This document discusses the use of innovative and environmentally friendly building materials. It notes that historically, many common building materials like asbestos and PVC have been carcinogenic and hazardous to human health. However, new green building standards and certifications like LEED, GBEL, and BREEAM are promoting the use of sustainable materials that are safer for both construction workers and occupants. While green materials are often more expensive initially, the document argues they provide health, environmental, and financial benefits in the long run by improving quality of life and reducing healthcare costs. Overall, it takes the position that continuing to adopt innovative sustainable materials is an ethical choice that respects human well-being.

1. Innovative Building Materials
Danielle Gavin
Texas Tech Engineering Ethics
Background
This capstone paper is addressing the changes in modern building materials and
poses a position on whether or not they are beneficial.
It is a known fact that building projects are being completed everywhere. There is
also an obvious goal of these projects being safe not only for those who work on
them, but also those who are living in the communities surrounding them. It is
important that these jobs follow safety, legal, and ethical protocol.
The list of hazardous building materials goes on and on. For example, PVC is a
known carcinogen that is used in nearly every building project. Carcinogens have
been proven to lead to cancer. However, companies still use PVC to this day. It is a
staple material that can do so many things on a job site. Asbestos is a more widely
known material that is disastrous to human health and companies have ceased
using it.
So who is responsible for the use of materials such as PVC and Asbestos? In all
reality, until health problems were reported no one knew either of these were
dangerous to human beings. It was “as early as 1897” that an Austrian doctor
documented troubles of inhalation with blame towards asbestos fibers. While the
start of WWII brought the use of asbestos to a high, it also brought the use of
asbestos to its knees. Those who continue to use these materials while knowing
they are unhealthy are the ones to blame.
These materials that are unhealthy are needed to fulfill requirements of job sites
that do not have the amount of money to do so with safer materials. By using the
cheaper resources, less money can be spent. With less money being spent, more
money can be made. This is not ethical at all.
Those who are affected by these shortcomings are the ones who are paying for the
lower end materials and also those who are living around them. The health
problems that they can encounter are painful, life threatening, and expensive.
By changing the materials from deadly to innovative and safe ones, many lives can
be saved. When we as engineers know that we are putting another life in danger, it
is up to us to make sure we do not.

2. Anticipated drawbacks of using sustainable and healthier materials are that the
money made on a job will lower due to the higher costs. Although the money made
will not be of the same amount as prior, those lives we hold paramount are going to
be safer than those before. It is a huge dilemma for engineers who are on the in
between of ethics to decide which is more important to them.
Possible Solution
There is promise to a large scaled case like this. The answer to that are
environmental resources. These resources will be healthier than those of the past
and will provide constructional engineers the peace of mind that their projects are
safe for themselves as well as the ones who will be there once completed.
Through the use of nanotechnology, “construction and building materials are able
to replicate features of natural systems”. This means that the materials are
sustainable and by mimicking natural systems, will be safer to those who come in
contact with them.
How do these green building materials affect the industry? Well in fact, the industry
is suspected to grow to over $255 billion by the year of 2020 according to
medgaget.com. Although the materials are more expensive than those used in the
past, they are catching steam in the building industry. People are beginning to think
about what chemicals and byproducts they are surrounding themselves with and
construction has no exception.
Leading Systems for Green Building
There are a few different organizations that have created outlines for
environmentally friendly building. Three big ones are Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED), Green Building Evaluation Labeling (GBEL), and
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM).
These green systems have been driving the demand for environmentally friendly
materials and construction.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED, defines himself or herself
as a third party certification program (LEED.net). They claim to have higher
demand and higher revenue than non-LEED construction projects. As the
government requires more and more legislation on construction, LEED says they
strive to keep residents safe, the environment safe, and build beautiful buildings.
Green Building Evaluation and Labeling or GBEL is based in china and “evaluates
projects based on six categories: land, energy, water, resource/material efficiency,
indoor environmental quality and operational management” (usbc.org). They rate
their projects on a 3 star scale with three stars being the highest. Generally, with
China’s poor environment already, a one star project will not be completed, as it
does not meet requirements of environmentally friendly building.

3. Lastly, Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method or
BREEAM, is the worlds leading assessment method. It touches not only new
construction but also refurbishment. They claim that investors only invest up to 2%
more and recover that investment within 2-5 years (BREEAM.com). This
organization was the first of its kind to bring environmental innovation into the
construction world in 1990.
All three of these companies have helped increase the global awareness of
environmental effects from poor building materials. Also, they have boosted the
green building community and have protected environments and humans across the
planet.
Ethical Dilemmas
There is a reason that green building has taken off so quickly. It is because we as the
community of this planet have realized the effects poor materials have created for
us.
The burning of certain chemicals has created holes in our ozone layers. The use of
deadly materials in our construction and building has exposed us to disease we
cannot eradicate. The climate we live in has changed drastically over the last ten
years. Water has been contaminated with materials we were sure were safe. These
are just a few of the recent problems we have seen.
How do we as engineers continue to be ethical in the process of building buildings
for money? The main problems we face are between keeping cost low for us as well
as our clients and making sure we do not do any harm the the environment
surrounding us, especially ourselves. One of the main codes in the NSPE Code of
Ethics is to hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public. When
failing to follow methods of establishing safe places for humans, we are failing to
adhere to the very code we agreed on as professional engineers.
If we continue to put unsafe materials into homes, people will continue to get sick
and we are not being ethical. If we continue to use unsafe methods of building safe
houses and buildings, we are not holding ourselves to ethical standards. If we do
not avoid these deceptive acts in order to generate a higher revenue, we are not
being ethical. There are many ways we can violate our code of ethics in building
unless we hold ourselves to a higher standard and commit to providing better
alternatives.
Position
The benefits of using these environmentally friendly methods are vast. We will
ensure better health for our loved ones and ourselves. We will ensure a more
sustainable environment that lives around us. It will raise us from being unethical

4. engineers to ethical engineers. We will make sure that our future generations will
have a safe and healthy place to live.
With benefits comes dilemma. Some dilemmas we will have to overcome in the use
of green building materials will not be easy. First, the amount of money we spend
to complete projects will likely grow. It is more expensive to use environmentally
friendly materials than those that have been around for years and are relatively
inexpensive. Next, because of the amount we will have spend in order to buy these
building materials, we will have to charge a higher fee for service or risk losing
income. While it is reasonable to charge more for materials that cost more, is it
right for us to put a higher price on a better quality of life? This is one ethical
dilemma that can be examined differently depending on ones viewpoints.
Respect for Persons
The best ethical theory to apply to this SIA is respect for persons. Respect for
Persons theory states that humans should not be used as a means to an end.
Immanuel Kant states that instead “he must in all his actions be regarded as an end
to himself”. In reference to one of the dilemmas previously stated, we should not
take advantage of a human, through money or other, in order to promote ourselves.
It is up to us as ethical engineers to maintain a healthy environment for others and
not using humans as a way to make more money. Therefore, it is important that we
do not increase charges for green establishment building in order to generate more
money.
The principle of humanity is one that should be followed regardless of class, race,
religion, or beliefs. We are all humans and nothing can demote us from that truth.
Although we should be worried about human lives more than animals, animals and
the environment are also very important. If we can go without harming anything
while building new things and construction homes, then we should.
Based on this application of respect for persons and also our NSPE code of ethics,
the development of this environmentally friendly construction industry should
continue to grow. If we can do anything to help improve the lives our ourselves and
others why would we not do it? These methods will not only continue to become
more innovative, but they will also become safer. It is only common sense to use
technology and carry on the impact of our work to better the lives of the future.
Counterarguments
The counterarguments that arise in this situation are similar to the dilemmas. Do
we really need to change materials and methods we have been using for years? Do
we really need to use materials that cost more money in order to build safer
environments? The answers are yes. If we intend to maintain and improve the
quality of life as we know it, we need to improve the construction of buildings in
which we are always active.

5. The counterarguments in this situation seem mediocre to the changes we are able to
make. The improvements in building materials and methods alone will allow for us
to focus on bigger problems that we are faced with. We will no longer have to worry
about disease we are breathing in everyday as we should about biological diseases.
Bye creating a solution to this problem “close to home” we can begin to work on
problems that are more difficult and less black and white.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important to continue to shy away from materials and methods of
building construction in order to maintain the safety, health, and welfare of the
public. Although green building materials and methods are more expensive and
take time, they are guaranteed to improve quality of life as well as monetary funds
in the long run. LEED, GBEL, and BREEAM as well as other methods similar to these,
are important steps to continue this innovation. By applying respect for person’s
theory, we also maintain the NSPE code of ethics by not using humans as means to
an end. Our future and the future of our loved ones depend on it.

6. References
"Green Building Materials Market Is Forecast to Reach USD 255 Billion in 2020 |."
Medgadget. N.p., 02 Aug. 2016. Web. 2 Aug. 2016.
"LEED.net." - Promoting LEED Certification and Green Building. N.p., n.d. Web. 27
July 2016.
"Nanotechnology: Advantages and Drawbacks in the Field of Construction and
Building Materials." Nanotechnology: Advantages and Drawbacks in the
Field of Construction and Building Materials. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 July 2016.
"Session 3: Sustainable Technologies and Sustainable Building Design." 2015 World
Congress on Sustainable Technologies (WCST) (2015): n. pag. Web.
"The History of Asbestos - Importing, Exporting & Worldwide Use." Mesothelioma
Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2016.
"Why BREEAM?" BREEAM : Why BREEAM. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2016.
Zuo, Jian, and Zhen-Yu Zhao. "Green Building Research–current Status and Future
Agenda: A Review." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 30 (2014):
271-81. Web.