What are green building materials, you ask? They are products that were made using environmentally conscious processes and are used in sustainable and/or eco-friendly building. This page provides information on green building materials and the businesses that produce them. More resources for this category are located on our Green Built Homes Certification Levels page — under Phase 7: Materials as well as our Sustainable Building Materials Blog category page:
General
Rainforest Alliance – A resource for finding FSC certified products and companies.
Embodied Energy chart for common building materials.
Green Building Concepts – Supplies information exchange on a more resource and energy-efficient lifestyle
Green Building Pages – A sustainable building materials database and design tool for the environmentally and socially responsible designer, builder, and client.
Green Seal – A nonprofit dedicated to safeguarding the environment and transforming the marketplace by promoting the manufacture, purchase, and use of environmentally responsible products and services.
USGBC GreenHomeGuide – Community-based resource of tips, case studies, expert Q&A articles, and regional directories of green products and services
GreenSpec Menu – BuildingGreen’s product information service with over 2,000 environmentally preferable building products. BuildingGreen is the publisher of Environmental Building News, GreenSpec, EBN Archives, and Green Building Advisor.
Building Green – A very comprehensive resource for building, designing, and remodeling green homes including Q&A, details, blogs, and videos from the publishers of Environmental Building News and Fine Home Building.
Inhabitat website – Inhabitat.com is a weblog devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices, and materials that are pushing architecture and home design towards a smarter and more sustainable future.
MTS Website – The institute for market transformation to sustainability.
The Green Building Resource Guide – Database of over 600 green building materials and products selected specifically for their usefulness to the design and building professions, rather than merely their green material content
Green Built Alliance Directory – Published bi-annually by the Green Built Alliance, information on local and regional green businesses and suppliers as well as articles written by green building professionals
Selecting Green Products – Three Basic Steps to High-Performance Product Selection
The Full Breakdown on Green Mattresses – This article provides an overview of the characteristics and certifications related to green mattresses, as well as offering recommendations for some good products on the market.
Recycling, Re-Use & Disposal of Materials
ReStore- Asheville Habitat for Humanity’s Home Store – Since 1990 this non-profit run retail store has been selling donated items to the general public. Donate anything from building materials, appliances, tools, or flooring and keep thousands of pounds of materials out of the landfills. Free pick-up within Buncombe County!
Recycling and Hazardous Waste Disposal in Buncombe County – Buncombe County’s guide to recycling and disposing of household hazardous waste (HHW)
Recycling in Asheville– The City of Asheville’s Sanitation division homepage with more information on disposal locations, related services, and contact information.
US EPA Wastes HHW – Steps to safe management of HHW
What You Should Know About Mattress Disposal and Recycling – This guide shares information on how to properly dispose of an old mattress, including options for recycling.