RECOMMEDED DOCUMENTS

Lime & the Environment
Lime & Healthy Buildings
Lime & Strawbale
Lime & Cordwood
Lime & Conventional Construction
LEEDing with Lime

Lime is one of the most ecologically friendly masonry materials in the world. It has been used in constructing sustainable buildings for over 6,000 years. It is a vapor permeable material which allows moisture to pass through the walls, allowing walls to breathe. When the breathability of walls is compromised, such issues as mold, mildew, and "unhealthy building syndrome," can become prevalent.

Lime also absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. Much of the carbon dioxide that is released during the production of lime is reabsorbed during the carbonation of lime mortars. This is compared to minimal CO2 absorption in other masonry binders.

Also, the amount of energy used in lime production is close to 75% less than that of cement production. Old lime mortar can also be recycled to be used as fertilizer, to adjust pH levels in water, as well as a variety of other healthy and green uses.

One of the most ecologically friendly options in building is to use the structures that we already have (see Historic Preservation). By restoring and using a structure that was previously built, the amount of energy and materials needed to fix what is existing is markedly less than that of constructing a whole new structure. The adaptive re-use of buildings is often a community friendly and ecologically friendly manner of construction.

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