149 A sustainable approach to materials The environmental impacts of materials include GHGs from the extraction and processing of raw materials, pollution caused by using them, and contamination of air, land and water resulting from disposal. All of these impacts hinder organisations and countries from achieving the SDGs. Finding carbon-neutral solutions is essential for a sustainable future – but raw materials are also part of many of these solutions. By practising sustainable materials management, it is possible to use and recycle materials more productively, sometimes extending their use far beyond what was previously possible. But this requires a change of mindset to one that emphasises taking less from the natural world, while reducing toxins and pollution released throughout the life cycle of materials. BuildingGreen warns: “Understanding what makes a building product green is a long-term prospect. Green characteristics differ from product category to product category, and multi-attribute vetting is critical.”1 The sustainability of materials must consider production energy requirements as these represent a significant factor in the environmental cost, often closely correlating to the financial cost Source: University of Cambridge 1 Source: BuildingGreen, Material Selection
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