Top 5 Natural Materials to Consider for Your Eco-Home and Holiday Home

We help Maximise Your Rental Income with Eco-homes and Luxury Holiday Homes, provided by RIBA Chartered Architects.

A section of our eco-home project under construction, featuring Actis multi-foil insulation—a natural, low-impact material that minimises chemical emissions (off-gassing) and supports healthier indoor air quality.

Eco-Friendly and Affordable Materials - Introduction

There is growing awareness that natural materials offer a range of advantages to your Eco-home’s design and construction. For some homeowners who are looking to be located within nature, both within the landscape and the coast, these individuals are seeking low-impact materials that respect and blend into their surroundings. Building sustainably does not need to be a costly or overwhelming endeavour; with a bit of thoughtfulness and the right direction, it is perfectly accessible.

The Pretty Good House concept champions this very idea. It’s about finding that sweet spot between environmental responsibility and financial sensibility. You don’t need to chase perfection or the latest green technology; instead, focus on what’s practical, durable, and right for the setting. This approach allows you to create a home that’s not only eco-friendly but also cost-effective in the long run.

Why Should You Avoid Synthetic Materials?

One drawback of synthetic materials in eco-homes is off-gassing—the release of chemicals into the air that takes place over the months and years of a project being completed. These emissions can include substances like formaldehyde, contributing to indoor air quality that is often up to five times worse than outdoors. Minimising the use of synthetic materials helps reduce exposure to these harmful chemicals.

While natural materials alone won’t completely equalise indoor and outdoor air quality, they can significantly improve the health and comfort of your home’s environment.

Material 1: Reclaimed Wood

Personally, reclaimed wood is one of my favourite materials to work with. On a recent eco-home project, we used reclaimed scaffold boards as the finished flooring. What made it so special was the history written into every board—the layers of old paint, embedded concrete marks, and the character built up over the years on various sites. That said, not all reclaimed wood is created equal. If you’re considering it, always aim for high-quality hardwoods—oak, maple, sapele, walnut, to name a few—since softwoods often don’t stand the test of time as well.

One of the most compelling reasons to use reclaimed wood is its undeniable character. Every piece carries a story, a unique grain, weathered textures, and the odd imperfection—all of which bring genuine warmth to an eco-home or holiday let. This rustic charm creates spaces that feel grounded and authentic, qualities new materials simply can’t replicate. Whether it’s for flooring, beams, or cladding, reclaimed wood gives your eco-home real soul. A project we are currently working on that will look to use reclaimed wood is Renewable Container Living.

Cost-wise, reclaimed wood can be surprisingly affordable, especially when sourced locally. You can often pick it up for a fraction of the price of new timber, particularly through local suppliers, builders, or by salvaging from old barns and buildings—Facebook Marketplace is a personal favourite of mine. Plus, reclaimed wood has already proven its durability, so you’re not just getting a story; you’re getting stable material and built to last.

Material 2: Natural Fibre Insulation (e.g., Wool, Hemp)

Natural fibre insulation—like wool or hemp—offers a truly sustainable and high-performing alternative to traditional insulation. The big win with these materials is that they’re renewable and biodegradable. Unlike synthetic insulations made from petrochemicals, wool and hemp come from fast-growing plants or animals, making them a genuinely regenerative option.

But it’s not just about being green. Natural fibre insulation creates a healthier indoor environment. It’s inherently non-toxic and free from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are common in standard insulation. Wool and hemp are also naturally resistant to mould and mildew—something you want to avoid, especially in areas like poorly converted lofts where damp and musty smells can quickly become a problem.

From a performance point of view, natural insulation keeps indoor temperatures steady. It keeps the heat out on hot days and prevents big temperature drops in winter. For holiday homes with fluctuating occupancy, this means your guests stay comfortable, and you’re not constantly battling temperature swings. In the long run, materials like wool and hemp pay for themselves by reducing the need for extra heating and cooling—making them a smart, sustainable investment.

Material 3: Recycled Metal Roofing

While not a natural material, recycled metal roofing deserves mention for its blend of sustainability and resilience—qualities often overlooked in eco-home design.

Recycled metal roofing is exceptionally durable, able to withstand heavy rain, snow, and strong winds that would wear out most traditional materials. Its longevity means far fewer repairs and replacements—metal roofs can last for decades, even centuries, making them a genuinely cost-effective choice for minimising long-term maintenance.

Energy efficiency is another major plus. Metal roofing’s reflective properties help deflect sunlight and reduce heat absorption, keeping interiors cooler—an increasing concern as UK summers grow hotter. Its lightweight nature and high strength-to-weight ratio also make it ideal for overhangs that block excess solar gain, if designed well.

For holiday homes, this means greater comfort and noticeable savings on energy bills during warmer months, especially in southern regions in the UK.

Material 4: Cork

Cork is a material that perfectly marries sustainability with functionality. Harvested from the bark of cork oak trees, cork is a renewable resource that doesn’t require the trees to be cut down. Instead, the bark naturally regenerates, every 15 years or so, making cork a sustainable option that leaves the environment intact. Typically speaking, cork is sourced from Portugal. In recent years, we have seen a big uptake and demand for cork on our projects, both as an internal finish and an external finish.

When detailed and installed correctly, cork is an excellent insulating material as an external finish with a U-value of 0.038–0.040 W/m·K. Its natural cellular structure provides excellent thermal insulation, which can be effective as an internal finish. This is great for barefoot walking around the space as it permeates a naturally warm sensation.

Beyond its environmental credentials, cork is a powerhouse of insulation. Its natural cellular structure provides excellent thermal insulation, helping to keep holiday homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Cork is also great at absorbing excess sound as an acoustic insulation, reducing noise transmission that often comes with the coldness of spaces that feel somewhat sterile. This makes cork an ideal material for creating a serene, comfortable environment in a holiday & eco home, where peace is often part of the appeal.

Material 5: Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)

SIP panels can use natural materials as the internal insulation. The main advantage to them is that they act as the structure and mainframe of the eco-home; therefore, they make up the vast majority of the material needed within the project.

SIP panels offer superior insulation and airtightness, and precision in construction that is not possible with more traditional forms of construction. SIPs have the potential to change how a project is built entirely. They are typically prefabricated off-site and assembled on-site like a series of Lego bricks, which means they can be assembled on-site with remarkable speed.

Another great advantage to SIP panels is that they work well with other natural materials and can be far easier to install and integrate the trades required to construct them. One of our projects that uses SIP panels CedarScape Extension.

Considering Natural Materials in Your Eco-Home?

If you are considering natural materials in your eco-home, and you are not sure where to get started, you can book a free initial consultation by clicking the link below, or you can send me an email with any questions, and I will endeavour to respond as soon as possible: peter@markosdesignworkshop.com