What building materials to choose when building and furnishing a sustainable house?

WT 2021, or current energy standards for residential construction in Poland 

At present (as of November 2024), the standards in force in Poland are the 2021 regulations on the technical conditions for buildings and their location, referred to in Polish as the WT 2021 for short. These standards lay down stringent requirements for both thermal insulation and energy consumption.

It is the WT 2021 that has significantly reduced the maximum values of heat transfer coefficients for walls and joinery. For instance, exterior doors in a single-family house must have a heat transfer coefficient of no more than 1.3 W/m²*K.

Why is the selection of materials so important?

Sustainable building is understood as designing and executing construction projects in a way that is environmentally friendly, energy-efficient, and healthy for people. Choosing the right materials plays a major role here, as it affects the energy efficiency of a building, its durability, and its impact on the health of the occupants. With this in mind, it is a reasonable idea to go for materials that: 

• have the lowest possible carbon footprint, 

• are manufactured in an energy-efficient manner,

• are recyclable. 

Aluminum in sustainable buildings

Aluminum is one of the most important building materials in the context of responsible building. Its properties make it a multipurpose and durable building material. Aluminum windows and doors are a prime example of the use of aluminum in the construction of houses and commercial buildings, along with aluminum façades, roller shutters, balustrades, and many other elements. 

When it comes to environmental considerations, the key advantages of this material certainly include the following:

• Durability

With its resistance to corrosion and weather changes, aluminum makes windows and doors manufactured from it durable.

• Lightness

With its low density, the material is easy to process and assemble.

• Recycling

You can recycle this metal over and over again without compromising its properties. This significantly reduces the environmental impact of aluminum.

• Energy efficiency

Modern window profiles and integrated sealed glass units have superior thermal insulation parameters, helping reduce building heating costs.

Eco-friendly concrete: modern design for sustainable building.

Another notable material is eco-friendly concrete, manufactured with low-carbon and recycled materials, such as industrial waste. The technology makes it possible to reduce the extraction of natural resources with a view to reducing the carbon footprint of newly constructed buildings.

Similar to traditional concrete, the eco-friendly version is a highly durable material, resistant to weather and mechanical damage. Moreover, special additives give the building material very good thermal insulation parameters.

Wood – more nature at home 

Wood represents the most natural of the available building materials. It is becoming increasingly popular in the context of eco-friendly buildings. As a renewable resource, it can be harvested without harming the environment, provided that proper forest management solutions are in place.

Its refined aesthetic design brings warmth to any interior, lending it a cozy touch and creating a unique microclimate to naturally regulate air humidity. These aspects are highlighted, in particular, by designers of timber-frame houses, which are ever more popular in Poland. Made entirely of wooden elements, they are as good as traditional masonry buildings. 

What else can you use to build an eco-friendly house?

Besides aluminum, wood, and eco-friendly concrete, building projects can also be implemented with other materials. One obvious example is glass, which makes it possible to maximize the use of daylight in a building, reducing the need for artificial lighting.

By the same token, the right choice of insulation materials has a huge impact on the energy efficiency of a building. In this context, low-emission materials such as mineral wool, cellulose, and cork panels are gaining popularity.

Aluprof: innovative solutions closer to nature

Choosing the right building materials and technical solutions is vital if you want to create a sustainable house that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Feel free to take a look at our portfolio of doors, windows, aluminum roller shutters, and other Aluprof solutions, which offer excellent durability and thermal and acoustic insulation for your building.

Choose products that support the idea of eco-friendly buildings to take care of the future of our planet.