In addition to preserving existing building stock, we can also look to older buildings for lessons in sustainable design. One traditional building material getting back in the limelight is… lime.
Lime, a product made from burned limestone and water, can be used in mortars, plasters, and slabs as a concrete alternative. Traditionally, lime mortars and plasters were used to build stone or brick walls, as a wall coating to keep out rain, or as an interior finish.
Lime requires less energy to produce than cement. Limestone, the basic raw material for both, can be burned at lower temperatures: 900 to 1,000°C rather than 1,300°C and higher. Even better, the natural curing process of lime reabsorbs much of this emitted CO2. And because limestone is one of the most abundant materials on earth, lime can be produced locally, cutting transport emissions.
Learn more in Lime is a much greener option than cement, published by The Guardian.