The greatest task of this century is to reduce the carbon footprint. From one person to an entire nation, everyone is responsible for the increasing carbon emissions that are leading to global warming.
Fortunately, it is apparent that nature already has ways to reduce the carbon footprint. The crisis is the result of our own actions though—but that’s a different topic altogether.
For example, to fight climate change, the world has begun growing more trees. To reduce energy consumption, the world is gradually shifting to using solar energy. Likewise, to cut the carbon footprint of the construction industry, Earth has natural stone as the answer.
What Is Carbon Footprint?
Before discovering how to reduce carbon footprint, let’s understand the concept in simple words. A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gasses generated by our daily activities. The term is used as an indicator to evaluate the environmental performance of a product or service we use. As a result, it enables us to compare and understand what products and services are better to mitigate the global warming effect.
Considering the idea, natural stone is known to produce the least carbon footprint compared to a vast number of other construction materials. Yet, this isn’t enough to prove whether the material is the right choice or not. So, let’s dive deeper into the insights.
Recycle, Reuse, Reduce—Ways to Reduce Carbon Footprint
To slow down climate change, industries across the globe are emphasizing the ‘recycle, reuse, reduce’ concept. The focus is on reducing waste and recycling or reusing it for a different purpose.
During the quarrying and manufacture process, natural stone produces a comparatively minimal amount of waste. Also, during the process, sandstone and granite consume a very low amount of energy compared to non-natural materials.
As it is evident, natural stone has been used as the primary construction material in several ancient and medieval structures. These are standing even today.
Stone buildings remain serviceable for far longer than their design life. At the end of its usable life cycle, natural stone can be recycled in a variety of ways.
In case, an original structure needs to be demolished, the natural stone can be recovered for use in another structure.
If the natural stone is unfit for reuse, it can be segregated from other types of waste and can be crushed for use as an aggregate. Many constructions use this aggregate for site landscaping and restoration of sites. Plus, companies also sell crushed limestone, for example, as agricultural lime.
How Recycling Helps in Reducing the Carbon Footprint?
You may wonder how all of this helps in reducing the carbon footprint? Recycling helps in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in turn, it reduces energy consumption. For example, if recycled granite is used in a construction project, it is reducing the demand for new granite which would otherwise consume energy and emit greenhouse gasses during the quarrying process—further adding to the carbon footprint.
How to Reduce Energy Consumption With Natural Stone
Natural stone is one of the best materials for insulation. Thanks to its inherent nature, it provides a huge advantage of thermal mass. Meaning that it absorbs heat during the day and releases it at night. This helps in regulating the temperature thereby decreasing the need for air-conditioning in summers and heating in winters.
So, if you are installing natural stone in your home, you are saving on your energy bills—ultimately reducing your carbon footprint.
About Quality Marble Exports (India)
Quality Marble Exports (India) is one of the well-known marble and granite exporters in different parts of the world. We have been assisting one-of-a-kind construction projects in meeting their sustainability requirements using natural stone.
Right from the quarrying to the finishing and transporting process, we ensure that natural stone delivered to your doorstep has caused a minimal impact on the environment. With the help of cutting-edge technology, we always aim at reducing the carbon footprint of every natural stone product. We constantly take rigorous measures to ensure that our supply chain is as environmentally-friendly as possible.
If you are considering natural stone and wish to find out ways to reduce your carbon footprint at home, we are happy to help you out. We offer sustainable options customized to your design requirements.
Here’s more on why homeowners pick natural stone as the first choice.
