Natural materials

High-performance solutions

Current regulations require a gradual reduction in the energy consumption of buildings while they are occupied. These are the EPB energy certificates, which estimate annual CO2 emissions. The choice and impact of the materials used are not taken into account.

The next step is to reduce the carbon footprint of construction materials. Eco-friendly materials have an important role to play here!

Sharing experiences

RYA members are committed to ongoing training in the use of natural materials. This involves not only theoretical knowledge but also practical experience in working with these materials through training sessions and participatory construction projects. RYA contributes to the exchange of knowledge and expertise in these areas to help spread these techniques more widely.

Our favorites

RYA has gained specific experience in working with natural materials and seeks to promote their use whenever possible:

wood framing and solid wood;
lime-hemp blocks or sprayed hemp-lime
insulation made from straw bales, wood fiber, cellulose, hemp and sheep’s wool, …
raw earth and earth-straw walls;
finishes using earth or lime plasters and natural paints.

Sustainability criteria

Our approach to materials is always guided by a commitment to sustainable development.

We prioritize natural materials because they allow us to:

build healthy structures with fewer indoor pollutants by favoring materials that are less harmful, or not harmful at all, to human health;
use natural and renewable (bio-based) raw materials;
to be fully compostable in certain cases;
to have a favorable life cycle assessment, notably by requiring less energy during manufacturing (low carbon).

In addition, natural insulation materials provide effective insulation in winter while ensuring thermal comfort in summer (thermal inertia and phase shift) and are used in breathable wall systems.

Design support

Would you like to learn about eco-friendly alternatives and improve your project?

Together, we’ll review your project to identify the various possible or desired options for improving the building envelope (insulation) and interior finishes.

Each option can be evaluated in terms of health, carbon footprint, circularity, and more.

A cost comparison rounds out the analysis, enabling you to make informed choices and put people back at the heart of the project.

Do you have a project but haven’t found an architect yet?

We can handle the entire architectural process and guide you from design through to project completion.

Practical on-site support

Have you decided to undertake a construction project and want to get off on the right foot?

RYA offers you its expertise in selecting healthy, bio-based building materials.

RYA can guide you through the practical aspects of self-building, connect you with tradespeople and material suppliers, organize participatory construction projects, and more.

An architecture competition / public tender?

In addition to conducting energy studies (EPB, PHPP, etc.), we can support the project in terms of sustainability in the broadest sense:

conducting a reuse inventory;
incorporating bio-based and low-carbon materials;
life cycle assessment (LCA);
TOTEM assessment:
evaluation of the environmental impact of building components or buildings as a whole;
assistance with the GRO: during the design process, GRO provides a manual to help establish the level of ambition for a sustainable project. The vast array of aspects related to sustainable construction has been compiled and synthesized into a practical and user-friendly tool.

Please feel free to email us your projects. We will contact you to discuss your project and send you a clear and detailed quote.