If you are looking to build an eco home that has energy efficiency, it can be useful to make sure you use the right building materials. Here are some building materials that can help increase the energy efficiency of your new home. 

Concrete

Concrete is a great, eco-friendly material for building homes, especially when used in exposed floor slabs. It has a high thermal mass that helps the block to stay at a stable temperature, including not heating up in summer and not cooling as much in summer, especially when it is well designed and located to make the most of the winter sun and shaded from much of the summer sun. It's particularly cool as a flooring option and can look fantastic when polished up to a high sheen. It can also be fully recycled after using and is low maintenance. 

Prefabricated panels

There is a range of prefabricated panels which can be used to construct houses, and they are made from proprietary blends of gypsum, sawdust and concrete. These are combined to create optimum insulative values and often use building waste materials to create new and useful building materials. These tend to help builders construct homes even quicker as well as improving energy efficiency in situ. 

Common clay brick

Clay bricks are actually a quite energy efficient material for building. Bricks are usually more efficient in insulating when used on the inside of a house rather than the traditional 'brick veneer' design of older home designs. Another way to make a brick home more efficient is to used recycled bricks from older homes. These can either be used as a texture feature within the home or rendered with a plaster mix to create a smooth finish. 

Recycled insulation

Using insulation in the roof cavity is another way to maximise the energy efficiency of your home. Cellulose insulation, made from recycled paper and waste from the paper-making process, is a very effective insulation material and does not carry any risk to inhabitants or the environment if it leaks out of the roof. It is usually treated with fire retardants and pest repellants such as borax to ensure the roof cavity is perfectly safe. 

If you are looking to build eco homes, choosing the right building materials is a great starting point. Integrating the material choice and design will allow you to achieve a high level of energy efficiency in your new eco home.