How to Remodel Your Home with Eco-Friendly & Fire-Resistant Materials

A serene living space featuring sustainable design elements, including a circular sofa and a reclaimedwood coffee table, all complemented by large windows that highlight the lush greenery outside and incorporates natural light.

FIRE-RESISTANT MATERIALS FOR BUILDING A HOME:

• Concrete

• Steel & Metal

• Stone & Brick

• Hempcrete

• Gypsum

• Fiber cement siding

• Super Adobe

• Defensible landscape

Super Adobe Homes are designed to withstand wildfires, hurricanes and earthquakes and are affordable and quick to build. - PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL-EARTH

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS FOR INTERIOR SURFACES:

• Cabinetry: Look for FSC-certified wood, Bamboo, Reclaimed Wood or Metal.

• Countertops: Quartz, recycled glass, or concrete are great choices.

• Flooring: Bamboo, cork, natural stone, hemp, Marmoleum or reclaimed hardwood.

• Paints and finishes: Choose low-VOC or zero-VOC paints to improve indoor air quality.

• Appliances: Energy Star-rated appliances save electricity and water.

• Lighting: Incorporate natural lighting, LED lights, skylights, and install dimmer switches.

Sleek and sustainable bamboo kitchen design showcasing modern appliances and eco-friendly aesthetics, captured by Martin Vecchio Photography.

FABRICS:

• Organic Cotton: A natural, soft, and easy-to-care-for fiber. Organic cotton production significantly reduces water pollution compared to conventional cotton.

• Linen: Derived from the flax plant, linen is versatile, breathable, hypoallergenic, and biodegradable when dyed with natural products. It's suitable for upholstery, bedding, and curtains.

• Hemp: Known for its strength and durability, hemp is a textured fiber used for upholstery fabrics, rugs, and coverings. It's a versatile plant that requires minimal cultivation demands.

• Jute: Often used for woven textures in upholstery fabrics and rugs, jute is strong, durable, and biodegradable.

• Tencel (Lyocell): A cellulose fiber made from the pulp of eucalyptus trees, known for being soft and breathable.

VEGAN "LEATHER"

• Piñatex (Pineapple Leather): Made from the waste leaves of pineapple plants, it's strong, breathable, and sustainable, requiring no additional resources for its production after pineapple harvest.

• Desserto (Cactus Leather): Derived from cactus, offering a sustainable and innovative leather alternative.

• Apple Leather: Made from apple skins and cores, often upcycling waste from the apple industry.

• Cork Fabric: Sourced from the bark of cork oak trees, cork is renewable, lightweight, durable, waterproof, and stainproof. It provides a unique texture and is used for upholstery and other furniture components.

• Coconut Leather: Made from agricultural waste from the coconut industry, resulting in a flexible, durable, water-resistant material.

• Mushroom Leather (Mycelium Leather/Muskin): Created from the root structure of mushrooms (mycelium), it's a fast-growing, biodegradable, and scalable material that can resemble suede.

Vegan Leather is more sustainable and a non-toxic option to animal leather, which is made with harmful tannins

LEED HOME BENEFITS:

• Improved energy efficiency

• healthier, non-toxic indoor air

• water conservation

• resilient to catastrophic weather

• tax benefits

• discounted insurance

• higher resale value

• Improves environment

Modern LEED-certified home with a sleek design, showcasing sustainable architecture and eco-friendly features. Credit: U.S. Green Building Council.

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