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Exterior building materials

Pic: APN Ltd

Consider building materials that come from sustainable sources,

contribute to energy efficiency, and don’t harm human health.

Exterior building materials include materials for roofing and cladding, walls
(including framing), foundations, and window/door frames. Under the
Building Code, they’re required to keep your home weathertight and
structurally strong for at least 50 years after your home/renovation is
completed.

Some materials may release emissions which can harm human health,
either during manufacture or after they are installed. Some come from
sustainable sources. Some can be recycled or reused. Some may be more
durable or more suitable than others for your climate and home design.

Often, choosing materials is about balancing these factors. For some,

sourcing and sustainability is more important; for others it may be durability
or recyclability and cost is a factor for most people. The best thing you can
do is be informed about what you are using and make the choice that fits
your situation and needs.

On this page
Exterior building material options
Toxicity, emissions and air quality issues
Recyclability, re-usability and waste minimisation
Sourcing
Sustainability and life-cycle
Efficiency and functionality
More information

Exterior building material options

A range of materials to consider for exterior structure includes:

• Timber - framing, weatherboards, plywood, glue-laminated lengths,

whole logs for walls.

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• Concrete - floor slabs, blocks, AAC (aerated autoclaved concrete),

insulated concrete formwork, precast panels, piles, roofing tiles.
• Steel - framing, beams, profiled sheets (roof and wall cladding), roof
tiles.
• Aluminium - weatherboards, window frames.
• Zinc coated steel.
• PVC - weatherboards, window frames, guttering and spouting.
• Copper guttering and flashing.
• Fibre cement - weatherboards, sheets for monolithic claddings and
soffits.
• Earth - bricks, rammed walls, living roofs.
• Straw bale.
• Fired brick and clay - walls, wall veneers and roof tiles.
• Natural stone - wall veneers.

Toxicity, emissions and air quality issues

Timber preservation treatment

To meet building regulation requirements for durability and safety, pine

used for structural purposes must be treated. This treatment involves toxic
chemicals which may have effects on the environment and on human
health. These effects can occur during processing, during handling and
construction, and when timber and processing wastes are disposed of.
Check the Department of Building and Housing website for factsheets on
'Timber Treatment Requirements'.

Common chemical treatments are:

• Boron - boron salts protect against insects and mould; the chemicals
are not permanently fixed so can leach out if the timber gets wet.
• Light organic solvent preservative (LOSP) - LOSP protects against
insects and mould, but will leach if exposed to weather.
• Copper chrome arsenate (CCA) - CCA protects against insects and
mould and can cause corrosive runoff if exposed to water and
weather.
• Ammoniacal copper quaternary (ACQ) - these chemicals are applied
in the same way as CCA, but don’t contain arsenic or chromium.
• Copper Azole (CuAz) - copper salts and fungicide carried in water to
provide broad protection.

ACQ and CuAz are both more corrosive when wet. Handling precautions -
such as wearing gloves, goggles and a mask, and washing clothes
separately must be taken with treated timber and waste.

There are no toxicity issues with untreated timbers. Some untreated

timbers - such as cedar, douglas fir, and cypress can be used for some
internal framing, cladding and window frames. However, cedar will cause
zinc corrosion and some people are allergic to it.

Waste streams

Metal processing can emit gases, contaminated dusts, and liquid wastes
containing heavy metal and sediments. On larger manufacturing sites,

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these waste streams can be treated to extract contaminants for re-use or

for fuel; the water is recycled.

Waste water streams from concrete manufacture/mixing can contain

alkaline sediments that will have a detrimental effect on waterways or soil if
not diluted and treated. However there are strict rules governing the
disposal of alkaline waste in New Zealand.

Cement is an essential ingredient of concrete. Its manufacture uses a lot of

energy and significant amounts of carbon dioxide are released into the
atmosphere. Energy efficiency will address some of these emissions.

Vinyl chloride monomer, a raw material used in the manufacture of PVC, is

made overseas and uses a range of highly toxic ingredients with hazardous
production wastes. All PVC-related processing requires tight control to
manage emissions.

Recyclability, re-usability and waste minimisation

Recycling options vary around New Zealand for dealing with the large
amounts of waste that can be generated from exterior structure materials.
Outside the main cities, recycling options for materials other than scrap
metal can be limited, depending on your distance from the nearest
recycling plant and landfill.

Some materials manufacturers recycle waste back into the manufacturing

process to reduce cost and environmental impact. If you choose materials
that are reusable or recyclable, you’ll reduce the amount of waste that has
to be disposed of in landfills - this can save you money as well as being
kinder to the environment.

Treated timber recycling options are very limited due to the chemicals
involved. The most common disposal options are sending the timber to
landfills or grinding it for use as a boiler fuel. Recycling options for
untreated timber include composting, fuel, and reuse in building.

Brick- and concrete-based products can be crushed and reused to replace

some natural aggregate used in new concrete, hard fill, roads and
driveways, building foundations, and civil works. This reduces the use of
natural stone and sand that otherwise may have to be trucked long
distances. Glass and porcelain recycling is also an option.

Replacing some of the cement in concrete with waste products such as fly
ash and slag (by-products of coal and steel processing) helps to reduce
environmental impacts and emissions from cement manufacture and
efficiently utilises waste from other production processes.

Steel is fully recyclable in New Zealand, where scrap metal is processed

into a range of building products. Steel manufacturers also recycle metal
waste back into the manufacturing process. By-products of steel
processing are on-sold for other uses - such as slag for roading, argon gas
for welding, and regenerated acids for conversion into pigments for paint.

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PVC recycling is limited, particularly for building products - check what is

available in your area as some processors will accept small quantities of
specific PVC products.

Also, wall coverings made with vinyls, latex or other synthetic materials will
be difficult to recycle.

Sourcing
If you choose locally sourced materials, there’ll be less need for
transportation, and it’ll also be easier to find out how the product is made
and performs in local conditions.

Imported materials can be harder to assess for environmental compliance -

although some imported materials may have a higher recycled content and
better functionality than locally sourced.

Consider:

• how much effort the relevant industries are putting into environmental
management, natural area regeneration, and minimising effects on
local communities
• looking for independent environmental labels such as Environmental
Choice New Zealand
• looking for evidence that the manufacturer uses environmental
management standards (such as ISO 14001, Enviro-Mark®) and
systems (such as Zero Waste, EBEX 21, and The Natural Step).

Many materials used for exterior structures are made in New Zealand.
PVC, bauxite for aluminium, some structural steel, some fibre cement and
aerated concrete blocks are imported. Most bricks and many clay roof tiles
used in New Zealand are imported from Australia.

Sustainability and life-cycle

Impact of extraction and processing

To maintain resource availability, look for products that:

• are sustainable - they use renewable raw materials that can be

regenerated naturally to replace those used
• are biodegradable over time
• have a recycled or reused component
• if they aren’t based on renewable resources, are instead based on
raw materials that are managed with a long term view, and with
efforts to regenerate any mined areas. This applies to renewable raw
materials too - which still need to manage their impact on the
environment.

To reduce environmental impacts on land and waterways, look for

manufacturers that restore any natural areas the extraction process affects.

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The New Zealand forest industry now has a national standard for
sustainable plantation forest management. The international Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC) also certifies some plantations in New Zealand
and elsewhere against internationally prescribed standards.

Ensure any timber you choose is from a sustainably managed source (look
for FSC certification, or certification that the timber was harvested under a
MAF-approved sustainable management plan - see decking and outdoor
furniture and water use for more information on certification schemes).

Concrete, metals, earth, clay, and fibre cement are largely based on local,
non-renewable but plentiful extracted raw materials. The main challenge is
managing the health of waterways and restoration of land affected by
extraction.

PVC and polystyrene are based on processing petroleum by-products and

chemical compounds in highly controlled hazardous processes.

Cement and metal manufacture may emit high levels of carbon dioxide as a
result of the chemical reactions involved and the amount of energy
required.

Energy management during extraction/processing

All building products need energy to extract/process or manufacture them.

It’s important to balance the amount of energy used in the
extraction/processing/manufacturing process against the energy savings
and health benefits from the finished material (i.e. a material that uses a lot
more energy in its manufacture might save energy during the life of your
home by reducing the need to heat or cool).

Manufacturing metals takes a lot of energy, but over half of that energy
may be supplied through co-generation (conversion of waste heat from
manufacturing into electricity).

Efficiency and functionality

The combination of site, climate and house design will determine the best
options for a durable, strong exterior structure. A home that looks good in a
magazine might not be right for your circumstances.

Often a combination of materials for the exterior structure will do the job -
framing, foundations, roof and cladding can all be made from different
materials.

Durability

Having a durable structure means considering:

• Efficiency of use - if it lasts longer, less material is needed for

replacement, and the availability of raw materials can be extended.
This doesn’t mean that eventual disposal of materials is less
important.

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• Natural durability - some materials need to be treated in some way to

improve long-term durability. Kiln-dried pine and naturally durable
exotic timbers such as macrocarpa, larch, lawson cypress and
douglas fir can be used untreated as framing in specific areas where
there is no risk of moisture. Check potential toxicity, durability,
disposal and ease of use of any treatment system.
• Design for durability - use of eaves, flashings, and foundations (`good
hat and good boots') to protect from wind, rain and corrosive
elements will minimise the risks from deterioration. Good design is
preferable for extending the life of any building material.
• Weathertightness - ensure the cladding or wall system provides a
weatherproof skin that won’t leak internally, allows moisture to drain,
and will dry readily.

Maintenance

When you’re choosing building materials, think about:

• whether you’ll need to use treatments, finishes and coatings for

protection against moisture and insects
• whether you’ll need to use (and, if so, how you’ll dispose of)
maintenance products that are potentially harmful to you, or the
environment
• whether regular maintenance will be needed for ongoing durability -
this is especially important in corrosive climates
• whether the roofing material is approved for water collection.

Energy efficiency

Think about how the total system will provide benefits to you in terms of
how energy efficient your home will be.

Straw is a great material for high insulation performance. Aerated concrete

has some good insulation properties, but may need additional insulation in
some climates. PVC and timber have good thermal efficiency when used in
window frames.

Systems based on earth, concrete, timber and metal framing all require
insulation to retain heat.

Earth and concrete wall and floor systems have high thermal mass which
can absorb heat when exposed to direct heat sources - but they require
insulation to stop the heat escaping.

More information

From Smarter Homes

• Construction systems

From ConsumerBuild

• Exterior maintenance

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• Leaky buildings

From other sites

Building regulations

The Department of Building and Housing website has information about

weathertightness and building regulations.

Choosing materials

The NOW Home’s website has a page on choosing materials for

construction.

Ecospecifier is an Australian website with guidelines about selection of

healthy building products and materials.

The Building Biology and Ecology Institute’s website has publications on

natural building materials.

The Waitakere City Council’s website has sustainable home guidelines,

including a section on materials.

Handling materials

The Occupational Safety and Health Service’s website has information

about safe handling practices for treated timber and other materials.

Waste minimisation

The REBRI (Resource Efficiency in Building and Related Industries) and

RONZ (recycling operators of NZ) websites have information on re-use and
recycling options for building wastes.

The Waste Management Institute of NZ has information about waste

exchanges.

Information about specific materials

The Good Wood Guide website is an online guide to environmentally

friendly timber purchasing, with a listing of New Zealand timber suppliers.

The NZ Forest Owners’ Association’s website has details about sustainable

forest management standards.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry website has information on illegal

logging.

The New Zealand Timber Preservation Council website has information

about timber treatments, including quality assurance standards
(WOODmark®) for processing plants.

The Rain Forest Alliance website has information about certification

systems.

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The Forest Stewardship Council website has information about FSC

certification.

The Cement and Concrete Association website has extensive information

to help with concrete choices.

The Plastics New Zealand website has information about plastic recycling
and sustainability.

The National Association of Steel-Framed Housing website has contact

details for further technical and training information for building with steel.

Technical information

You can buy copies of New Zealand Standards for: use of treated and
untreated timber framing; concrete production; design and construction of
concrete structures; and earth buildings from the Standards New Zealand
website.

The New Zealand Institute of Chemistry website has technical information

on the manufacture of a range of building materials.

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