Sustainable materials minimize impact, conserve resources, and enhance viability. Material choice directly affects building function: energy efficiency, comfort, lifecycle. Function drives selection with insulation, durability, low energy. It includes purpose, adaptability, aligns with goals like passive design, waste management, low carbon. Functional choices yield efficient, enduring spaces. They integrate with nature. Scrutinizing materials in design, construction, and adaptation curates harmonious, resource-efficient, resilient structures.

Recorded by Elizabeth Donovan, images by Essi Nisonen and Veera Saastamoinen