10. Select Products and Materials

• This section of the site is designed to help you find out about building products and materials that are easily available for use in building your house.

• For each element of the house, we have carefully selected a small number of products and materials that we think are particularly good across the board - minimal environmental impact combined with a high functionality that will match or exceed more commonly available materials.

• Products are available from a number of sources, particularly from builders' merchants that specialise in green/eco building materials. 

• With each product we have provided a link to the suppliers from whom you can learn more about that material and whether it will be suitable for you own project. You'll find that 'green' building suppliers are very well informed about how their products work and will be very happy to provide as much information as you need when you need it - including cost estimates to get you started with your budget.

• We have also provided a 'Select and Save' app. Use the instructions to the right and launch your own 'Shortlist'. Those of us who select (specify) products for a living are only too aware of how much material you have to wade through in order to get to the materials that are best for you. Making a Shortlist (or 'aide memoir') is a useful tool in dealing with it. It will streamline your decision process as well has help your architect understand your own material preferences -  and its really easy to use! 

• Below, we have listed the main building systems as well as other product areas that central to constructing your home. We have covered how to choose a system in the previous section '9. Choosing a Building System', so do make sure you understand your preferred system or systems before you start selecting and shortlisting the products below.

NB All this can be done without using your architect, but it's wise to bring them on board as part of the decision-making process as early as possible.