, health facilities and residential premises. It is a non-combustible material that does not emit toxic gases in case of fire.

The leader in the production of stone wool is the international Rockwool Group of Companies headquartered in Denmark. Insulation under this brand has been produced since 1937.

The above list of products and eco-friendly subspecies, of course, is not complete. Before going to the store, you should study in detail the information about the composition of the product you are interested in and the availability of the necessary documentation.

Why choose sustainable building materials?

The answer is extremely simple - to be healthy and keep your loved ones healthy.

The problem of using environmentally friendly materials in construction has begun to be widely discussed by the public relatively recently. One of the reasons for the close attention of the press to this topic was the facts of people turning to doctors with complaints of headache, nausea, eye irritation and various other allergic manifestations.

All patients have one thing in common - living in new or recently renovated apartments using non-environmentally friendly building materials. The first acute reaction to the toxic substances emitted by such materials is called "housing syndrome", the symptoms of which disappear over time. If you live in such an apartment, your health may gradually deteriorate due to the accumulation of harmful substances in the body.

All this may not happen if you find out in advance what the cottage or house where your apartment will be built from is built, and when choosing materials for repairs, give preference to the most environmentally friendly ones. High-quality eco-friendly products are not cheap, but is it worth saving on your own safety and family health?

Security is not just window bars, a steel door and angry dog guarding your peace. It is also a healthy comfortable microclimate of your home, the reward for which will be your good health.

AT explanatory dictionary the word "safe" is interpreted as "non-threatening, protecting". In relation to the house, this means - protecting from bad weather, unwanted guests, and at the same time creating a healthy comfortable microclimate in the house.

From the point of view of the ecology of building a house, there is a set of requirements. It includes the chemical composition of water, air, the level of noise, radiation, vibration, electromagnetic fields, microclimate parameters, the quality of finishing and building materials, and the purity of the soil.

Site ecology

If the house claims to be "environmentally safe", it must be located outside the zone of radiation or chemical contamination. Lines located near the site are undesirable high voltage transmission– sources of a strong electromagnetic field. It is bad if the future building is located in a geopathogenic zone - this is the name of areas that have a negative impact on humans, animals and plants. Geopathogenicity of the site can provoke anomalous zones, faults earth's crust, underground lakes, crossings of water streams, ore deposits, etc. Proximity to cemeteries, mines, landfills, etc. does not characterize the house as safe.

Project and geological studies

The right place for the house is half the success. The project, firstly, must be. Second, it must be completed by a licensed design architect. And, thirdly, the house should be built only by a construction organization that has the appropriate license. Project construction is not only a requirement building codes. The project allows both avoiding mistakes during construction and rational use of materials.

A modern project of a private house should include not only the appearance of the building, its layout, color scheme and lighting, but also its safety in terms of ecology, electrical wiring, fire and criminals.

As for the geological study, it should be carried out even before the project. Because the subsequent stages of housework, even perfectly executed, can lose all meaning. Soil conditions will show: is it possible to build a house at all on this particular site. And if possible, how.Otherwise, there may be cracks in load-bearing structures, and deformation of the foundation, and flooding of the basements.

Environmentally friendly materials

The house must be environmentally friendly. It is impossible that building materials contain lead, heavy metals and emit harmful substances. If it is not possible to use natural materials, then it is necessary to choose those that will bring minimal harm to humans and nature.

Modern building materials can be divided into two types: absolutely eco-friendly and conditionally eco-friendly.

Eco-friendly materials are the materials natural origin. These include wood, stone, cork, genuine leather, natural drying oil, straw, bamboo, slate, etc. Such materials have been used by man for the construction and arrangement of houses since ancient times. But, speaking about their application, one must remember: if they are environmentally friendly in themselves, then in combination with some other materials that do not have a natural origin, they can partially, and sometimes completely, lose their environmentally friendly properties.

For example, wooden house manual felling , built by the "old-fashioned method", does not raise doubts about its environmental friendliness. It is warm, supported optimal microclimate and always hovers a unique wonderful aroma. But everyone knows that wood is most susceptible to burning, rotting and action. biological pests such as carpenter beetle, bark beetle, mold, fungus, moss, blue stain, algae, bacteria. It is undesirable to use a tree without protection against biological destruction. At the same time, wood treated with antiseptics is already becoming conditionally environmentally friendly. And if the remedy is also chosen incorrectly, then it can even harm people living in a wooden house.

A rock durable and reliable. But in nature it is able to accumulate radiation harmful to the human body. Therefore, before using a stone, experts recommend checking it for the presence of background radiation.

Among roofing materials, absolutely safe from an environmental point of view, including due to its natural origin, is considered slate. This is a natural stone with a parallel (layered) arrangement of the minerals that make up its composition. Slate is able to split into separate plates, so the ancient Greeks began to use it as a roofing material. The material is environmentally friendly, beautiful and is rightfully considered the most elite (and expensive!) among roofing materials. But in order for it to serve on the roof of the house for a long time and protect it from the weather, it must be properly laid.

Conditionally eco-friendly materials are made from natural materials. They do not harm either people or the environment, and at the same time they have high technical performance.

Of the conditionally ecological wall building materials, brick, ceramic blocks and cellular concrete are in the first place. Brick and ceramic blocks produced from natural material- clay - without the use of chemical additives and dyes. Finished goods fired in a kiln high temperature. The walls of these materials are strong, durable, resistant to harmful environmental influences, "breathe". In winter, inside houses made of ceramics are warm, in summer it is cool.

aerated concrete block- view cellular concrete. It is an artificial cement stone with evenly distributed pores. The material is light, durable, good "sound insulator". In terms of fire resistance it is not inferior to ceramics, it is odorless, it is resistant to chemical and atmospheric factors, as well as fungi, insects and rodents.

Among roofing materials, natural tiles are in the first place in terms of conditionally environmental safety.

natural tile durable (passed the test of time - it has been used in construction for hundreds of years), environmentally friendly (baked clay without polymer impurities), aesthetically perfect: its beauty is undeniable. But this is also an expensive roofing material, and the heaviest, which affects the complexity of the preparatory work for its installation and roof construction (rafters).

Harmful building materials

Environmentally unsafe materials for building a house have firmly entered our lives, as they allowed us to create a delightful interior for little money. Mainly inexpensive materials, for the production of which synthetic raw materials are used, which adversely affect the environment both during the production process and during operation. The list of low-eco-friendly materials is quite large, but this does not mean that they should be completely excluded from the construction site. In fact, harmful building materials should simply be used for their intended purpose, in the right combination with others. In addition, attention should be paid to the compatibility of materials. For example, paper wallpapers are environmentally friendly, but together with low-quality glue, they will harm the environment and home owners.

Plastic windows, vinyl wallpaper and linoleum are widely available and easy to maintain, which explains their popularity. Similar Attributes modern interiors for little money, they allow you to create a clean and tidy ... plastic box! It is easy to wash, but it is difficult to breathe in it. Synthetic materials that have come to our homes to replace natural ones are increasingly becoming the cause of "diseases of technogenic civilization." The heavy metals they release, carbon dioxide, phenols, formaldehydes, hydrogen chloride, hydrochloride and a long list of harmful and life-threatening substances provoke a deterioration in health, allergies, asthma, headaches, skin diseases, and can even cause malignant tumors and organ dysfunction. So it turns out that the ecology in the house is often much worse than the ecology outside the window. But do not forget that the microclimate of the home is of paramount importance!

Choosing the right materials:

• Pay attention to the smell, which should not be! No matter how sellers convince you that the chemical smell will disappear in just a couple of days, do not dare to buy. A caustic “aroma” indicates a low quality product and a violation of the production recipe.
• Ask for a health certificate in the store, which is issued upon examination of products and confirms their compliance with sanitary standards and safety for health.
• Be careful: study the label and its meaning! So, marking from E0 to E3 indicates how many harmful substances the product releases into the environment. E3 is the category of the most dangerous products. E0 is the safest. This marking is valid for almost all building and finishing materials - from linoleum and chipboard to paints and adhesives. At the same time, environmentally clean materials may be marked with other marks.

These recommendations are valid for the choice of almost any building and finishing materials. After all, in addition to plastic, in modern homes there is enough environmental danger emanating from concrete and reinforced concrete (which shields electromagnetic radiation), foam plastic, drywall, chipboard, thermal insulation, paints, varnishes, etc. All these materials are environmentally harmful to one degree or another, releasing phenols, formaldehydes, heavy metals, ammonia and other chemical compounds that accumulate in the apartment and literally hover in the air, contributing to a general deterioration in health, affecting the immune system and, as a result , causing the development various diseases. Moreover, fumes from hazardous building and finishing materials adversely affect the development of children, inhibiting it.

For example, many wall paints contain lead, which is one of the main causes of growth retardation and mental retardation in children. According to the WHO, lead is responsible for 600,000 mental disorders in children each year.

Unfortunately, the content of lead in paints is not indicated on the bank. Its presence can be determined only by laboratory analysis. But, according to the resolution of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint (GAELP), by 2020 "lead paint" will completely disappear from stores. In the meantime, experts advise choosing paint on water based , which, as it turned out from recent studies, contain practically no lead additives.

Alternative materials

If you don't want to guess how safe paint, linoleum or washable wallpaper is, you can always find an eco-friendly alternative. For example, PVC linoleum is being replaced by natural linoleum, made on a substrate of jute fibers (natural textile fiber from the plant of the same name - jute). Such an eco-linoleum is fundamentally different from its synthetic counterpart in its composition, which includes oxidized linseed oil, wood flour, lime filler, cork chips, hardwood resin. The pigments used to color natural linoleum are exclusively of natural origin. Especially such linoleum is recommended for rooms where there are children and people with respiratory diseases.

Vinyl wallpapers that emit formaldehyde fumes can be replaced with beautiful paper ones, to which it is high time to change your attitude. For a long time it was believed that paper wallpaper is the cheapest and not very beautiful material for wall decoration. But today paper wallpaper- one of the most current trends in the interior. Their selection is huge! And in the kitchen, the wallpaper can easily be replaced ceramic tile, considered one of the most environmentally friendly safe materials due to its natural composition (clay, sand, mineral additives), chemical and physical inertness.

When choosing environmentally friendly building and finishing materials, you should choose the same safe finish coats and adhesives. Otherwise, the effect of using natural materials will tend to zero.

Biosecurity at home

Biological safety - guaranteed absence of mold fungi, pathogenic bacteria, insects, rodents, etc. in the house. For this, materials are used that prevent the penetration of fungi, bacteria, insects into the premises, or measures are taken to neutralize them. In this case, we are talking primarily about wood. It is from atmospheric influences, decay and destruction, as already mentioned, in most cases it is treated with an antiseptic. By the way, it will provide not only resistance to moisture and the effects of wood-destroying fungi, but also allow you to give the wood an additional shade. And in order to protect wood from fire, it is treated with flame retardants.

But, having set a goal to build an environmentally friendly house, in no case should we forget about other aspects of safety! Such as fire, mechanical, physical, engineering.

Fire safety at home

Fire safety is equally important. The threat of a fire is always great if fire safety rules are not followed. Remember that modern building materials catch fire easily, and natural materials must be processed. by special means which reduce the risk of fire. And always be careful and safety rules.

Mechanical safety

Mechanical safety means, first of all, reliability building structure, no deformation. The first step in creating a reliable home from this point of view is a properly designed and arranged foundation. The calculation of the construction of the foundation is carried out by the designer, taking into account both the characteristics of the soil (for which geological studies are carried out), and the specifics of the house construction materials and the future load. Poorly designed or improperly executed foundations lead to house distortions and cracks in the walls. The design of the walls must have the same durability as the house, and also perform two functions: protect from rain, snow, wind, sun, overheating and temperature changes, and load-bearing - to withstand the load transferred to them from structures, equipment, furniture.

Also, the outer walls must have heat-shielding qualities that comply with existing standards and provide the necessary temperature and humidity conditions in the premises at any time of the year. The walls, depending on the required degree of fire resistance of the house, must have a flammability group and a fire resistance limit not lower than those established fire regulations. In addition, both external and internal walls must have sufficient soundproofing properties.

Physical security

Physical security means protecting the people living in the house from cold, noise, and intruders, etc. In the first case, the problem is solved by heat and sound insulation. The last way protection is especially relevant for metal tiles and profiled sheets. These materials enjoy ever-increasing popularity among our compatriots. Metal tile, for example, imitates natural tiles, is relatively harmless roofing material, but has a drawback - it makes noise during rain. Therefore, for a comfortable home under a metal tile and profiled sheet, soundproofing is required.

When choosing insulating materials, one should be guided by the principle of their maximum harmlessness.

Home security can be compromised not only natural factor. The apartment sometimes needs to be protected from intruders and scammers. As for protection from unwanted guests, reliable locks, a security and video surveillance system will solve this issue, and a safe should be installed to store valuables. In this situation, you need to pay attention to the installation burglar alarm. Moreover, it is possible to immediately install a fire and security alarm system, which combines both protection against external penetration and monitoring the occurrence of a fire. Such protective system will be able to scare off the attacker, and, depending on the situation, transfer information to the police or fire department on duty.

Engineering safety

In general, the engineering safety of the house implies the preservation of the existing ecosystem, the economical consumption of electricity and the prudent use of natural resources.

The house should always have Fresh air, good lighting, to be free of pathogens of any disease. At the same time, this can be achieved by using the most secure equipment. If we are talking about air conditioners, then these are, first of all, inverter-type models, with the “smart eye” function, on ozone-friendly refrigerants, which have a “zero” ozone-depleting potential. In such models, the “smart eye” function reacts to movements in the room and turns on the economical mode of maintaining the temperature if there is no one in the room.

Security is also certain measures related to the destruction of any threats to human life. The most visible danger is electricity. It has long been part of our everyday life, and we cannot do without it. But electrical safety must be taken very seriously. When building or repairing a house, it is necessary to ensure that the cables are laid in accordance with the project standards. Wiring must match the power of all electrical appliances that you have or plan to use. In case of emergency shutdown must have backup source nutrition. This is especially true for a private house. Not only an electrician can get under voltage, but also a common person. And for this it is not at all necessary to tear off various wires, an accident may occur due to damaged wiring. Or a generally harmless attempt to hang a picture and screw a screw into the wall may not end very well if the same electrical wiring is found in the wall. Therefore, those who want to live in comfort with conveniences and completely protect themselves should remember about the design of the power supply.

When it comes to supplying a house with heat, engineering security implies the use of renewable energy sources.

For example, wind turbines will convert wind energy into electrical energy and will both save significant financial resources and at the same time obtain environmentally friendly full energy independence.

And if you want to embody the theme of environmental safety in your home as fully as possible, build an eco-house. It must meet the following characteristics: energy efficiency, non-aggressiveness in relation to its inhabitants and the environment, maximum autonomy of life support systems.

Behind a wall of such security measures, you can feel calm, no matter what happens. In any case, it is better to save on beauty than on safety. Because a house that ceases to be a fortress ceases to be a home.

"Construction Rules", No. 47 /1, August 2014

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