Green Remodeling

When it comes to green remodeling, remember that anything you can do will help. Best of all, some great products are available that are “green”. 

One of our favorites is Vetrazzo® countertops made with 85% glass (and all of the glass they use is recycled). It’s a fabulous material that makes a statement.  It’s a little pricey, so you may want to splurge on a vanity top or island top rather than trying to do an entire room in this material. Go to: www.vetrazzo.com/sustain

Paperstone® is another outstanding material to consider for your green remodeling project. Made with post-consumer recycled paper, you might not think it’s robust enough for a countertop, but it’s incredibly durable (it’s even used on the exterior of Starbucks buildings). Check out: www.paperstoneproducts.com

Another great product to consider is the new Corian ® Terra collection with 25 colors of Corian made with pre-consumer recycled content. Check out: www2.dupont.com

DuPont Zodiaq® also has it’s new Terra collection, www2.dupont.com, made with 50% pre-consumer recycled glass. You’ll find some great colors, and it’s also Greenguard certified for low emissions.

Choosing a cabinetry line that takes into account their impact on the environment is also critical. Companies like Omega Cabinetry take environmental stewardship very seriously and are KCMA certified, taking extra steps to protect the environment. Go to: 
omegacabinetry.com/KCMA.asp. Other companies, such as Custom Wood Products in St Mary’s, KS, www.cwponline.com, have for years, recycled every wood shaving and they carefully plan every cut of wood to reduce/eliminate waste.

Green innovation continues in everything, even toilets. Toto’s new Dual-Max flushing technology offers superior water efficiency and style.  Check out: toto.com/pdf/dualmax.pdf

Don’t forget lighting efficiency. Installing dimmers means big savings. Did you know dimming your lights just 10% more than doubles your bulb life?

One other easy thing to do is choose low VOC or no VOC paints such as the new Aura and Natura lines of paint by Benj amin Moore. You’ll find beautiful colors in these pallets that compliment each other amazingly well.