Fact or Fiction: Green Building Supplies

Image: Felipe Dupouy/Lifesize/Thinkstock

About This Quiz

Green construction can mean a lot of different things, but the goal is to use eco-friendly materials to create a home that's energy efficient. Materials can range from sophisticated, factory-made products to supplies that you can salvage from the city dump. Think you know the ins and outs of green building materials? Test your know-how with this fact-or-fiction quiz!

Because shipping containers are built to be durable and strong, you can easily use them to create sturdy dwellings.

fact

Shipping containers are very strong, and they can make excellent compact homes.

fiction

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Cob houses are essentially made out of clay and straw.

fact

To construct a cob house, you simply mold a mixture of sand, clay and straw.

fiction

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In the movie "Tron Legacy," Sam Flynn lived in an eco-friendly home.

fact

Sam Flynn's shipping container house is as eco-friendly as it is cool looking.

fiction

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Earthships are eco-friendly homes made from earth and rocks.

fact

fiction

Earthships are energy-efficient, off-the-grid homes constructed from reclaimed tires.

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Prefab homes are gaining popularity in the world of green construction.

fact

Prefab homes create less construction waste, and many companies now offer kit homes with eco-friendly features like rainwater-harvesting systems and solar panels.

fiction

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Green builders can use materials like empty beer bottles, old tires and other trash to create eco-friendly homes.

fact

While it might seem crazy to build homes out of trash, part of green construction often involves diverting waste from the landfill and repurposing it into new-home construction.

fiction

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Living walls, which are basically vertical gardens, are great insulators.

fact

fiction

While a south-facing green wall can provide some insulation, a green roof is better for helping to insulate a home.

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If you can't have a totally green construction project, it's not worth the trouble.

fact

fiction

Whether you're just able to use no-VOC paint and eco-friendly insulation or you can afford to go all out with solar panels and high-cost green features, any environmentally friendly materials you choose will help lower your project's impact.

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