Why Natural Stone is an Environmentally Healthy Choice for Buildings

Natural stone stands out as the perfect choice for any responsible housebuilder. Think sustainability, environmental considerations and then there’s the durability and design flexibility of the material too. It’s the perfect ‘green’ solution – the environmentally healthy choice. Added to this, natural stone always looks superb, adding a timeless elegance to any building or structure.

Natural stone for buildings

There are various forms of natural stone for buildings delivered in different colours, textures and technical characteristics. The most common types of stone include Quartzite, found in the mountains and used for roofing, paving and cladding; Granite, an igneous rock which is incredibly hard, making it popular for use in construction and Limestone, a sedimentary rock made of calcite, flint, sand and clay and used for restoration works and new builds.

Natural resource

Natural stone is an incredibly enduring material; it can be salvaged, reused and recycled and, at the end of the day, it’s still stone. It won’t hurt the earth when it is returned to it. As a natural resource, stone doesn’t require any ‘dirty’ manufacturing processes. It contains no toxins or harmful chemicals, so the atmosphere in a stone building will be a healthy, pollutant-free space.

There is an abundant supply of stone, which means that natural stone supplies can often be sourced locally, minimising the environmental footprint of the supply and transportation process.

As owners of two prestigious quarry sites in Lincolnshire, Clipsham Medwells and Clipsham Bidwells, Stamford Stone, has a strong environmental ethos and promises its customers: “Choose our English limestone and you can be sure that:

• 95% of our block stone never travels more than 20 miles to our production site.
• We will always harvest and recycle rainwater.
• Our by-products (aggregate and agricultural lime) actively help to minimise waste since they are reused, and never sent to landfill.”

Quarrying for stone is, by its very nature, disruptive to the local ecology, however, reputable suppliers, like Stamford Stone, adhere to strict environmental and planning policies which mean they have full replanting and re-landscaping plans to reinstate the original ecology of any quarry site. The idea is that once this environmental work has been carried out, you wouldn’t know that the site had been quarried, and the ecological balance has been restored to its former state (or as close to that as is possible).

Durability

Stone is hugely enduring, lasting centuries, so, as a building material, you know you are never going to have to replace it. In fact, most stone weathers and ages well, and, like a good wine, actually enhances its look over time.

The longevity of the material is an important point to factor in when you are specifying materials; whilst stone might cost more at the outset, you can be confident that the reduced costs of upkeep and maintenance will, over time, make it a cost-effective choice.

Its robustness, resilience and durability make light work of general wear and tear. And because it’s effectively maintenance-free, natural stone is a perfect solution for buildings and walkways with a high amount of traffic.

Easy to clean/anti-allergy

Stone buildings and flooring are easy to keep clean. Often all they need is a wipe down with soap and water. However, there are various protective materials that you can apply to a stone floor, for example, to protect it and make it even more resistant.

Sustainable/environmentally-friendly

Stone is 100% recyclable. It can be reused in so many ways; from reusing the original stone pieces to reforming or refinishing for use as paving materials, facades. Stone waste is used for aggregate and, in powder form, can be used in paints and even toothpaste. One by-product of quarrying for limestone is lime; farmers choose to use this agricultural lime to improve their land by reducing soil acidity.

There’s no doubt that natural stone is an environmentally healthy choice for buildings – in all aspects. From production, through to recyclability, aesthetics and all environmental considerations. So, if you’re looking to specify the best material for a build, make stone your first choice.

Choose Stamford Stone as your natural stone supplier

If you’re looking for a reputable natural stone supplier, you can be assured that Stamford Stone will meet all your requirements. As owners of our own quarries, we guarantee high-quality, sustainably sourced, stunning stone which will enhance any building project.

Contact us if you’d like to find out more about our range of stone, or take a look at some of our case studies, to see our stone in situ.