What is green, anyway?
Sustainable design and build, aka building green, is defined by the efficient use of energy and material resources in the construction and maintenance of a structure so as to minimize its overall impact on the environment.
The LEED green building certification system is the preeminent program for rating the design, construction and operation of green buildings. 35,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising over 4.5 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 91 countries.
| Low VOC Paint
There are two basic types of paint to choose from: water-based paints, often referred to as acrylic emulsions, and solvent-based paints. High-quality water-based paints offer not just an excellent all-round performance profile, they are also a good choice from an environmental perspective.
Solvent-based paints, the more traditional type of paint, require users to excercise a degree of caution to avoid potential damage to the environment.
Solvent-based paints are a source of potentially hazardous emissions called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), a family of substances that easily evaporate into the air to form invisible vapours.
When evaporating, the solvents contained in paint emit VOCs into the atmosphere. VOCs react with oxygen in the presence of sunlight to form ozone - "bad" ozone. |
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We are a proud Member of Home Solutions by FloorExpo. Home Solutions is the nation's largest and most elite network of full-service flooring contractors. Members of Home Solutions operate in the top 50 national home builder markets and serve the single-family home builder. Annually, Home Solutions Members install a full array of flooring products in one out of every four new, single-family homes in the United States. Many Member companies operate in multiple markets.
To learn more, visit www.floorexpo.net
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Green is the New Black
In case you haven't heard, green is the new black, but mind you, this is no fashion trend. Decorating, designing, and building sustainable homes is the wave of the future.
Designing and building green is really nothing new. It's a staple that has been around for decades but is now getting renewed attention due, in part, to high energy prices and concerns over the US's reliance on foreign oil and global warming. The fact that green design/building has historically not garnered a lion's share of the construction market can be attributed to both lack of financial incentive as well as a perception of poor product quality and selection. Today there is a wealth of well studied environmental building science along with an incredible selection of innovative green products that are making sustainable design and construction not only easy but affordable.
Give us a call to learn more about our eco-friendly products! 1-800-574-3637 |
Green Remodeling Offers Smorgasbord of Ideas
 Green remodeling is simple. The idea is to change the world, one room at a time, says David Johnston, owner of the consulting firm What's Working, Boulder, Colo., and author of a recent book on green remodeling.
The hard part for a remodelers is helping homeowners decide just how "green" they want their rooms or homes to be. Because, when it comes to green remodeling, you don't have to do everything, but anything you can do will help.
The most important thing is to provide the homeowner with a smorgasbord of options on green building. "Pick and choose among the options for the design features and green building products that serve the homeowner's best interests," David recommends. "There is no such thing as the right or wrong set of products. Building green is a thinking process, not a contest to see how many green things a remodeler and a homeowner can incorporate into a home. Do what you can within your budget and motivation."
David's book, Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time, describes how to incorporate green-building features into every room of the home.
Busting the myths
While many homeowners are interested in green building and remodeling, they may have some antiquated ideas about what it involves: Excessive expense, difficulty in getting green products, misconceptions about the aesthetics of a green house - even concerns about living like a hippie. These myths, David says, can be busted by a little education.
As for the cost of green remodeling, "Yes, some green building elements do cost more," David says. "But many cost less. When it is part of the initial process of setting goals for the project, it becomes matter-of-fact. Many remodelers have found that the real cost is in the learning curve, not in the implementation of the building process."
Green products are also becoming increasingly affordable as major manufacturers compete and develop new lines to meet the green-building demand. All major paint manufacturers now offer paints that are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can compromise indoor air quality. The additional cost is low, too: typically less than $2.00 per gallon.
Americans spend $160 billion each year on remodeling. Sharpen your green building skills and capture a share of that market -
one room at a time. |
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Turn Bathroom Blahs into Luxury Spas
Spoiled by what they see in model homes and what they enjoy at their local fitness centers, today's homeowners long for a getaway spot within their homes where they can do more than just shower and shave. They are looking for a home spa.
The savvy remodeler, with a little imagination and a lot of planning, may hold the answer to those dreams.
A typical home remodel project almost always includes updating the bathrooms, and that update frequently takes on the character of a luxurious spa.
Adding bells and whistles
When talking about a luxury master bath, you're talking about amenities such as a whirlpool tub, walk-in shower with body sprays, separate his and her vanities, walk-in closets with built-in chests of drawers and a dressing area.
Bathroom areas also may include their own on-demand water heaters, along with heated tile or marble floors and heated towel racks. High-end spas also can feature such amenities as fireplaces, wine coolers, laundry valets and, frequently, an adjoining exercise room with adjacent dressing area and carpeted floors.
Upgrading utilities
No matter what amenities are included, considerable reworking of such things as plumbing and electrical is required. For homes built on slab, it may require significant cutting and replacing to relocate plumbing. Adding a large whirlpool tub, for example, may require beefing up a floor to support the weight of the new unit.
The typical client wants everything in his or her new spa, but it's up to the remodeler to point out the practicalities of the situation and to guide the selection process so that the finished product fulfills the homeowner's dreams of bathroom bliss.
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