Building and renovation

Whether you build something new or renovate something old, you probably need many different materials and chemical products. Not all products are harmless, here we give you tips on how to think. 

Feel free to keep a "logbook" of the products you used during the renovation. The next owner may want to know that the home or holiday home does not contain substances that are hazardous to health.

Choose the right material

Use products that are approved according to eco-labels and environmental assessment systems.

• Make sure not to select materials made of PVC containing phthalate plasticizers.
• Avoid everything marketed as having undergone an antibacterial treatment, such as countertops, refrigerators, and door handles. This often means that the product contains pesticides that are damaging to the environment.
• For facade and roof – choose materials that do not pollute the storm water. For example, do not use copper sheet or zinc material.
• A vegetated roof can help delay runoff in rainy weather and can contribute to better air quality.
• Pressure-treated wood may contain harmful substances. There are alternatives such as heat-treated or silicon-impregnated wood.
• It is advisable to choose environmentally-labelled particleboard, especially if it is exposed to moisture, as particleboard can emit substances that are harmful to health.

If you hire a craftsman for your renovation, you can require them to choose products that are eco-labelled or approved in an environmental assessment system.

Renovate kitchens

Renovating kitchens and bathrooms has a large climate impact, especially if you throw away functional materials.

• Don't throw away: The most environmentally friendly thing is to ignore trends and like the style you already have. If you want renewal; renovate, repair or look for used ones.
• Repaint: You can reduce your climate impact.
• Another alternative is to buy new doors and paint them, but keep the frames and countertop.

Paints and solvents

Many paints contain environmentally harmful substances. This also applies to water-based paints where preservatives are included.

• Air it out and wait a week or so before sleeping in a newly painted room to avoid the initially volatile substances that can be harmful to your health if inhaled.
• Put rollers and paintbrushes in sealed plastic bags when you take a break from painting with water soluble paints. This way, you don’t need to clean the tools more than necessary.
• When you're finished painting, first wipe off as much paint as possible onto a piece of paper and throw it in the garbage bag for residual waste, then you won't pollute the wastewater unnecessarily.
• Never pour environmentally hazardous substances such as solvents, paints or oils in the toilet, sink, or floor drain. Instead, take them to a toxic waste recycling facility.
• Sanding residue and old paint should be left at the environmental station so that it does not end up in the surrounding environment or stormwater.
• When cleaning roofs and facades, choose gentle cleaning methods and environmentally friendly products. Do not use chemicals that can pollute stormwater.
• Choose an environmentally friendly paint. There are many kinds to choose from, often marked with the EU-flower, the EU’s ecolabel. Products marked with an ecolabel contain a minimum of environmentally damaging substances.
• Joint foam can contain hazardous substances. Alternatives include insulation with mineral wool or, even better, organic materials such as hemp or linen.

One tip is to look for so-called safety data sheets that inform professional builders about how to protect themselves at work. 

Demolish safely

• If you are demolishing a house built in the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s, contact an analysis company that can determine whether the material you are demolishing contains asbestos. Asbestos is dangerous and can be found in many different old building materials.
• A lot of old building materials should be disposed of as hazardous waste at a recycling center. For example, plastic mats, pressure-treated wood and creosote-treated wood.