Green Home Design Puts the UK Architectural Salvage Yards on Map

Obtaining sustainable building materials has just become even easier with the new mapping service presented by the Green Home Design website.

This unique free service adds a search functionality to the previously little explored area of British architectural salvage yards. By entering their post code the visitors are now able to see where their local salvage yards are. The search results also give a short description and contact details of the listed yards.

With sustainable architecture gaining popularity, it is important to identify the available sources of reclaimed materials.

Arvid Linde, editor of the GHD, spoke about his motivation to start the new online service: "we have started with over 100 salvage yards but more services are added on weekly basis. Architecture salvage yards are the hidden gems of the UK building industry. Many people live near one without actually knowing that green and affordable building materials are just a few miles away."

"Building industry is one of the worst contributors of the greenhouse gases and pollution. Materials like concrete and bricks have an enormously high embodied energy - i.e. it takes carbon-intensive processes to manufacture them - that's why it is important to reduce the impact by using green materials."

"Reclaimed and reused materials have zero embodied energy making them much greener than any modern eco-friendly material available from building stores. Theoretically, it is possible to build a house using nothing but reclaimed materials, however, out of practical reasons this is not always possible. Still, even if you resolve to using 20% reclaimed materials in your build, you will have saved tens of tons in carbon dioxide and pollutants, making your house much greener."

There are estimated 300 architectural salvage yards and antique fixtures vendors in the UK and it is expected that by the end of 2010 the GHD will have listed the majority of them. During the "beta" stage of this project the preference was given to the yards that have a web presence.

An average architectural salvage yard stocks reclaimed bricks, paving, headstones, roof slates, beams, used floorboards, doors as well as a wide variety of furniture and decor items.

However, there are companies that have a niche specialisation. For example, yards that sell antique and reused bathroom fixtures and those that specialise on timber. Many of the British companies are now practicing the "Salvo" code, which means that they won't deal in stolen goods. Those interested in reclaimed building materials for personal use or trade are welcome to check the new free search facility at http://www.greenhomedesign.co.uk/map-uk-architectural-salvage-yards.

Green Home Design is an independent consultant offering advice and insight into green design methods and applications. It was started with an aim to create awareness and share green construction and DIY ideas among both professionals and enthusiasts. With regular news updates, tips and featured home plans it is establishing itself amongst the top architectural web resources in the UK.

Green Home Design
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http://www.greenhomedesign.co.uk

This release was published on openPR.