Traditional Building Renovation, Restoration & Conservation
Natural & Healthy
Contemporary & Historic
Naturally Better
Healthy - You and the Environment
Whereas modern building materials have become increasingly polluted with dangerous
chemical additives, lime and earth plasters are 100% natural and additive free. They can self
regulate the internal humidity of a space by holding and releasing moisture, thus allowing for a
greater purity in air quality.
We can see and feel the dis-advantages of living and working in high
toxicity buildings; they can produce an increase in disorders of the immune system, respiratory
system and skin by the levels of poisons continuously 'off-gassed' from modern products. This
is known as 'sick building syndrome'. If not completely eliminated by using natural products
these conditions are at least greatly improved.
Period buildings with monolithic walls (solid walls) are designed to allow the free passage of moisture, whereas modern buildings are specifically designed to seal themselves against it. In theory, the vapour permeable barriers that go into modern homes are designed to prevent moisture travelling from the outside in, but this can create numerous problems. Moisture that is generated internally (from central-heating, showers, washing machines, tumble driers, even body heat) has nowhere to escape to, and can trap and intensify many of the toxic materials that are used in construction.
Natural and Mineral Paints
Unlike conventional solvent based paints natural paints use renewable and biodegradable ingredients;have little or no off
gassing of toxic chemicals, and have high vapour permeability allowing buildings to breath and thus preventing damp and
mould growth.
According to the World Health Authority's research, trade painters have a 40% increased chance of contracting cancer.
Greenpeace has directly linked the increase of VOC compounds to a decrease in animal and human reproduction.
Unlike solvent based petro-chemical household paints, mineral and plant-based paints do not 'off-gas' harmful VOC's in our homes.
There are 'eco' paints being peddled by the larger paint manufacturers,
but when asked for lists of ingredients that make up their paints, they
tend to become rather sheepish and decline to comment. They tend to label these paints as 'low' or 'zero' VOC by removing the extremely dangerous toluene and xylene, and by replacing them with water. But, to replace the effectiveness of the aforementioned chemicals, they have replaced these with glycol ethers, as equally dangerous as it can cause cancer.
Household paints are between 10%-30% solvent based, and can not be recycled or broken down when taken to landfill. Mineral and plantbased paints are completely compostible.
No dangerous Volatile Organic Compounds being 'off-gassed' into our homes as solvent based paints and varnishes do.
CO2 emissions in the manufacture of lime are 20% less than for cement.
Suppliers like Osmo UK, Green Paints, Holkhom Linseed Paints, Earthborn, Auro, Clearwell Caves and La Tienda are all
paints that we have tried and tested and we would recommend. Or you could stick to good ol’ fashioned lime wash or
Distemper.
Sustainability and the Environment
Lime is both recyclable and bio-degradable and is an essential ingredient in any
modern or period home, to help create a naturally healthy living environment.
Lime allows for a more comfortable living environment and reduces surface condensation and mould growth
Carbon neutral: lime, like cement, gives off CO2 (the main greenhouse gas) during its manufacture. However, unlike cement, lime re-absorbs CO2 as it cures. Meaning that the more lime-based products we use in construction, the less CO2 we expel into the atmosphere.
Limestone is burnt at around 900°C compared to around 1300°C for cement. This saves on kiln fuel consumption and reduces emissions of pollution and greenhouse gases.
Lime is less dense than cement, therefore less heavier, which saves on transportation fuel costs
Lime mortars allow bricks to be recycled as you can clean the bricks, and the old mortar can be re-used as aggregate into new mortar.
Cement manufacture causes environmental impacts at all stages of the process. The cement industry is the second largest CO2 emitting industry behind power generation. Globally, cement production contributes to around 5% of all CO2 emissions (source The Economist 2008)
Cement contain dangerous heavy metals which are released into the air on burning. In some circumstances, mainly
depending on the origin and the composition of the raw materials used, the high-temperature calcination process of limestone and clay minerals can release in the atmosphere gases and dust rich in volatile heavy metals, a.o, thallium, cadmium and mercury are the most toxic.
Gypsum - used to make plasters and plasterboard - is mined using strip mining techniques which devastate the ecology of
the areas where the mining takes place - the top layers of earth, including all flora and fauna, are simply stripped away to
reveal the deposits beneath.
Lime is breathable, allowing moisture to escape through it's pores. This isn’t the case with cement, solvent based paints or certain wall paper adhesives.
Lime is soft and flexible, so if a building moves slightly it won’t crack like cement, it'll flex with the building. With cement mortars, the only way moisture can escape is through the brick, which can begin to erode.
Natural mortars aesthetically enhance the appearance of masonry.
1000Kg of modern mortar (made from Portland cement powder) produces 172Kg of CO2
1000Kg of lime mortar (made from lime putty) produces 19Kg of CO2
Lime is an important part of any ‘natural house’ – as well as timber, straw-bales, clay and earth, all of which are natural, healthy and biodegradable
.
