Jakarta Post| Wed, 05/26/2010 11:08 AM | Supplement

The green building concept has become a world trend. According to the Green Building Council of Indonesia, a green building is a new or established building that is operated based on green principles, such as land use, water and energy conservation, zero waste and good air quality.

Developers have an important role to play in creating green buildings built with environmentally friendly materials. The following are tips in choosing green materials:

Materials should be locally made or from a nearby plant to save transportation costs and reduce carbon emission from vehicles transporting it, for example marble and ceramic tiles. So marble from Citatah is certainly better than Italian marble. Local flooring material nowadays is as good as imported flooring.

Local material would be in harmony with the environment, such as river stones, bricks and wood for natural effect, while cement, steel and glass give a modern look. To reduce the use of wood, roofing can be made from steel, while door and window frames can be made from aluminum. This way they are durable and termite free. The light steel frame can be covered with insulation for heat absorption.

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Choosing the right green building materials

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