Going green is becoming a new way of life. The whole world seems to be more conscious about being less harmful to the environment, and it’s no different in the Philippines.

When Filipinos talk about “going green”, it’s usually about recycling, choosing organic food, or using less electricity or fuel at home or on the road. Green building uses the same principles. Green materials are constructed and developed through a sustainable supply chain, resulting in building materials that aren’t made with environmentally harmful chemicals. They also lessen construction waste by using materials that are sustainable and degrade less over time.

Building your eco-friendly home might sound tricky, but going green for the house of your dreams has a much bigger pay off than you might think. Here are five reasons to go for green building:

1. Green materials minimize your carbon footprint
Using traditionally sourced materials like steel, concrete, and virgin lumber require lots of fuel and resources to make and produce. Green materials are produced more efficiently as it requires less natural resources, produced locally with less waste over time. Being selective of materials we use for our home would allow us to not just take care of the environment, but also for the future generations that’ll come after us.

2. It may lessen your electricity bill

The Philippines endures environmental extremes at both ends of the spectrum with heat and rain experienced at particular times throughout the year. A well-constructed green home will assist in regulating the temperature and moisture in your home, which means possible lesser use of artificial cooling devices like air-conditioner and ventilation fans during hot months.

3. They’re a cost-effective investment

Choosing alternatives like reclaimed lumber, galvanized iron, or even fiber cement boards save you energy and money over time because they degrade slowly.

4. You can DIY to build green

Building green at home can be your very own DIY project. You can start small like replacing your traditional incandescent lights with LED options as they consume less energy, last longer, and cost more or less the same as energy-sapping bulbs. Eventually, instead of using new plastic or leather furniture, you can thrift for some nice second hand pieces from antique stores (or from your parents). For home repairs, for a great environmentally friendly option would be fiber cement boards for roof’s eaves.

5. Green building materials are intelligently made

Same goes to knowing the ingredients behind the food you eat, using green building materials that were produced mindfully, reducing concerns around how safe or well your house parts will withstand the elements, as well as time.

There are few companies that support green building and manufacture products that are environmentally friendly. One trusted brand which does this is HardieFlex®.

Take HardieFlex® Eaves fiber cement boards for example. These boards assist in ventilation by reducing heat load inside the house or building. When correctly installed in accordance with our installation guides, they assist in the regulation of temperature, moisture and air under the roof, resulting in better ventilation..