There's been a lot of discussion about the best way to approach sustainable building as both consumers and companies attempt to save money, save the planet, or (ideally) both. One of the materials that has taken center stage as of late is the undeniably resilient rubber. The popularity of this versatile building component has ebbed and flowed like many materials, but its recently discovered environmental benefits have everyone examining new ways to use it. 

The Reusability of Rubber 

Throwing away a pair of rain boots in the trash means those boots will sit in a landfill for quite some time without doing much of anything. The biodegradability quotient of rubber hasn't exactly scored a lot of points with environmental activists over the years. But grind those same boots up, and a builder can now install a rubber floor or insulation in a commercial building. From playgrounds to road resurfacing, there are an infinite amount of ways that rubber can be repurposed to suit a number of needs. Much like bamboo or reclaimed materials, it's a new option so builders find it easier to look past short-term profits to long-term accountability. 

Trial and Error 

When the number of car tires piling up in landfills began to exceed everyone's wildest dreams, it sparked a lot of ideas as to what to do with them. Unfortunately, not all of them have gone as well as people would have hoped. Dumping used tires in the ocean was thought to help stimulate plant growth but instead led to just the opposite.

Burning processed rubber meant exposing the air to toxins, and placing it in a landfill involved taking up space no one would ever get back. Experts have devoted a lot of their time to find out how to make this material work for us, and now that we have a more efficient recycling process, countries like the U.S. and the U.K. are starting to reclaim scrap rubber that would have otherwise infected our precious Earth. 

Recycling at Work 

The springy floor an athlete feels when they walk into an indoor track? The cushioning under a child as they attempt the monkey bars for the first time? It's all made possible because of rubber — ideally recycled rubber. Eco homes love to use rubber for everything from weather sealing to door trim to floor matting, all of which can help improve energy efficiency. It's no wonder the European Union increased their tire recycling efforts from 25% to nearly 95% in just 16 years. At one time, the resilience of rubber was seen as an obstacle. But with new technology available, tires can now be turned into fuel or into ground rubber.

The Benefits of Rubber Surfaces 

Rubber is not only good for providing a softer surface underfoot, but it can also be good for creating the friction a person or a vehicle needs to stay upright. When bad weather rears its ugly head, experts found that roads made from ground-up rubber were more effective at curbing accidents than other types of surfaces. Hospitals and retail stores can reduce the number of slips and falls by using rubber instead of tile or hardwood. And these new solutions came at the perfect time — when local municipalities and businesses might not have had a lot of money to spare. Rubber flooring doesn't fade, and it maintains its quality and durability for years without the maintenance demands that may come with other types of building materials.

Whether a person wants a non-slip floor or they want recycled insulation, rubber comes with a number of benefits that are shaking up the sustainable building industry. And the best part is that there's still a lot to learn about the material! The technology behind the recycling process is only likely to become more efficient, which may open up more pathways toward a more environmentally friendly future.