Category Archives: material

building material

Straw and clay get along well

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Architect Florian Hoppe presents the straw bale building

Architect Florian Hoppe presents the straw bale building

Architect Florian Hoppe knows his way around both building materials– He developed a relationship with clay at a very early age in his father’s company. He learned masonry and plastering by working on several construction sites in Thuringia/Germany. Through a cooperation of different companies it was even possible to use local clay. In the course of his architectural studies, Hoppe became enthusiastic about straw bale construction. One idea in particular from the settler days in America did not let him go: he wanted to realize the load-bearing straw bale without wooden stud construction in Germany as well. After careful preparation and with the support of his family, he was able to move into his spacious straw house ten years ago.
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Using the ACI value to assess the radioactivity of building materials

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gamma rays in building materials

Gamma rays in building materials endanger health

The European Union (EU) has developed the Activity Concentration Index to assess radiation exposure

The large-scale installation of radioactive building materials indoors can endanger the health of the occupants. Granite, tuff or pumice are building materials with radioactive potential. However, sand, gravel, limestone and natural gypsum can also be radioactively contaminated under certain circumstances. The builder does not always know which rock is in a product. For example, a masonry block is offered under the brand name “Liapor”, without the buyer knowing that pumice rock is hidden behind it. The European Union has therefore developed the Activity Concentration Index (ACI) to assess radiation exposure from building materials indoors. The Institute for Building Biology in Rosenheim (Germany) recommends an ACI value of less than 0.75 for health protection.
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Too many pollutants in the carpets

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Carpets may contain toxins

Carpets may contain toxins

People love their carpets – 1.8 million tonnes are sold in Europe year after year. This is also the second largest carpet market next to the USA. The market leader today is Tarkett in France, followed by the Balta Group from Belgium. The production of a carpet takes place in several production steps. Each of the work stages uses a wide range of chemicals. The toxins contained therein later exhale into the room air or they are inhaled by the inhabitants as dust particles. Toxic chemicals are also the main obstacle to environmentally sound disposal. That’s why 1.6 million tons land in the waste incineration plant every year.
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Asbestos in the weekend home

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asbestos fibre

asbestos fibre

Regensburg/Germany. This Jens Kugler had not expected. Responding to an advertisement he and his wife bought a weekend property in a quiet area to relax from work stress in the metropolis. The cottage appeared in good condition. The surprise came when Jens wanted to dispose of an old oven at the recycling center. “Oh what, asbestos sheets are installed inside. The oven must be disposed of by a specialized company,” the answer came at the recycling. Thereupon, the family looked closely at the newly acquired buildings.
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Hormone cocktails in toys and cosmetics

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edc in plastic products

edc in plastic products

The Confederation of the Earth Germany (BUND) vehemently opposed hormonally active substances in plastic utensils and Cosmetics. In cooperation with other European organizations (NGOs), the German environmental organization wants to influence politics and industry to ban these hormone cocktails. BUND made attention early in 2010 on phthalates as plasticizers in child’s toys and bisphenol A in pacifiers and bottles. Currently the network is considered the attention of hormonally active chemicals in cosmetic products in the broader sense. Continue reading →