| As civilization has developed, the way in which | | | | building that has a reduced structural weight and is |
| people live has grown too. As the way in which | | | | faster to apply as it is a coating that is fixed to a |
| people live has changed, so have the homes we | | | | sub surface. The veneer is able to be |
| live in. We now expect more from our homes | | | | strengthened through the addition of steel making |
| than for them to just be a place that we live in | | | | it solider than regular brick and has a lengthier and |
| and as a result we have developed clear ideas | | | | more resilient lifetime. The veneer also has the |
| about what we want from our homes. And to | | | | benefit of being able to be specifically dyed to |
| achieve that building materials have had to change | | | | any color and that coloring can be produced |
| too. | | | | repetitively time and time again. |
| While traditional building materials such as wood | | | | Plastics have fast become a key component in |
| are still extremely popular, there are other | | | | the building trade. Long looked at as a throwaway |
| alternatives out there. Wood-Plastic composites | | | | product, the plastics manufacturers and the |
| would have to be one such example. Produced | | | | building industry have had to reassess their views |
| from using recycled wood and plastic waste these | | | | of plastic as more and more people become |
| products can have a similar looking appearance to | | | | aware of the potential harm that plastics can |
| the real thing but are designed to be stronger and | | | | cause. Plastics have quickly taken the place of |
| more durable than the natural product. They are | | | | more the conventionally metal and copper piping in |
| not as prone to environmental factors such as rot | | | | plumbing. However, the plastics being used have |
| as traditional wood is. | | | | to be safe, especially for the carrying of water |
| The oldest known building material that is often | | | | into a home. The result of increased consumer |
| mistaken for being a modern one, which it is not, | | | | awareness has been the advancement of the |
| is concrete. Concrete has been in existence for | | | | raw materials utilized in its production. |
| thousands of years in one form or another. Yet it | | | | Insulation methods have seen a radical rethink as |
| is a product that has been the subject of major | | | | building methods advance. Traditionally insulation |
| advancements in its form and composition in | | | | was sometimes something of an after thought. |
| recent years. Modern concrete has been adapted | | | | Now it many countries around the world, it is an |
| to be simpler, more environmentally friendly, | | | | important factor of the building code and must be |
| swifter and less costly to use. One of the biggest | | | | installed sufficiently to ensure the building obtains |
| advancements of concrete would be the | | | | building compliance. There are various insulation |
| development of self consolidating concrete. As the | | | | methods, but a key one would be the exterior |
| names suggests, the concrete has been | | | | insulation and finish system that was developed |
| engineered to need no compacting to occur after | | | | after the second world war and has been |
| it has been poured, making it ideal for use in | | | | significant redefined since its development. The |
| circumstances that normal concrete would just | | | | system requires that there be multiple layers |
| not be suitable. | | | | installed with a number of different products |
| Porous or pervious concrete is yet another | | | | making up each layer providing the building with |
| development on traditional concrete. The concrete | | | | the maximum insulation and minimal moisture |
| is intended to let rainfall work its way through its | | | | retention. |
| mass and then soak into the ground beneath the | | | | That is not to say that traditional building materials |
| concrete layer. The idea is that the use of | | | | have lost their place in the modern world. Rather, |
| pervious concrete, especially in dense urban areas | | | | there has been a growing field of development in |
| where there is vast amounts of paved surfaces, | | | | recent years to find ways to make some of the |
| will permit the regular flow of the storm water | | | | more traditional materials of the building world fit |
| generated in rainy periods to dissipate through the | | | | in with the needs of the modern world. The drive |
| concrete layer and thus diminish the chance of | | | | has also seen a shift from building with any |
| flooding. | | | | materials that come to hand with the realization |
| Traditional bricks are making way for their | | | | that any modern building needs to be done in a |
| modern counterpart, the stone masonry veneer. | | | | way that is sustainable and yet has a minimal |
| The use of a veneer in place of bricks creates a | | | | impact on the environment. |