Purchase local or indigenous

materials

Decomposed granite trails at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The d.g. is the by-product of
granite mining and comes from a local quarry. Image credit: Heather Venhaus

Using locally-produced materials has multiple advantages. It reduces the

fossil fuels and associated pollutants, including greenhouse gas emissions,
required for shipping. It supports local businesses and feeds money into the
regional economy. And one of the beauties of landscaping with local materials
is that they seem to belong and enhance the regions unique sense of place.
What constitutes local varies to some extent, depending on the type of
material. The heavier the material, the more energy it consumes and the more
pollutants emitted during transport, and therefore the closer the source should
be. The Sustainable Sites Initiative recommends the following guidelines:

Crushed concrete and other aggregates used as a foundation for paths

and driveways should be extracted, recovered, or manufactured within 50
miles of the site

Compost and other soil amendments should come from within 50 miles
of the site

Plants should be grown at a facility within 250 miles of the site

All other materials should be extracted, harvested, recovered, and

manufactured within 500 miles of the site

Stone wall constructed from materials found on-site. Image credit: Philip Hawkins, Wildflower Center
staff

Examples of local materials

Local landscape architecture firms which have pursued LEED certification
from the U.S. Green Building Council or follow the Sustainable Sites Initiative
criteria have likely conducted research and can recommend local materials.
Other potential resources include local nurseries or garden centers.

BELTRAN SACK STORE

684 Sto. Cristo Street, Binondo Manila, Philippines
(beside BDO, between Divisoria Mall and Lavezares Street)
Telephone Numbers:
+63 (2) 2425362
+63 (2) 2428410
Mobile Number:
+63 (917) 8821936
Emma yabu

0917-806-1167

Introduction to Indigenous Building Building with Indigenous Materials dwellings, not

cookie cutter productions. They are individual representations of a region, climate,
and culture. At the same time they have the potential to be comfortable, functional,
durable, and energy efficient and to satisfy modern standards of living. They can
make use of common materials that people formerly considered scrap or waste, or
didn't think of as building materials at all. Indigenous building promotes creativity
and experimentation on the part of builders while help ing to reduce the demand on
scarce natural resources. Using indigenous materials can aid in the production of
housing that is both monetarily and environmentally affordable. Indigenous
materials not only have the potential to save the owner or builder money through
reduced materials costs, but can also create jobs for underemployed or underskilled workers. One of the attractions of indigenous methods of building is that they
afford the owners an opportunity to actively participate in the construction of their
own building, even if those owners have limited construction experience. Remember
to objectively explore all of the possible materials and construction methods for
your project. Choose a building method that will well represent your financial,
functional and aesthetic needs, as well as your timeline. Seek to build not a mere
shelter, but an architectural example to educate and inspire all those who
experience your creation. Homes built from indigenous materials are unique Why
build with indigenous materials? from minimally processed local construction
materials Millions of people worldwide live in houses made such as earth, straw, and
native wood. Indigenous materials are those native to a building site or its
surrounding region, and indigenous methods are the particular applications of those
materials, as developed to suit a specific climate and culture. Indigenous materials
are generally relatively expensive, due to their abundance and the minimal costs
incurred in transporting them to the building site. More and more people throughout

the United States are considering the use of indigenous building materials in home
construction because of their potential to reduce the materials costs and
environmental impact of building. L
Types of indigenous materials - The same materials are not indigenous to every
geographic area. The semi-arid woodlands of Montana provide different building
opportunities than the deserts of Arizona, the palmetto plains of Florida or
downtown Chicago. Some examples of indigenous building techniques that are
currently or have been historically used in parts of the temperate United States
include: 8 m m m m adobe walls sod walls and roofs strawbale walls and ceilings
cob walls strawklay walls and roof insulation rammed earth walls and foundations
cordwood masonry walls stone walls and foundations log frames and walls salvaged
used building materials These techniques are sometimes applied as well in interior
walls, floors, decorative or landscaping applications. 8 Many people choose to build
outbuildings, barns, storage sheds, or workshops from indigenous materials. Such
trial structures give builders a chance to experiment with new techniques before
constructing a house or other large structure. In addition, outbuildings can be
especially inexpensive owner-built applications of indigenous building methods.
Since outbuildings usually don't have to meet the rigid building codes of residential
structures, they are also a means of demonstrating indigenous techniques in
codegoverned areas. Types of indigenous materials - The same materials are not
indigenous to every geographic area. The semi-arid woodlands of Montana provide
different building opportunities than the deserts of Arizona, the palmetto plains of
Florida or downtown Chicago. Some examples of indigenous building techniques
that are currently or have been historically used in parts of the temperate United
States include: 8 m m m m adobe walls sod walls and roofs strawbale walls and
ceilings cob walls strawklay walls and roof insulation rammed earth walls and
foundations cordwood masonry walls stone walls and foundations log frames and
walls salvaged used building materials These techniques are sometimes applied as
well in interior walls, floors, decorative or landscaping applications. 8 Many people
choose to build outbuildings, barns, storage sheds, or workshops from indigenous
materials. Such trial structures give builders a chance to experiment with new
techniques before constructing a house or other large structure. In addition,
outbuildings can be especially inexpensive owner-built applications of indigenous
building methods. Since outbuildings usually don't have to meet the rigid building
codes of residential structures, they are also a means of demonstrating indigenous
techniques in codegoverned areas.
Resource Efficiency construction methods must be evaluated before selecting
materials to complete a building project. "Resource efficient" materials and methods
exemplify: The relative resource efficiency of indigenous . efficient use of limited
natural resources . demonstrated recyclability and/or renewability = reduction of
the energy used to build and operate buildingsResource Efficiency construction

methods must be evaluated before selecting materials to complete a building

project. "Resource efficient" materials and methods exemplify:
The relative resource efficiency of indigenous . efficient use of limited natural
resources . demonstrated recyclability and/or renewability = reduction of the energy
used to build and operate buildings