shareShare

Choose the most durable, eco-energetic cladding.

Crop projet-12

Exterior cladding protects houses from weather and wind. The best choices from an environmental point of view reduce resource waste, by encouraging sustainable forestry, for example. Certain choices will also improve the energy efficiency of your home and allow you to achieve energy savings.

Our recommendations :

  1. Wooden cladding has a lifespan of 30 years or more. It is very impact resistant, recyclable and it has a higher insulation value than most other choices. With exposure to the sun, the wood will discolour and turn grey over time. Choose wood from certified forests to support sustainable forestry and help reduce resource waste.
  2. Pressed wood fibre cladding resembles the texture of wood, comes in a variety of colours and can be stained or painted. It often contains a high percentage of recycled content, which helps reduce resource waste. But these shingles are vulnerable to cracking and humidity. Their projected lifespan is around 25 years. Choose wood from certified forests to support sustainable forestry and help reduce resource waste.
  3. Masonry – or bricks and blocks – is wear resistant and offers a very long lifespan compared to other products (over 100 years). These products may include recycled content (which is preferable), and they are recyclable or reusable. Their production is energy intensive and generates a lot of GHGs, but these impacts can be amortized over a long period when high-quality products are chosen. Since building masonry walls is complicated and the mortar can crumble if applied incorrectly, it is important to use the services of a specialist. Masonry is generally the most expensive option. In terms of energy efficiency, the low insulation value of masonry products is partly compensated for by their mass, which gives the structure greater thermal inertia and leads to fewer temperature variations inside the home.
  4. Metallic cladding – generally aluminum extrusion or enamelled steel – has a long lifespan (40 years or more) and usually contains recycled content, as well as being recyclable. Steel is more impact resistant than aluminum, but neither has any insulation value. Compared to other materials, manufacturing metals requires a lot of energy and creates significant quantities of GHGs. Your best bet is to choose high-quality products that will last a long time to amortize their environmental impact.
  5. Fibre cement cladding has a lifetime of over 40 years. It is easy to maintain and may be painted or stained. A coating must be applied to hide the joints. If you choose fibre cement, opt for products that contain supplementary cementing materials, which help reduce the GHG emissions associated with the production of Portland cement. These recovered industrial materials, which include fly ash (by-product of coal combustion) and silica fume (a waste product collected from furnaces used in the production of silicon alloys), increase the product quality.
  6. Stucco (or acrylic coating) offers a 25-year lifespan and interesting insulating properties, but it is sensitive to temperature changes and structure shifts. For cement stucco, choose products that contain supplementary cementing materials, which help reduce the GHG emissions associated with the production of Portland cement. These recovered industrial materials, which include fly ash (by-product of coal combustion) and silica fume (a waste product collected from furnaces used in the production of silicon alloys), increase the product quality.
  7. Vinyl is among the least costly cladding options and it features a long lifespan (40 years or more). Although it is made mainly with non-renewable resources, it may contain recycled materials and may provide some insulation value if it contains polyurethane. On the other hand, it may discolour, the joints are not airtight, and it’s vulnerable to impact and temperature changes. Use high-quality vinyl products to avoid premature replacement and the related resource waste. Reducing the use of vinyl products is better for human health, since vinyl can emit volatile organic compounds and other toxic pollutants during production, use, burial and in exposure to fire.