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With single-use plastic seeing bans the world over, it's never been more important to explore sustainable materials as alternatives to traditional materials.

But, it's also never been more difficult to make the right choice - every company claims their material is perfectly sustainable and often they're not.

That's why today we're going to show you 10 sustainable materials to look out for in 2023, so you can make the right choice when it comes to picking sustainable products.

3 Types of Sustainable Materials

Natural Materials

Natural materials are materials that can be found in nature. They're naturally occurring and can generally be safely disposed of, unlike synthetic or man-made materials. Natural materials are generally grown, like wood or cotton, or mined like stone, clay, and metals. They're a great choice if you're looking for materials that contain less harmful chemicals and are easier to safely dispose of or reuse.

Renewable Materials

Renewable materials are materials from renewable sources. Just because a material is natural, does not mean it is renewable. For something to be renewable, it must be able to naturally replenish what is used at a rate that allows for the resource to be maintained not depleted over time. Many natural materials are not renewable but materials that can be grown and re-grown or infinitely recycled, by people or in nature, are considered renewable.

Harmless and Non-toxic Materials

Many materials, natural and synthetic, are manufactured or treated with harmful chemicals that have a toxic effect on people, animals, and the natural environment. These substances can be harmful for a long time after the initial application and can cause problems with the safe disposal of the material. Choosing non-toxic alternatives makes the material more sustainable, even if it is man-made.

8 Sustainable Materials for All Industries

1. Wood

Wood is one of the oldest sustainable materials, which we have used for centuries to make everything from furniture to ships, homes, and fences.

More recently, wood has been used to make smaller, household, items as a sustainable alternative to plastic. These items include everything from scrubbing brushes to innovative timber magnetic soap holders for zero-waste soap bars, like this one by moss & pear:

Wood is an infinitely renewable resource and, when forestry is managed correctly, it offers many additional benefits for the environment.

These include sequestering atmospheric carbon, creating habitats that support biodiversity (in monoculture forestry, many sustainable forestry regulations require a percentage of the land to be set aside for conservation), and preventing urban sprawl.

Take a look at this video by oregonforests for more on the sustainability and benefits of responsibly grown timber:

Wood's top attributes

Infinitely renewable resource when farmed responsibly

Forests provide many environmental benefits, including carbon sequestration

Heavy, strong, and durable material, which is fully biodegradable

Can withstand water, extreme temperatures, and heavy winds

Has a vast number of applications and can be used as an alternative to many plastics

Wood is a very sustainable material, but forestry has to be managed correctly to avoid some severe negative impacts, such as loss of sensitive habitats (especially rainforests, grasslands, and wetlands) when they're converted to timber farms.

Timber is also a water-intensive crop, which can use more water than the surrounding areas can support, and it often involves the use of pesticides and other chemicals.

That said, responsibly grown timber, that is certified by an independent organization, has to meet strict requirements to limit and compensate for negative impacts.

2. Bamboo

Bamboo is a common sustainable material choice for manufacturers and companies and nowadays you'll find all sorts of products made from Bamboo.

Bamboo's top attributes

Cultivation requires no pesticides

It regenerates from the root, so it doesn't require re-cultivation

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet!

It is biodegradable

Bamboo can be grown with ease, making it a top pick for a sustainable material in it's raw form.

By contrast, Viscose (the textile form of Bamboo) is made with harsh chemicals and requires lots of water and energy to make, so it is not always so great.

When shopping for fabric Bamboo products in the form of t-shirts, socks, boxer shorts etc. make sure to opt for Tencel or Lyocell, which is made without producing chemical waste.

3. Adobe

You may have not heard of adobe but it is a building material that's been used for centuries and is pretty commonplace in some parts of the world.

In its simplest form, adobe is made from earth, water and dung/straw which may sound unimpressive (or even a bit gross). But, these common and eco-friendly ingredients make it one of the most sustainable building materials around!

Adobe's top attributes

Now, for most of you reading this, using adobe may not be that applicable to day to day life. However, if you're taking on a construction project or are just interested in adobe and it's usage you can check out this great resource.

4. Coconut

Coconut is no longer just a food product but is now seeing usage in a variety of products including scouring pads, bowls, cutlery and even as a sustainable building material.

To see how a humble old Coconut can be transformed into a beautiful bowl watch the video below:

Coconut's top attributes

As manufacturers are looking at more uses for this wonder material, it's becoming more commonplace. Keep your eyes peeled for coconut products in 2023!

5. Bio-plastics

Bio-plastics are a hot material at the moment and many single-use plastic items are now being manufactured from all manner of bio-plastics in place of traditional petroleum based plastics.

But what are bio-plastics? Bio-plastics are semi-synthetic plastics that are derived from plants, including corn, sugar beets and castor beans.

If you're scratching your head as to how these materials can be transformed into plastics, this video explains everything you need to know!

Bio-plastic's top attributes

They are created without use of fossil fuels.

Bio-plastics are just as robust as their fossil fuel equivalents.

BUT a word of caution: Bio-plastics are not without their problems. Much like other plastics, they're often non-biodegradable and produced using an abundance of harmful chemicals.

My best advice is to only use bio-plastics as an alternative to petroleum plastics but always opt for reusables and other sustainable materials where you can.

6. Stainless Steel

You're no doubt already familiar with Stainless steel as a very sustainable material, but it deserves a place on this list nonetheless.

Stainless steel is ideal for items that you're planning to use and keep for years to come. Think reusable water bottles, cutlery, reusable straws and other cookware.

It is even being used in place of Carbon steel, as a more sustainable (and fully recyclable) material for large scale items like bridges:

Stainless steel's top attributes

Looking at the points above it's clear stainless steel is a great material to choose when it comes to products you plan on having with you for life!

7. Recycled Plastics

Plastics have been vilified in recent years and with good reason: they're littering beaches and oceans and becoming a real hazard to wildlife.

One of the biggest problems we face with plastic waste is what to do with all the plastic we've already produced. That's where recycled plastics come in.

Loads of products are now made with recycled plastic, including shoes, bags, cookware, furniture and more.

Recycled plastic's top attributes

Recycled plastics are part of the solution to the masses of plastic waste that would otherwise be in landfill or littering the environment and the products are pretty great too!

However, don't forget that recycled plastic products can't always be recycled again, so it may be best to opt for another material if you're choosing a product with a limited lifespan.

8. Straw

Yes, straw, the very same straw that's used as cattle feed can also be used in a number of applications including clothing, bio-fuel, packaging, paper and more.

Straw's top attributes

You may not see it in every shop, or on every shelf like some of the other materials on this list, but it's growing in popularity every day. Straw is becoming more and more common as a replacement for single-use plastics.

If that video has inspired you to switch to straw, keep an eye out for it in 2023!

7 Sustainable Materials for Clothing & Accessories

1. Hemp

Since many countries have started lifting their ban on growing Hemp, it has increased in popularity.

It's quickly becoming an everyday sustainable material, used in food products, fabric products and even as a green building material.

Check out this short video on Hemp and sustainability by Pildora:

Hemp's top attributes

Hemp is a weed (no pun intended), so it grows readily without water or pesticides

It produces far more pulp per plant than the equivalent amount of timber

Doesn't require much space to grow

Its biodegradable

Virtually every part of the plant can be used, so it's very low waste

If you're looking for an alternative to less sustainable materials like cotton, Hemp is a great choice thanks to it's impressive list of eco-credentials.

2. Recycled Cotton

Cotton is one of the most popular and plentiful natural materials used in the textile industry. It is all-natural and biodegradable, and it makes a strong but soft and breathable fabric.

On the face of it, cotton is an ideal and sustainable material. However, in terms of sustainability, cotton farming at the scale and intensity that is needed to keep up with the demand from the fashion industry is highly problematic.

Cotton farming is water-intensive and the crop requires the use of pesticides and a large land footprint. It is not a very eco-friendly crop at all.

That's where recycled cotton comes in. There are already vast quantities of cotton fabric in the world. The majority is in landfills, as offcuts and waste from factories or whole articles dumped by the fashion industry or discarded by consumers. Recycling reduces waste and reduces the need for intensive cotton farming.

Recycled cotton's top attributes

Cotton is a natural, biodegradable material that is soft, breathable, and strong

No impacts from the farming of cotton - no excessive water use, no pesticides, or land degradation

Reduces textile waste because the cotton being recycled would otherwise go to landfills

Recycled cotton is a great alternative to virgin-use cotton and an excellent shift away from wasteful practices in the textile industry.

3. Organic Linen

Linen is a natural fiber made from the flax plant. Linen is both recyclable and biodegradable. While not as versatile or widely used as cotton, linen fabric varies from course and stiff to smooth, fine, and silky.

As a crop, Flax is much more eco-friendly than cotton. It grows in areas where the natural rainfall is all that is required for the crop, and it requires no irrigation. Flax is not easily susceptible to pests and it grows very well organically, without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Organic linen's top attributes

Natural fiber from the Flax plant, which is a low-impact crop and can be grown organically

Versatile, strong, breathable, and comfortable fabric

Biodegradable and recyclable

Organic linen is a sustainable material with a very low environmental impact. It makes a very good alternative to many synthetic materials and can be used in many applications, from home furnishings to clothing to bags and shoes.

4. Lyocell

Lyocell is an eco-friendly version of the silk-like fabric called viscose (also known as rayon). Viscose is made from cellulose, which is found in wood pulp and other plant-based sources.

While it is a natural fiber, the chemical-laden process used to turn wood pulp into yarn and fabric is far from eco-friendly. The chemicals used included highly toxic carbon disulfide.

Lyocell, on the other hand, is made with N-methylmorpholine N-oxide instead of carbon disulfide and is a much greener alternative. Modern Lyocell manufacturing by responsible brands uses a closed-loop system that contains and recycles the chemicals used to make the fabric.

Lyocell's top attributes

Fine, smooth, soft and silky fabric that drapes well and is very strong

Made from wood-pulp cellulose and is completely biodegradable

Manufactured without the use of highly toxic carbon disulfide

Lyocell is a safer, more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional rayon or viscose, with all the same benefits.

5. Enconyl Regenerated Nylon

Econyl makes nylon using waste from the ocean and post-consumer carpeting. Their partners dive and recover abandoned fishing nets from the ocean. Abandoned fishing nets or 'ghost nets' trap and kill marine animals and do not weaken or break down for hundreds of years.

Post-consumer waste from carpeting usually goes to landfills but Econyl reconstitutes the fibers into nylon that can be used again and recycled. Recycled nylon is as strong as virgin-use nylon and can be used in all the same applications.

Econyl's top attributes

Nylon is a very strong, waterproof, and versatile material

Econyl is made entirely from waste that is diverted from landfills or recovered from the ocean

Nylon is recyclable

Econyl is as robust and versatile as virgin-use nylon, without the environmental impact of nylon manufacturing using fossil fuels. It also reduces waste and promotes ocean conservation.

6. Cork

Cork is certainly a lot less common than Bamboo and Hemp but it's a very sustainable material nonetheless.

It is now starting to see usage in making a bunch of consumer products like wallets, footwear, bags and more. This informative video takes a deeper dive into the green attributes of Cork and some of it's common uses:

Cork's top attributes

Cork is becoming popular thanks to its strength and durability, as well as it's sustainable characteristics, so it's worth trying if you get the chance.

7. Pinatex

As veganism grows in popularity, more consumers are looking for plant-based alternatives to animal products. This has lead to a rise in interesting materials like Pinatex.

Pinatex is a plant based leather made from, you guessed it, Pineapple. To see just how pineapple leaves are turned into soft and supple leather take a look at this video below:

Pinatex's top attributes

Pinatex is made from a waste agricultural byproduct (Pineapple leaves) and a few other choice ingredients, making it a sustainable and low waste alternative to animal and petroleum based leather.

Conclusion

If you're wanting to live more sustainably but you're confused by all the choices available when it comes to sustainable materials, hopefully this post has provided a bit of clarity on what to choose and why.

If you have another material you think we should have added to the list, comment down below and let us know what your favorite sustainable materials are!
Josh is the founder of About the Author: Soseas, a zero waste product business based in the UK. By day, he's a scientist working in the pharmaceutical industry but his passion is the environment and outdoors.
References

Econation: Sustainable materials

Household Wonders: The Most Eco-friendly Materials

Peta: Natural Vegan Fabrics

Frequently Asked Questions

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15 Sustainable Materials to Look Out for in 2023 [Full Guide]

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A simple guide to great sustainable materials for when you're shopping for natural, zero waste and eco-friendly goods or eco-swaps.

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Sustainability | Free Full-Text | Issues, Impacts, and Mitigations of Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the Building Sector | HTML (mdpi.com)

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Environmental Technology Division, School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 12 August 2020 / Revised: 30 August 2020 / Accepted: 31 August 2020 / Published: 10 September 2020

Climate change has become a considerable concern for humanity during this anthropocentric era. Scientists believe that the rate of global warming and climate change varies directly with the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide. Urbanization is happening at a higher rate in this era than in any other generation. It was reported that the building sector plays a critical role in the emission of carbon dioxide (CO ₂) into the atmosphere. Construction of buildings, operation, and utilization of the built environment has led to emissions of a large number of CO ₂ into the ambient air. Various issues and challenges arise from the building sector in reducing CO ₂ emissions. The exploitation of non-renewable energy resources, poor building design, and lack of sustainability consideration in urbanization has been holding back CO ₂ emission mitigation measures in the building sector. Therefore, CO ₂ emission mitigation plans and schemes are necessary alongside standardized frameworks and guidelines. The strategies to reduce CO ₂ in the building sector are enforcing standards and policy, conducting impact assessment, adopting low carbon technology, and restricting energy utilization. All stakeholders must play their roles efficiently to reduce CO ₂ emissions and aid in the fight against climate change.

1. Introduction

The increasing average atmospheric temperature has led to global warming, which drives a set of changes to the Earth's climate and weather systems. These swift changes are happening as humans continue to emit heat-trapping greenhouse gases (GHG) to the atmosphere [ 1]. Among these emissions, carbon dioxide (CO ₂) is the critical anthropogenic greenhouse gas due to its abundance and its ability to remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years [ 2].

CO ₂ emissions can be from natural and human sources. One of these sources originates from the urbanization process. Urbanization is a dynamic process that changes rural areas into urban areas with an increasing number of people and the expansion of the built environment horizontally and vertically. The built environment is the anthropogenic surroundings that provide infrastructure and facilities for human activities, and they are the fundamental components of the economy and social development of a nation. Thus, the acceleration of urbanization played a considerable role in rising CO ₂ emissions in the building sector.

In general, the building sector ranges from construction to operation, which can be further divided into residential and non-residential buildings. These include the processes of adding structures to areas of land and the operation, service, and maintenance of the building. With the building sector facing a resurgence in growth, a massive direct and indirect impact on the environment has been reported. It is considered as one of the significantly consuming and waste generating sectors of the economy [ 3]. The environmental impact of this sector can be categorized into ecosystem impacts, natural resource impacts, and public impacts [ 4]. This sector is also responsible for significant energy consumption and emission production, such as GHG emissions, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide [ 5]. As a result of the energy consumption from this sector, the ambient CO ₂ level has increased, which generates enormous proportions of CO ₂ emissions [ 6, 7]. Sources of CO ₂ emissions in this sector can be from the energy utilization required for the manufacturing and transportation of the building materials to the processing of resources, construction waste disposal, and the demands of construction equipment [ 8].

The building sector consumes a substantial portion of non-renewable energy and prompts the emission of a significant amount of CO ₂ [ 9]. Building contributes approximately 39% of the annual global CO ₂ [ 10] ( Figure 1). It has been reported that more than a third of the usage of total energy and CO ₂ emissions is a result of the building sector in the developed and developing nations [ 11]. Therefore, CO ₂ emission mitigation measures are crucial [ 12]. To promote CO ₂ emission mitigation, planning on conservation of energy, and implementation of strategies to reduce potential emission mitigation should be prioritized [ 13]. This paper aims to provide an overview of the issues, impacts, and mitigation strategies in the building sector to reduce and control CO ₂ emissions.

2. Issues and Challenges

The challenge in sustainably advancing the building sector is the increasingly large outflows of CO ₂ due to the utilization of non-sustainable energy sources in the planning, construction, and operations of buildings [ 9]. CO ₂ is also emitted from the broad utilization of land in the urbanization process [ 11]. The energy sourced from fossil fuels is non-sustainable, and yet it accounts for a large percentage of the energy used in the construction and operation processes. Sustainable or renewable energy sources only account for 6% of the total energy used in the sector, while fossil fuel used in construction activities accounts for 40% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Although numerous novel methods have been proposed to lessen the CO ₂ footprint of buildings, particularly in high-density urban communities, the challenge has yet to be solved appreciably [ 14].

The utilization of a non-sustainable energy source directly affects the environment, and it is directly proportional to the amount used. The construction of a building emits CO ₂, both directly and indirectly. Direct CO ₂ emissions originate from the burning of natural gas, diesel, light fuel oil, and other oil-based commodities, while indirect CO ₂ emissions come from the application of electricity. Globally, the indirect CO ₂ emission accounts for 85% of the total CO ₂ emitted, while only 14% is from direct emissions.

The 2030 Climate and Energy Framework states that 27% of energy should be sourced from sustainable energy sources, while energy efficiency or productivity should increase by 27% [ 15]. However, there are challenges in finding sustainable solutions to low productivity and efficiency. One solution is to itemize the processes of construction and operation so that detailed evaluations can be carried out. Construction includes the assembly of the building material, the development of the structure and foundation, and the transportation and operation of machinery. The procedure comprises the maintenance aspect of the building and its infrastructure. The evaluation of the life cycle requires a detailed inventory of these processes in all phases of the building's life. The assessment would highlight strategies that could be made more productive and efficient.

3. Impacts and Consequences

It is well-known that CO ₂ emissions contribute to global warming and climate change, which can significantly cause severe impacts and consequences for humans and the environment. CO ₂ emissions act like a blanket in the air, trapping heat in the atmosphere, and warming up the Earth [ 11]. This layer prevents the Earth from cooling, and thus raises global temperatures.

Global warming would affect environmental conditions, food and water supplies, weather pattern, and sea levels. Based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Global Climate Summary, it stated that combined land and ocean temperature since 1880 has increased with an average rate of 0.07 °C per decade. The temperature continues rising since 1981, with an average rate of 0.18 °C, which is over twice as massive as previous times.

Figure 2 illustrates the impact of CO ₂ emissions as a result of rising global temperatures. The release of CO ₂ alters water supplies and changes harvesting seasons. For instance, climate change undermines coastal and marine regions with rising ocean levels, which triggers a rising demand for food crops. CO ₂ also causes acid rain, which physically damages trees [ 16] and the built environment [ 17, 18]. These impacts and consequences of CO ₂ emissions can be seen now. They extend well beyond the rising global temperatures, which is affecting ecological systems and communities across the world.

4. Strategies and Way Forward

Over the past two decades, governments and policymakers have been urged to take action to mitigate CO ₂ emissions in various sectors [ 12]. This section discusses several strategies to reduce CO ₂ emissions in response to concerns on the global warming challenge in the building sector ( Figure 3). These strategies can be applied at various scales towards CO ₂ emissions reduction.

4.1. Standards and Policy

Many sustainable building standards, codes, policies, and guidelines packages have been introduced in many countries across the world, which aim to improve building energy performance and reduce CO ₂ emissions. Under the Paris Agreement commitment and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) was set up in 2015 for the decarbonization of the building sector. A total of 184 countries participated in the NDC. Governments have taken initiatives in the decarbonization of the building sector through the establishment of policies and standards. Table 1 summarizes existing standards and policies committed by selected countries under this strategy, that incorporate the reduction of CO ₂ emissions in their goals and objectives. These packages set minimum requirements for energy performance and efficiency in buildings towards zero or low carbon buildings. There are more than 60 countries worldwide that initiated plans to implement these either mandatorily or voluntarily [ 19, 20].

In China, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has introduced the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) to support CO ₂ emission mitigation. For the building sector, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) has advised the Green Building Action Plan to encourage energy-saving systems on municipal buildings, shopping malls, workplaces, etc. [ 21]. In 2008, the "Guidelines to Account for and Report on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals for Buildings," were published in Hong Kong, targeted to help to build owners to evaluate their GHG emission level. Since 2015, the companies, which are listed in the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK), are obligated to reveal the annual environmental and social information according to the Companies Ordinance. Explicitly, environmental subjects cover emissions, consumptions, and environmental impacts [ 22]. The Building Energy Efficiency Ordinance (BEEO) was legislated in 2012, involving owners of commercial buildings to conduct an energy audit based on the Energy Audit Code for their central building services installation every ten years.

In Japan, large building holders were encouraged to implement energy-saving practices and environmentally friendly designs via the Green Building Program launched by the Tokyo Metropolitan in 2002 [ 21]. While for offices, commercial, standard and industrial buildings, there was a Tokyo Cap-and-Trade Program of Japan presented in 2010, targeted to reduce energy consumption. In America, the concern of CO ₂ emission has led to the implementation of policies by the local, state, and federal governments. One of the programs implemented by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification [ 23]. The LEED certification offers many advantages in building construction and technologies practices, such as water efficiency and materials and resources [ 24]. Many of the U.S federal government bodies use LEED certification as the building benchmark. According to USGBC, more than 273 regulatory policies have been enacted by the city, county, and state level to encourage LEED certification of the commercial building [ 25]. In 2006, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was made in the USA that provided a voluntary guideline for high-performing and sustainable buildings. Based on that, Executive order 13,423 (2007) required all construction of new federal buildings to comply with the MOU. Fund amounting to $31 billion was granted to green building and conservation under the Energy Policy Act of 2009. Most of the state and local green building policies mandate LEED certification for a specific sector. For example, government buildings in 23 countries, 30 counties, and 170 cities are required to meet the LEED certification requirement. Sixty cities, including Connecticut, require significant commercial buildings to obtain at least silver LEED certification. Policies, including incentives and symbolic gestures, are summarized by Matisoff and Noonan [ 24].

4.2. Adopting Low Carbon Technology

Low carbon technology is one of the technical strategies that can be adopted in buildings to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Low carbon technology refers to the technology that has a minimal output of GHG emissions into the environment, specifically for CO ₂ emissions [ 26]. Examples of renewable and sustainable energy technologies are evaporative cooling, passive ventilation and cooling, solar photovoltaic, dehumidification, and energy recovery systems. These technologies have been proven to significantly help to decrease emissions and promote energy savings in buildings. Through low carbon technology, the development of basic strategy requirements of innovation-driven development in the building can also be achieved [ 27]. However, the downside of the low carbon technology implementation is it might increase the operation cost of buildings. Therefore, systematic consideration should be addressed carefully to ensure the balance between the reduction of CO ₂ emissions and investment of the technology.

4.3. Restriction Strategy

Closing down the operation in particular areas and shutting down associated devices is a straightforward approach to minimizing the CO ₂ emissions and energy utilization in buildings. The most accessible practice is to keep the doors closed and switching off the lights and electrical appliances of vacant rooms. It is defined as the restriction strategy when this is practiced in public buildings. Most of the public buildings, such as teaching blocks, libraries, and fitness centers, have been grouped into several sections according to the usage rate. In these public buildings, restriction strategy is achievable if unused areas are closed, and users have to gather in certain permitted areas to share the services. Hence, energy consumption is reduced. A study reported the linkage between building occupant rate and energy consumption in their study [ 28]. A significant decline in lighting and heating energy consumption per capita with the increase of occupant rate has been displayed.

Nevertheless, when the occupant rate increases, it might lead to the dissatisfaction of occupants. In general, high occupant rates usually reduce air quality, ultimately affecting the operational effectiveness of the occupants. Therefore, the major obstacle of the restriction strategy is energy conservation refuting the occupants' satisfaction.

4.4. Impact Assessment of Building Process and Materials

Understanding the entire building process is very important in mitigating CO ₂ emissions. These processes include extraction, manufacturing, transportation, construction, maintenance, and disposal. Wide ranges of material are utilized in buildings that use energy and release CO ₂ through its life cycle, which is regarded as embodied energy and embodied carbon. As part of mitigation measures, assessment of embodied carbon of building materials is one of the fundamental approaches that can have a positive impact on carbon footprint. The selection of appropriate sustainable building materials can reduce about 30% of embodied CO ₂ emissions over a lifespan of the building [ 29, 30]. Through this assessment, it has been reported that reinforced concrete and clay bricks are the most carbon-emitting materials leading to approximately 60% to 70% of the total embodied carbon [ 31, 32]. Detailed inventories on building materials and embodied carbon are presented in Hammond and Jones [ 33, 34]. Besides, to reduce CO ₂ emissions or meet the emissions targets, sustainable or low carbon materials can be considered in the manufacturing process. Low carbon cement, timber, straw, and compressed Earth, which has lower carbon footprints are some excellent alternatives.

Therefore, it is necessary to discover the primary building materials that have an apparent influence on the environment and include them in the sustainability assessment scope. This discovery could simplify the evaluation method and attain quick environmental impact assessment. Analysis of CO ₂ emissions, weight, cost, and energy consumption of building materials is shown in Table 2 [ 35]. The (kg CO ₂ e/m ²) is a functional unit used for the carbon emission of building material in the embodied stage. This functional unit provides a benchmark value so that the carbon emission values for buildings of different sizes are consistent and could be compared [ 36]. The calculation for CO ₂ emissions was conducted by the quota method using this formula (Equation (1)):

where,

is the CO ₂ emission equivalent released in the building material production process.

is the carbon emission factor in the production process of the building material without considering recycling.

m i is the amount of building material.

As for energy consumption, the formula (Equation (2)) used to calculate the value is:

where,

is the energy consumption for the building material in the production process.

is the energy factor of the building material during the production process without considering recycling.

Finally, the cost of the building material in the embodied stage is calculated using this formula (Equation (3)):

where,

Q T is the total cost of building material in the embodied stage.

U C is the unit cost of a building material without considering recycling.

The carbon emission factors, the energy factors, and the unit cost of the building materials are reported in the previous studies [ 37, 38, 39, 40]. From this study, mortar, commercial concrete, wall materials, steel and doors, and windows contribute to about 80% of carbon emission. Thus, CO ₂ emissions of buildings should be identified and analyzed from the necessary structural forms. Hence mortar, commercial concrete, wall materials, and steel should be given more attention when implementing CO ₂ emission mitigation measures.

In mitigating CO ₂, proposed solutions should also combine sustainable energy sources, such as solar and wind energy and biofuels, in the operations of buildings through life cycle assessment. The building sector has great potential to lessen CO ₂ emissions during its operational stage by using less energy at the planning, building, and operation steps by increasing efficiency and enhancing construction standards. The goal of the life cycle assessment is to reduce environmental effects and costs. With this regard, a global assessment methodology was developed in 2011 called EN 15978:2011, which provides the calculation steps and analysis rules for the environmental performance assessment of new and existing buildings [ 41]. This strategy can incorporate all periods of the building's life cycle. For example, Hong Kong has analyzed the life cycle of buildings under its jurisdiction. Their focus is to decrease energy usage by 25% from the 2005 level by 2030 [ 14]. The life cycle assessment can distinguish the life cycles of the structure from the operation of the building [ 15]. The operation and embedded carbon footprint of the building is considered in the construction and maintenance of the building. The construction process includes CO ₂ emissions from the creation, development, maintenance, and substitution of building materials and services of the building [ 15]. The energy used in maintenance corresponds to the operation carbon footprint for a given fuel blend. Steps used in limiting the operation carbon footprint can adversely affect the embedded carbon footprint.

On the other hand, aside from new buildings, impact assessment of historical or old buildings should also be considered, which can be an appropriate solution to reduce CO ₂ emissions. As reported in the literature, on average, buildings have an exceptionally long lifespan between 60 to 120 years. Based on this lifespan, historical or old buildings are still in use, and it is expected that 80% of existing buildings will continue to be occupied in 2050 [ 42]. Understanding of principles, materials, methods, risks, and technologies is essential towards decarbonization in these buildings by analyzing their building materials and elements. A detailed life cycle assessment can be carried out by taking into account several factors towards CO ₂ mitigations such as operational energy performance, reuse, and sustainable refurbishment, retrofitting solutions, building envelope thermal performance improvements, heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting systems, and adaptation of passive measures [ 43, 44].

5. Conclusions

The building sector plays a significant part in the emissions of CO ₂ globally. The tremendous production and release of CO ₂ have led to severe consequences and repercussions contributing to climate change. The adverse effects of the non-sustainable built environment have not only put a strain on the environment but also have affected humanity. This paper provided an overview of the issues, impacts, and mitigation strategies in the building sector to reduce and control CO ₂ emissions. The energy sourced from fossil fuels is non-sustainable, and yet it accounts for a large percentage of the energy used in the construction and operation processes. The strategies to reduce CO ₂ in the building sector are enforcing standards and policy, conducting impact assessment, adopting low carbon technology, and restricting energy utilization. If we continue with the current approach for the building sector, it will be too late to rectify the mistakes of our predecessors. The future of sustainable cities and communities will remain uncertain, and we might fail to achieve global sustainable development goals. The building sector must be given enough attention and care to reduce the rate of CO ₂ emissions. A comprehensive and thorough analysis is necessary to study the CO ₂ emission mitigation measures in the building sector, and global organizations must come up with a holistic framework to tackle the issue. For a more sustainable future, it is crucial to implement drastic actions and measures to reduce CO ₂ emissions to aid the fight in combating climate change.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, M.I.A., K.A.A. and Y.Y.; investigation, K.A.A., and M.I.A.; methodology, Y.Y. and K.A.A.; project administration, M.I.A., Y.Y., K.A.A.; resources, K.A.A. and Y.Y.; visualization, M.I.A., Y.Y. and K.A.A.; writing-original draft, M.I.A., Y.Y. and K.A.A.; writing-review and editing, M.I.A., Y.Y. and K.A.A.; project administration, Y.Y. and M.I.A.; funding acquisition, M.I.A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by Research University Grant [1001/PTEKIND/8014124] from Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

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Country

Standards or Policies

China

The Energy Consumption of Buildings standard was introduced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in 2016. This standard covers indicators of energy use for various building types. It aims to limit the amount of building sector energy consumption of the country and simultaneously limit the total CO ₂ emissions.

Australia

The Australian Federal Government launched the National Carbon Offset Standard for Buildings in 2017. It was established in collaboration with the Green Building Council Australia. The main objective of the standard is to provide to measure, reduce, offset, report, and audit CO ₂ emissions from building operations.

India

A policy was introduced in 2016 as part of the Energy Conservation Act of 2001, which is aimed at commercial buildings under the Perform, Achieve, and Trade (PAT) program. It had saved about 9 million tons of oil equivalent (Mtoe) of final energy, thereby reducing annual CO ₂ emissions by nearly 23 MtCO ₂. The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) was updated in 2017 for commercial buildings that recognized improvement efforts towards decarbonization. In 2018, the first national model building energy code called the Energy Conservation Building Code for Residential Buildings was introduced with simple enforcement of thermal comfort and passive system improvement.

European Union

As part of the Clean Energy for all European policy package set in 2016, the European Commission targets to combat climate change contributed by GHGs, including CO ₂ emissions, through proposals on energy efficiency, energy market, and renewable energy strategies. An amendment to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) was published in 2018 to achieve high-energy efficiency and be decarbonized by 2050.

Sweden

In 2016, the Centre for Sustainable Construction was created under a Swedish Government policy to promote the usage of sustainable materials and energy-efficient renovations, which could also reduce CO ₂ emissions. In 2019, a certification scheme addressing the environmental impact of a new building was introduced.

Japan

In 2017, the act on the Improvement of Energy Consumption Performance of Buildings (Building Energy Efficiency Act) was introduced, which includes regulatory measures for mandatory compliance with energy efficiency standards for non-residential buildings. This act is part of the Japanese government policy on the zero-energy-building [ZEB]/zero-energy-house [ZEH] system to be achieved by 2030.

Canada

In 2016, tighter energy performance standards for energy-using product categories in buildings were introduced. New building energy codes have been planned to be introduced in 2022 as part of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change to increase energy efficiency in existing buildings. In 2019, the Government of Canada was working to develop a net-zero-energy-ready building code to support the aim of implementing building energy use labeling.

Germany

In 2019, a package of emission mitigation measures by the German government was formed to meet the requirement of Agenda 2030 in the building sector.

USA

In 2018, the California 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards was introduced as the first code in the USA. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority was established in 2018 to increase the overall efficiency and sustainability of buildings.

Nigeria

In 2017, the first building energy code was introduced with a partnership between the German Development Agency (GIZ) and the Nigerian Energy Support Program with the aim of a set of minimum standards for energy-efficient building construction in Nigeria.

Singapore

In 2016, the Code on Environmental Sustainability Measures for Existing Buildings was launched in 2016 for existing non-residential buildings within Singapore's Building Control Regulations.

Switzerland

In 2018, Switzerland's new Energy Act came into force, intending to increase energy efficiency in buildings towards decarbonization. Including the use of a CO ₂ tax on stationary fuels (heating and industry). Under the Act, CO ₂ tax and subsidizing of geothermal energy have been introduced. A Federal Act on Reduction of CO ₂ Emissions was revised in 2019 to implement NDC in the building sector.

Table 2. CO ₂ emissions, weight, cost, and the energy consumption of building materials [ 35].

Materials

CO₂ Emissions (kgCO₂ e/m²)

Weight (kg/m²)

Cost (RMB/m²; USD/m²; EUR/m²)

Energy Consumption (MJ/m²)

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Issues, Impacts, and Mitigations of Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the Building Sector

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Climate change has become a considerable concern for humanity during this anthropocentric era. Scientists believe that the rate of global warming and climate change varies directly with the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide. Urbanization is happening at a higher rate in this era than in any other generation.

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Green construction is a rising industry topic. The interesting thing about green construction trends is that it manifests itself in the industry in a few different ways.

From construction equipment and project management processes to actual building materials and the planning and design of projects themselves, green practices can be found at all levels of projects

Here are 5 top green construction trends to think about for 2021.

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Green construction is a rising industry topic. The interesting thing about green construction trends is that it manifests itself in the industry in a few different ways. From construction equipment and project management processes to actual building materials and the planning and design of projects themselves, green practices can be found at all levels of projects Here are 5 top green construction trends to think about for 2021.

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Sustainable materials for architecture - alsecco UK Iconic Façades

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Posted in Architecture, Sustainability.

The use of sustainable materials in architectural construction projects is becoming increasingly popular in 2018. From the creation of soil-based structures, such as adobe buildings, to repurposed materials, architecture is embracing the diversity and affordability offered by the use of sustainable materials. Cross laminated timber, photovoltaic glass for new buildings, repurposed and reclaimed materials are all used more widely in contemporary building projects and are helping to create unique structures that stand out within the built environment.

Using sustainable and environmentally-friendly materials in construction projects is no longer seen to be a costly exercise either as many of the sustainable products on the market are an economical choice, offering durability and a long lifespan. Some of the materials likely to gain popularity in 2018 include:

Cross laminated timber

Cross laminated timber (CLT) is a sustainable building material that has a prefabricated structure and has performed well in seismic, thermal and fire tests. CLT has a low impact on the environment and generates very little waste during installation. It is being used with steel cross beams in the building of the Laurentian University School of Architecture in Canada and is already in place at Dalston Lane, Dalston Square in London, where it has been used in the construction of one of the world’s largest CLT projects to create a high-rise block of flats. In December 2017, Dalston Lane was the largest CLT building in the world and is a ten storey apartment complex, providing 121 separate homes. From the first floor upwards the building is fabricated entirely from CLT and all core walls, stairs and floors use this timber. Buildings made with CLT work out up to 30% lighter than traditional buildings with a frame of steel or concrete. The basement and ground floor were constructed of concrete to reduce risk of wood at ground floor level being water damaged. All the wood for the building project was grown in Austria and Germany and the CLT was manufactured in Austria. A total of 2,300 trees were used in the construction of the apartment building.

Repurposed material

Repurposing old material is increasingly popular in the design of new buildings and structures. Repurposed timber, aluminium, steel and plastic add interest to structures and create buildings which are superb examples of environmental friendliness and enhanced sustainability. The David L Lawrence Convention Centre in Pittsburgh, USA features a shiny, recycled steel exterior and is the first convention centre to have been given LEED certification. Repurposed timber is an ideal choice for adding warmth and texture to buildings and can be utilised in a number of ways for modern buildings.

Biomimetic insulation

Developments in insulation are seeing a move away from typical polystyrene and fibreglass insulation, which can have a poor effect on human health. The skin of the polar bear is seen as a natural insulation model which can be imitated to create a non-toxic insulation material that consists of three layers with a furry top layer to the exterior. Plyskin is a product that is currently in development in the Netherlands, while the German company Sto is also developing an insulation material based on polar bear fur. StoSolar will be available for new or existing buildings and is an exterior surface treatment, with a furry finish.

Photovoltaic glass

Photovoltaic glass is becoming increasingly common as a building material and has a number of uses, including cladding (https://www.alsecco.co.uk/rainscreen-cladding-systems/airtec-photovoltaic/), curtain walls, skylights and canopies. Adding photovoltaic glass to buildings helps ensure self sufficiency in the generation of power, so it’s a popular, sustainable choice for new builds that helps cut energy costs on an ongoing basis.

Unmilled wood

There is also a developing trend for using whole trees for trusses and beams within new architectural designs. This unmilled wood has the same strength as steel or concrete, but uses less than 2% of the energy required to fabricate steel or concrete. This is a renewable building material and an example of its use is in the Earth Sciences Building of the University of British Columbia which has won several awards. The Earth Sciences building features a structure of laminated strand lumber and other sustainable wooden building materials. Some of the wood used in this building was upcycled from trees which had been killed by pine beetles and was carved in a fashion that allows natural ventilation and light.

Wool bricks

Wool bricks are another sustainable building material that have been around for a few years now, but their use may be set to take off in 2018. The bricks have been incorporated into the design for St. Mary’s Regional Health Centre in Maine, which is the most prominent public building to use wool bricks to date. Wool bricks contain a mix of wool fibres and seaweed polymers to create bricks which are up to 37% stronger than their clay counterparts.

Younger generation

Our younger generation of architects, town planners and builders is not forgotten in this rush to include sustainable materials in building products. Lego is launching a range of sustainably-sourced plastic models into its building boxes in 2018. The first Lego building models to be created using this sustainable plastic will be the trees and greenery botanical, decorative elements of their range, but these will soon be followed by more additions as Lego has committed to the use of sustainable materials for all models and packaging by the year 2030. These Lego botanical models are fabricated from plastic created using sugar cane and have all the properties of traditional polyethylene products.

The move to increased use of sustainable materials in architecture has really taken off in recent years and 2018 is set to see even more developments. Sustainable architecture minimises effects of the environmental impact caused by buildings by the use of materials, the provision of energy efficiency and an ecological design that takes full account of the surrounding eco-system and the development space. Our future generations will benefit from the variety of sustainable architectural designs and structures being built in this contemporary era.

Eco Friendly, photovoltaic, Repurposed, Sustainable

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Sustainable materials for architecture - alsecco UK Iconic Façades

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The use of sustainable materials in architectural construction projects is becoming increasingly popular in 2018. From the creation of soil-based

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NBA on ESPN - Scores, Stats and Highlights

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Visit ESPN for NBA live scores, video highlights and latest news. Stream games on ESPN and play Fantasy Basketball.

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What Building Material (wood, steel, concrete) Has The Smallest Overall Environment Impact? – Debating Science (umass.edu)

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10 Sustainable Materials Every Architect Must Know - RTF (re-thinkingthefuture.com)

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Sustainable materials analysis. At:Sustainable materials for architecture - alsecco UK Iconic Façades

Local materials analysis. At:Sustainable Building Materials: How It Changes Construction | DOZR

Global warming definition. At:What Is Global Warming? (joboneforhumanity.org)

Global warming effects. At:What are the effects of global warming? | Live Science

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Today we discuss the topic "Ethical issues in Apple". Everyone in my group all talk about their own opinion, and discuss with other person to complain.
For the task 1, I think Apple should be responsible for ethical lapses, if employees can not be safe at the factory, there will be nobody is willing to work.
For the task 2, I think Apple should shut off all the chains and factories in order to keep those who work in factories safe. But Anna and Neil didn't agree with me, they think if the company closed factories, there will be more people lose jobs, which is bad for the local economy.

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Online clothing retailer ASOS will spend more than £300m to buy Arcadia’s Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands from the administrators of Philip Green’s insolvent group, says Jonathan Eley in the Financial Times. The deal involves an upfront payment of £265m for the brands, plus £30m for existing inventory. ASOS will also honour £35m of forward purchase orders. However, many of Arcadia’s 13,000 employees are likely to lose their jobs as the agreement “does not include the group’s 70 stores, including its Oxford Street Topshop flagship”.

The deal is not only ASOS’s “first acquisition of a fashion brand”, but also a “stark change from its strategy of creating its own brands”, says The Times. As a result, investors need to be aware of the problems of “integration risk [and] management distraction” as well as the dangers of “buying an asset from Sir Philip Green after the BHS debacle”. Still, if things go well ASOS should be able to use Topshop to “push further into Europe and the US” without the burden of its “oversized, dated store estate”, justifying the price tag. Adding Topshop’s online operations will boost sales by £220m immediately.

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For more than 20 years, UNIQLO has been on a path to sustainability.
As a global company creating responsible clothing, we are committed to a healthy planet, society, and people.
The earth and humanity are facing serious problems.
We believe that the time is now to take swift and decisive action to solve these issues — before it’s too late.
Together, our small steps will lead to big changes.
step by step!

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Zara has become everyone's favourite fast fashion hit, and the watercooler fashion name to drop. These days, it provides a rich seam of instant small talk between women who like clothes, crossing boundaries of age, class and style.

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"Sustainability is a never-ending task"

Cotton, linen and polyester – along with viscose, which the company plans to make more sustainable by 2023 – make up 90 per cent of all raw materials purchased by the brand.

The target will be enacted by all eight of Inditex's brands – Zara, Zara Home, Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear, Bershka, Uterqüe, Oysho and Stradivarius.

"Sustainability is a never-ending task in which everyone here at Inditex is involved and in which we are successfully engaging all of our suppliers," said Inditex chairman and CEO Pablo Isla.

"Our digital transformation and determined progress towards the most demanding sustainability standards are complementary and underpinned by the efficiency of our long-standing business model, which is based on offering our customers the best in quality fashion."

Zara plans to make buildings eco-efficient

Along with the commitment to use more sustainable fabrics Inditex announced a range of other aims. The first goal for this year is for all of its head offices to meet the "highest green building certificates", and for 100 per cent of stores to be eco-efficient.

With this in mind, it plans to use 80 per cent renewable energy across all of the company's activities, including in its stores, logistic centres and offices.

By 2020, Inditex hopes to fully eliminate the use of plastic bags across all its brands – a goal it has already achieved at Zara, Zara Home, Massimo Dutti and Uterqüe.

The company also claims that by 2023 it will have fully eliminated single-use plastics from customer sales, and will be sending 100 per cent of the waste generated at its head offices and stores for recycling or reuse.

According to Inditex, it is currently recycling or reusing 88 per cent of its waste.

Clothing recycling to be available at all stores

The company is also committing to introducing collection and recycling systems for all of the materials used in its store displays for reuse.

Next year, the retailer claims that all of its stores will have been fitted with containers for collecting used clothing to either be reused, recycled or sent to charity, in an effort to make a move towards a circular economy.

Since its launch in 2015, these dedicated clothes banks have collected over 34,000 tonnes of used garments, footwear and accessories.

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1. What is Sustainability? 13 Examples to Integrate into Your Life - Green Coast

2.Eco Friendly Interior Design Guide - Top Tips for 2021 (decoroutdoor.com)

3.Global Warming 101 - Definition, Facts, Causes and Effects of Global Warming | NRDC

4.A Guide to the Most Eco-Friendly Materials | Household Wonders

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THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR INTERIOR DESIGN

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THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR INTERIOR DESIGN

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The importance of sustainability for interior design  (Web 视图)

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The sustainability in arts, we should keep it for long term and develop some new developed styles of arts.

In interior design, we can take some recycled materials place of old materials.

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Maya Lin

Maya Lin is perhaps most famous for winning a competition to design the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington at the age of 21. While the monument remains her best-known work, Lin has been an environmental activist for many years and has long incorporated this ethos into her practice.

Lin is set to unveil a large-scale installation, Ghost Forest, in Manhattan’s Madison Square Park, on 10 May. The project will see dead cedar trees salvaged from New Jersey’s Pine Barrens planted amid the park’s greenery to highlight the effects of climate change on forests, from saltwater infiltration due to rising sea levels to the decline of biodiversity.

‘We have very little time left to change our climate change emission patterns and how we live within the natural world,’ Lin said in a statement about the work, which will be on view until 14 November. ‘I wanted to bring awareness to a die-off that is happening all over the world.’

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Justin Brice Guariglia

Conceptual artist Justin Brice Guariglia has been making work that explores our relationship with the natural world since 2009, when he transitioned from photojournalism to fine art. Over the last decade, he has worked with a number of high-profile organisations to raise awareness around the issues of climate change and the destruction of natural environments.

The artist has been collaborating with NASA since 2015 to document the rapid decline in Greenland’s ice sheets, even designing an app that tells the user how their local area will be affected by rising sea levels in the near future.

In 2018, Guariglia created Climate Signals, presented in partnership with the Climate Museum and the New York City Mayor's Office. The works consisted of ten solar-powered highway signs across all five New York City boroughs, with messages that were anything but ordinary — instead of warning about upcoming construction work or traffic delays, they alerted passersby to the reality of rising sea levels and the dangers of climate denial.

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CONSIDERATION AND EXECUTION

If we have the consideration of sustainability and take action to activities, the sustainability will be success.

We should take our own shopping bags when we are shopping, we should resist the plastic shopping bags.

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SUSTAINABILITY6.18  (Web 视图)

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Yunfeng Wan
With his own vision and alternative thinking about beauty, Wan Yunfeng has created a large number of classic environmental protection clothing performance art works. Its design style, the pursuit of environmental protection, waste utilization, local materials, turning waste into treasure of the Chinese and Western design characteristics, known as the ghost talent environmental protection clothing soul performance artist. The world's first person to create a world-landmark street fashion show. Wan Yunfeng is a special artist who has never studied abroad or majored in fashion design.

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Contributors Stella Ko, CNN

Two pairs of dusty, pastel-orange roller skates. A ram's skull. Several meters of tangled, bright red rope. They aren't the sort of items you'd find in the great fashion houses of Europe or on North American catwalks.

But, for unconventional Chinese designer and performance artist Wan Yunfeng, they are perfect.

From his small apartment in eastern Beijing, Wan makes fashion that only he wears.

His distinctive gowns are crafted from discarded items, draped and twisted around his body and photographed to send a message about the destructive power of human consumption.

"I make clothes to bring awareness to the environment, it is performance art. So of course you can't wear these clothes in daily life, it is to deliver a message of environmental protection," he said.

In his latest photo series, the "Protection of the Ocean," Wan's outfits make him appear entangled in nets and plastic waste, his tortured facial expressions designed to mirror the pain of trapped, ocean animals.

"I want to reconstruct the scenes of those animals struggling before their deaths, caused by ocean pollution," he said.

Inspiration on stage

Wan grew up in a small, scenic town in the eastern area of Fushun, a city of more than 2 million people in northeastern Liaoning Province.

He inherited his artistic streak from his father, Wan Lun, who was a performer in the local errenzhuan theater, a type of Chinese opera from the country's northeast that is performed by two people.

Errenzhuan is more relaxed and relatable than the high culture of Peking opera, and features a cabaret-style mix of comedy, singing and dancing.

Wan used to watch his father on stage, but it was his female partners' bright, distinctive costumes that caught his eye.

"I loved the costumes more than the opera," he said. "Male costumes aren't powerful -- their color and style is very simple. But female clothing can be dramatic," he said.

After leaving home, Wan drifted through different careers -- for a while he was an actor, then a make-up artist working with some of China's top celebrities.

But his thoughts kept coming back to the dresses he saw on stage as a child. During a visit back to his parents' house, he found a pile of discarded clothes and linen.

"A sudden whim came into my head, and then I designed them into something I wanted ... to make them alive," he said.

East meets West

In his apartment in Beijing, Wan collects piles of used items on beds, in bags and stacked in small plastic drawers.

"I ask for materials from everyone. Some come from my daily life... some come from my friends," Wan said. "I also travel globally. I go to some antique markets and flea markets to buy things. You need to make it beautiful."

The self-taught designer draws on both traditional Chinese as well as Western influences, from the classic Chinese qipao dress to the late designer Karl Lagerfeld. "His design is creative and also for daily use. I worship him," Wan said.

Wan has posed in his creations in some of the world's major fashion cities: Paris, New York, Milan.

In Paris, near the Eiffel Tower, he wore an outfit made of recycled denim with a miniature version of the landmark on his head, accessorized with long, red Chinese tassels. He called the piece "Paris cowboy."

Outside the Louvre, in a creation called "The Northeast Flower," he modeled an old quilt cover that had been transformed into a Western-style ballgown with a makeshift pagoda-style crown. Wan said he chose the Louvre as a location to emphasize the cultural blend of his work -- the materials he used in that creation were Chinese but the design was distinctly European.

"It's a China-West collaboration. I really love Chinese culture and European culture, so I mixed them together to create something new," he said.

Some of his work has a more modern edge, as seen in "Crazy IKEA," a series of images taken in New York's Times Square, which show Wan dressed in a bright blue gown made of IKEA shopping bags.

The pastel-orange roller skates, ram's skull and tangled rope seen lying in his apartment will be used in his next project, a call for animal protection.

'I'm not just a model'

At home, Wan has encountered resistance to his avant-garde style.

Commentators on Chinese social media have criticized everything from the cut of this clothes to the shape of his legs. They ask why he dresses as a woman and lifts his legs so high when he walks. On the latter, Wan explains that movement is part of his performance.

"It is because I am imitating how animals walk. There are a lot of endangered animals in the world so when I walk on the road it is to express how animals walk, and I hope people can understand that," he said.

"When people don't get it I tell them that I'm not just a model walking a runway, but a person trying to spread the message of environmental protection."

The criticism has affected Wan in the past.

At one point, he postponed his work and threw out many of his earlier creations. But now he has decided it is important for him to carry on. "If even just one person is influenced by me, I should do it," he said.

"Criticism is OK, exaggeration is OK too. I just have to protect our environment. I just believe that everyone should work to protect our environment, don't you think?"

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chinese artist turns trash into high fashion - cnn

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Written by Ben Westcott, CNNNanlin Fang, CNNBeijing

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Chinese artist Wan Yunfeng is turning trash into high fashion

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Contributors Stella Ko, CNN Two pairs of dusty, pastel-orange roller skates. A ram's skull. Several meters of tangled, bright red rope. They aren't the sort of items you'd find in the great fashion houses of Europe or on North American catwalks. But, for unconventional Chinese designer and performance artist Wan Yunfeng, they are perfect.

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1.sustainable
capable of being sustained
environmental protection；social development；economic growth

2.In my opinion, sustainability has a lot of meanings, such as something should be sustained and keep something long term.

3.We should keep on environment protection.