Green Building Materials MCQ with answer and solution

Concept

Bamboo is a renewable, fast-growing, low-energy natural material, so it is a green building material.

Step-by-step solution

1. A green material should be renewable, need low energy to make, and cause low pollution. 2. Concrete, mortar and burnt brick need cement or kiln firing, which uses high energy and releases CO₂. 3. Bamboo grows fast, absorbs CO₂, and needs very little processing. 4. So bamboo is the sustainable green material. Answer (C).

Explanation

Bamboo is a natural and renewable material. It grows again in 3-5 years and takes in CO₂ while growing. It has good tensile strength and very low embodied energy, so it is a green building material.

Why the other options are wrong

A: Concrete uses cement, which needs high energy and emits a lot of CO₂. B: Burnt clay brick needs kiln firing, which uses high energy, and it uses up topsoil. D: Mortar contains cement or lime, which also has high embodied energy.

Shortcut

Choose the natural, renewable, fast-growing material: bamboo.

Common mistake

Choosing brick because it is a traditional material. Traditional does not mean green, because burnt bricks use a lot of energy.