RSS FeedHow to learn about green design"
Recently there has been an overwhelming trend of homeowners considering green design when planning a remodeling project. Not only does incorporating green design concepts in your home save you money, but they are also friendly to the environment. Though more homeowners are making a move towards green design, the concept can still be a bit overwhelming for those who are new to the arena. However, you can take comfort in the fact that even making a small effort to incorporate green design in your remodeling project is beneficial to the environment. And when it comes to green design, baby steps are okay.
Green design is made so much simpler these days due to the fact that there are numerous green products on the market. Even something as simple as replacing the showerheads in your bathrooms with water saving ones is an effort towards creating a greener living space. Striving to incorporate green design in all of your remodeling projects is important step towards reducing wasteful consumption and promoting a toxin free environment.
One of the easiest ways to add green design to your modeling project is to choose your appliances carefully. Take time to locate such products as low flow toilets, Energy Star appliances, water saving showerheads, and high-efficiency water heaters.
Many times, one of the main ways people choose to remodel a living space is by painting. There are so many environmentally friendly paints available now that you should have no problem integrating green design into this portion of your project. Choose paints that use low or zero volatile organic compounds, often abbreviated ‘VOC’. Also, make sure that any finishes, sealants, caulks, and adhesives you use contain relatively little VOCs.
Another way that you can integrate green design into your remodeling projects is by adding efficient lighting. Of course, natural lighting is best, but you should supplement it by using compact fluorescent bulbs, LEDs and other energy efficient bulbs. Also, when choosing lighting fixtures, look for those that include natural, recycled, or reused materials.
Updating flooring is also a popular remodeling project that can make use of green design. If updated floors are going to be a part of your project, be sure to reuse existing flooring and subflooring whenever possible. Refinished wood floors look great, but be careful to use green products for the job. And if you are replacing the floors entirely, select natural materials such as stone, wood, or cork.
When you really think about it, there are hundreds of small ways to make green design a part of your remodeling project. Since most of these ways will not cost you much more money than traditional design, there is no reason that green design should not be a part of the overall plan.