When it comes to making eco-friendly changes these are the little ones that really add up to make a difference from the experts at Practically Green.
Swap Household CleanersSwitching to green cleaners reduces air pollution both indoors and out, minimizing exposure to both asthma and allergy triggers as well as chemicals that can be harmful to your health. Look for plant-based products from companies that have a complete list of ingredients on their labels. Go Meatless on MondaysHaving pasta or a vegetarian soup on Mondays might not seem like a big deal, but adding one meat-free meal per week (for a family of four) has the same impact as driving a hybrid car. Raising livestock produces a large amount of greenhouse gases, so cutting back, even one night per week, makes a big difference. Shop for Sustainably-Raised MeatWhile sustainable isn’t a term certified by the USDA like organic is, it generally means that the animal was given ample room to roam, and wasn’t treated with hormones or antibiotics. Look for labels like free-range and organic as well as no-hormone and no-antibiotic. Upgrade Your InsulationAdding insulation to prevent leaky ducts, walls, windows, and doors can improve your home’s energy draw by 20 to 30 percent. If totally redoing your insulation isn’t in your budget, try thermal shades, which block the sun in the summer and retain heat in the winter, or even something as low tech as a draft guard on your outside doors. Leave Your Shoes at the DoorThink of removing your shoes when you enter a home as the equivalent of washing your hands. First, it couldn’t be easier. And second, it prevents the outside gunk like car exhaust, chemicals, and pesticides from being tracked all over your home. Microwave Glass, Never PlasticHeating plastics can cause leaching into food and many contain hormone-disrupting compounds (not just the much maligned versions made with bisphenol-A or BPA). Plastics that are labeled “microwave-safe” can simply withstand a higher temperature before losing their shape. So when popping anything in the microwave, opt for glass or microwave-safe ceramics. Don’t Dump, DonateBy some estimates, for every item of clothing donated, 27 pounds of carbon emissions are reduced based on the fact that you don’t another item being produced while one is headed to the landfill. Take items to a thrift store, a charity that accepts donations, or list them on Freecycle.org. Choose Safe Pots and PansThe materials you cook with do have an impact on your food. The three safest options are cast iron, enamel coated cast iron, and stainless steel. Non-stick pans, while convenient, can be problematic if you scrape the coating and it gets into your food. Select Fragrance-Free ProductsConventional fragrances often contain chemicals believed to disrupt hormones, and they can be harmful to the ecosystem when washed down the drain. If you like perfumed soaps, cleaning products, or cosmetics, read labels to find those made with essential oils. Reduce Use of Bug Sprays and PesticidesTo control pests, prevention is your best bet. Keeping your kitchen crumb-free and sealing any holes in the walls or cracks in the foundation means you won’t have to use harmful chemicals in your home. If you do require pest-control, reach for greener alternatives or home remedies first. *Zissu, Alexandra (n.d.). 10 Painless Changes You Can Make for a Green Home. Retrieved from, https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/green-living/green-home.
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For most people, your home is the largest purchase you will ever make. It’s also going to be where a significant percentage of your money goes on an on-going basis. A house needs upkeep, and there are a lot of working parts, so making sure everything is maintained properly can be a big job. And if you’re concerned about your impact on the environment, you’ll need to go a step further than basic mandatory maintenance making upgrades around the house to save energy, conserve water, and increase your property’s efficiency. While many eco-home maintenance projects can cost a pretty penny, the good news is you don’t need to do all of them at once to reduce your home’s eco-footprint – you CAN have an inexpensive sustainable home! Even better, there are steps you can take that can make a big impact for relatively little money – plus, they’ll save you money in the long run. Here are 10 of the cheapest eco-friendly upgrades for your home.
#1 HAVE AN ENERGY AUDIT DONE.Spending a little bit of money to have a professional energy use assessment done will help you prioritize what needs to be done to make your home more energy efficient. A professional auditor will do a blower door test to see how airtight the house is, as well as use thermographic scanning to see where you are losing heat to determine where you need to install more insulation. The average cost of an audit is about $400, but the potential energy savings simply from reducing drafts in a home can range from 5% to 30% per year meaning you’ll recoup the cost rather quickly. If you absolutely can’t afford the expense, you can do a more basic DIY home energy audit with help from Energy.gov. #2 INSTALL INSULATION IN YOUR ATTIC.Properly insulating is the number one way to increase your home’s energy-efficiency –and you might be surprised to learn that it’s a job you can tackle by yourself. It might not be the most fun you’ve ever had on a weekend, but it will significantly affect your heating and cooling bills. In fact, the Department of Energy states that a properly insulated attic can reduce your bill by 10 to 50% – just the attic! To keep the job eco-friendly you can blow-in wool insulation with a blower rented from a hardware store. Rolling out batts of recycled cotton denim insulation is another good option. #3 GLAZE AROUND OLD WINDOWS.If you have an older home, you might need to repair some of the cracked glazing around the window panes. This can be time consuming, but not a very difficult job that just requires a one-inch putty knife and some glazing material. If you live in an old Victorian home, this will have a huge impact on heating and cooling bills. #4 SPRAY FOAM AROUND EXTERIOR WINDOW AND DOOR TRIM.If you have old wood siding on the home, check your windows from the exterior. If you have large gaps around your window trim, it’s like having holes in the wall welcoming drafts and ushering energy out. Buy small cans of spray foam found at a hardware store and fill in those gaps with the expandable foam. When it’s dry, use a utility knife to cut away the excess. If the cracks are small, you can use caulk to fill them. #5 CAULK AROUND INTERIOR WINDOW AND DOOR TRIM.After addressing the exterior of your home, you should also check for cracks around the windows and doors in the interior of your home. Look for cracks and gaps between your walls and the window trim and use caulk to seal them. Make sure to buy paintable caulk (not silicone caulk), so you can paint over it when it’s done. If you haven’t caught on to a theme here, it’s all about properly sealing and insulating your home to reduce energy use. #6 PAINT WITH NO-VOC PAINTS.The average paint job lasts 7-10 years, so at some point in time, painting is going to pop up on your to-do list. Painting the exterior might be a bigger job than what you’d want to tackle alone, but painting interior walls is a task that almost anyone can do. Another way paint can cut costs on your eco-upgrades is by using it to reface instead of replacing things like cabinets and floors. With increased awareness about health risks associated with toxic chemicals, no-VOC paints and finishes are very commonplace and cost comparable to conventional paints – especially when you figure in better spread rates (coverage) and better durability (so you won’t be re-painting again as soon). Do some research about what paint company you want to purchase from beforehand (unbelievably, many no-VOC paints still contain VOCs) to ensure you’re protecting your indoor air quality. #7 INSTALL FAUCET AERATORS.These inexpensive plumbing parts screw onto the end of most faucets and can reduce your home’s water consumption by nearly 50%! Yes, for just about five dollars per faucet you can save a ton of water (literally) without sacrificing good water pressure. It’s also really easy to do, so there’s no need to call a plumber. #8 INSTALL LOW-FLOW SHOWERHEADS.According to Energy.gov, showerheads from 1992 or older could have a flow rate of 5.5 gallons per minute. A newer, low-flow showerhead can reduce the flow down to 2.5 gallons per minute or lower. Again, by switching them out, you can lower your water usage by more than 50%. This job is fairly easy, as well, but if you don’t feel comfortable trying it yourself, a handyman can get it done for you very quickly. #9 DECONSTRUCT, DON’T DEMOLISH.This is a great tip from Jessica on Freshome. She says, “If you plan on tearing down walls or even knocking down entire rooms, walk around your home first to see what you can salvage and re-use beforehand. Not only is this eco-friendly, but it will save money in the end. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Most likely there is a ton of material you can salvage and re-use. Consider everything from light fixtures to flooring, tile, bricks, cabinets, and molding.” #10 LOOK FOR USED AND FREE MATERIALS.Habitat for Humanity has a wonderful store called ReStore where you can purchase used home fixtures such as lighting, cabinetry, flooring, vanities, and nearly everything else you can think of that goes into a home. If you don’t have a ReStore in your area, you can always look online for materials that someone wants to get rid of. Most communities have an online free market that you could keep an eye on to see if the perfect thing for your house pops up. Finding creative ways to use something that someone else doesn’t need anymore can save you tons of money, and it’s also great for the earth because you’re not using new natural resources and you’re keeping materials from ending up in a landfill. ECO-EASY PEASY, RIGHT? FOLLOW THESE TEN TIPS WHEN THE BUDGET’S TIGHT TO SAVE MONEY UP FRONT AND OVER TIME, WHILE ALSO HELPING SAVE THE PLANET! *"10 of the Cheapest Ec0-Friendly Upgrades for Your Home". (n.d.). Elemental.Green. Retrieved from, https://elemental.green/10-of-the-cheapest-eco-friendly-upgrades-for-your-home/. This year, homeowners are more focused on renovating their houses rather than buying new. 2017 is continuing to see a hot seller’s real estate market, especially in places with booming economy like Seattle. Hot real estate markets mean that it’s often too expensive to buy a new place for many people, but it’s a great time to fix up your current home!
If you can’t afford to move, but you are getting bored or frustrated with your house, a properly planned remodel can help make it feel like a brand new place! And if you ever decide to sell your home in the future, strategically-done home improvements will help make it more desirable and attractive in the eyes of potential buyers. No matter whether you’re remodeling to make yourself more comfortable or to entice potential buyers, it’s a no-brainer to lean towards environmentally-friendly design. Most green home remodeling projects result in huge savings on your energy bills, in addition to simply being the right thing to do for the future. And green is really in right now: a recent study found that homebuyers are willing to pay 3.46% more for a home with green features than a home without. A lot of people are under the impression that green remodeling will cost them a fortune, but that’s not necessarily true. We’ve rounded up a set of 10 awesome (and cost-effective) green remodeling projects for your consideration. Read on to get the scoop on what goes into each project, how much each one might cost you, the kind of return on investment you can expect, and more. 1. Energy-efficient exterior doors Replacing an old exterior door is a great way to improve your home’s energy efficiency. If your current door is worn, cracked, or isn’t energy efficient, replacing it with an Energy Star-certifiedexterior door can result in a savings of as much as 10% on your costs to heat and cool your home. To replace your door, you’ll need to first choose what kind of new door you want. While there are a variety of options, the most energy-efficient and durable kinds are fiberglass and steel. Fiberglass doors are often better looking, since they more closely mimic the look of authentic wood doors. They are also ideal for harsh climates (very cold or very humid), since unlike steel, they don’t sweat when exposed to cold or moisture. However, they are more expensive than steel, and easier for intruders to break into. Steel doors, on the other hand, are cheaper, stronger, and usually more energy efficient in temperate or hot, dry climates. However, they may not be as attractive, and they can rust if not treated properly and exposed to the elements. Many doors come in pre-hung in a frame and pre-drilled and can be installed yourself, but if you are choosing a door that is not the exact same size as your old door, you’ll need to hire a contractor (usually a carpenter) to install the door. In 2017, a new exterior door offers some of the very best returns on your investment. This year, the average cost of a new exterior fiberglass door, including installation, is $3,276, and tends to add an average value of $2,550 to your home, for a 77.8% ROI. The average cost of a new exterior steel door, including installation, is only $1,413, and tends to add value of $1,282, giving a whopping 90.7% ROI. 2. Non-toxic carpet If you want to install or replace your carpet, you should be aware that not all new carpets are the same. A lot of new carpets and their adhesives contain chemicals called VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which are not only bad for the environment, but also dangerous to breathe in, causing a host of symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and fatigue. Still, there is an ever-widening variety of Eco-friendly, non-toxic carpet available on the market today, and there are benefits of carpet over wood or laminate floors: carpet is cheaper and provides comfort, noise damping, and – most importantly – energy conservation. They are a great way of keeping the warmth in your house in the wintertime without turning up your heater. When picking a green carpeting solution, look for carpets labelled “low VOC” and made from natural fibers like wool, jute, seagrass, or sisal. Choose lightweight carpets without petroleum-based padding – either no padding or padding made from felt is ideal. If the carpet requires adhesive, go for water-based, low-VOC glues, or ask your carpet installer to use these eco-friendly products. This year, new wool carpet is running about $8-$10 per square foot. Installation is typically between $2.00-$4.00 per square foot. While return on investment data is somewhat hard to find on carpet alone (as opposed to a whole room remodel), there is widespread general agreement that potential buyers are turned off by old or dirty carpet, making replacing carpet a winning resale strategy. 3. Tankless water heater Realtors say there is a big trend this year towards energy-efficient appliances like tankless water heaters. These eco-friendly heaters have a big initial purchase and installation cost – averaging between $2,500 and $5,000 depending on the size of your home – but also have a big immediate return on your investment: a tankless water heater immediately cuts your energy bills by about 20%. By some government estimates, well-placed tankless water heaters can cut your bills by as much as 50%. What is a tankless water heater? It’s a water heater that heats or cools water on demand, as you need it – rather than storing a bunch of water and keeping it hot all the time. They last much longer than a traditional water heater with a tank – upwards of 20 years – and take up much less space. However, the water temperature from a tankless water heater can momentarily fluctuate if you turn the hot water on, turn it off, and then turn it right back on again – you may get either hot or cold water depending on how fast the water heater takes to catch up with you. Also, they are much more effective when installed closest to the point they’ll be needed – in kitchens and bathrooms – since they don’t have reserves of hot water and have to heat it immediately. 4. Radiant bathroom floor heating Imagine going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, only to find that your bathroom is warm and you previously cold bathroom tile is nice and cozy beneath your feet. Radiant floor heating delivers exactly that. Homeowners and homebuyers alike consider this a luxury item, and it’s likely to impress potential buyers, adding value to your home in addition to the energy savings. What kind of energy savings are we talking? It really depends on how hot you keep your house at night. Radiant floor heating makes a room feel warmer than it is because heat rises, and it keeps the floor feeling toasty. Consequently, you will probably feel comfortable dropping your thermostat by several degrees at night. The more you drop the temperature, the better savings you are likely to see. There are two types of radiant floor heating: electric systems and hydronic systems (which use water for heat). For a 100 sq. ft. bathroom, expect to spend anywhere between $600 and $1200 to have it installed, depending on what brand and what kind of system you use. The real downside to radiant floor heating is that it requires pulling up the existing bathroom floor, and it might require doing so again if you need a repair down the line. But if you are willing to pull up your old tile or are already thinking about replacing your bathroom floor, it’s a great and popular heating option. 5. Skylights Did you know that 40% of your home’s energy usage comes directly from all that artificial lighting? If you have a room that has no windows – common in bathrooms, and utility rooms – consider installing a skylight. Not only will the natural light from the sun reduce your energy bill substantially, but many of the newest skylights open to fresh air, reducing humidity (and the resultant mold that tends to build up in closed, moisture-prone spaces). It’s no wonder that skylights are so attractive to buyers. According to RoofingCalc.com, the average cost to have a skylight installed is between $1,500 and $2,500, with some homeowners spending as little as $700 and some spending up to $3,500. How much the job costs depends on what kind of skylight you choose – fixed skylights that don’t open are the cheapest; ventilating skylights with remote control access are the newest, trendiest, and most expensive. Of course, if you opt for the ventilating kind, remember that you are also letting in outdoor noise; this may not be the best choice if you live on a noisy street. And be sure to get Energy Star-certified skylights which don’t leak. VELUX America makes a solar-powered skylight, which is particularly energy-efficient and popular this year. 6. Curb appeal: native plants, raingardens, alternative lawns, and more One of the least expensive ways to invest in your home and improve its resale value is to tidy up the landscaping. Curb appeal is a major factor for returns on investment in 2017, and nothing gives a home greater curb appeal than a beautiful lawn. In the past, however, many common landscaping practices (like frequent watering, pesticide use, and planting according to color rather than functionality) were anything but “green”. Today, it is much easier to have a beautiful and environmentally-friendly lawn because of the wide variety of Eco-solutions. For instance, native plants (plants that grow in the area naturally) are always a great choice when deciding what to plant. They use less water because they’re used to the climate, and they have a natural resistance to local pests and diseases. Fill in flower beds with local flowers by asking your nearest nursery which varieties are native to the area. If you’re really into gardening, try putting those native plants in a raingarden, a hot trend this year. A raingarden is a shallow, bowl-shaped garden designed to collect the runoff water from your lawn, driveway, gutter, and sidewalk. Not only do they tend to be gorgeous and attractive to butterflies, but they also reduce water usage and reduce soil erosion. Building a large one from scratch costs an average of just $500 – $1500. The more gardens you have, whether for produce or flowers, the less lawn space you have. The less lawn you have, the less grass you have to mow, water, fertilize, and maintain. This translates into less water usage, less chemical runoff, less gas usage, and more free time and money for you. It’s no wonder that large planting beds and “alternative lawns” like moss gardens are hot this year. 7. Sustainable garage doors You might be surprised to hear that a garage door can be eco-friendly, too. But a garage door is likely the biggest opening to your house and thus, if properly insulated, can really make a difference in your home’s energy efficiency. The ideal garage door is made of ethically-sourced materials such as recycled steel or aluminum, rather than less-durable wood or new metals that require mining and importing. Many manufacturers and installers go further than this, promising non-toxic insulation, recycled packaging, and energy-efficient manufacture. When shopping for a garage door, look for a manufacturer that delivers these sorts of guarantees, or ask your garage door company to install only a steel product that is environmentally-friendly. Many of the remodeling projects with the best ROIs in 2016 involve the exterior of the house and/or curb appeal. The garage door is no exception. This year, the average mid-range garage door replacement costs $1,652 with installation, and sees a fantastic 91.5% ROI. 8. Solar gate openers Do you have a driveway gate on your home? If so, consider replacing your old gate opener with an automatic solar gate opener. You can save energy, improve the curb appeal of your house, and cut out the annoyance of having to get out of your car, open the gate, get back in your car, drive in, and close the gate again. As a bonus, if you install the gate opener before December of this year, you can get a federal tax credit for it next year. The best part about a solar gate opener is that it is a pretty easy DIY project, and it won’t require an electrician, unlike a standard automatic gate opener. You only need to attach a solar panel to the gate, and run the wires to a nearby battery. (You can also convert a standard automatic opener to solar fairly easily.) They cost between $500 and $1200 on average, and save you about $1,000 a year in energy bills. The downside to a solar gate opener is that they only produce enough power to open and close a standard security gate between 8 and 10 times a day. If you have a lot of family or come and go frequently, you might want to choose another option. Also, you’ll need to make sure, of course, that the solar panels have access to sunlight – so it might not be the best choice for a gate that is hidden behind the trees. 9. Detachable studios from Kanga Adding additional rooms to your home, such as a second story, an extra bedroom, a family room, or another bathroom generally will give a return on investment of between 50% and 70%this year. However, part of the reason that return is not as large as it could be is that adding additional rooms, even with mid-grade materials, is extremely expensive, and requires many types of contractors and months to complete. Some additional rooms can cost $100,000 or more to add. Also, the existing structure of many houses simply doesn’t allow for easy add-ons, requiring even more complicated and expensive remodeling procedures. But if you’ve got a small house and a decent sized lot, there may be a much, much cheaper option for additional space — one that has the potential for an even greater return. Kanga Room Systems, a new and up-trending company based in Texas, offers beautiful standalone studios that can be added to your lot. They have design options that offer either a modern, simplistic aesthetic or a more traditional cottage look, and you can choose a studio as small as 8×10 or as large as 16×40. The best part is that Kanga uses only eco-conscious, energy-efficient products and sustainable materials. If you live in Texas, Kanga will install your studio for you; otherwise, they’ll ship you a kit, complete with wiring, insulation, and the rest. An install of an 8×10 room costs just $8,199 at the base package, with many additional options available to purchase for trim, heating, flooring, windows, and siding. 10. Pellet stoves According to a 2016 survey, everybody likes a cozy fireplace. Homeowners and homebuyers alike rated them as desirable, and likely to greatly increase a home’s value. But aren’t fireplaces dirty and environmentally-unsound? As it turns out, there are a lot of clean, green fireplace options. The Department of Energy recommends pellet stoves. These electric-powered stoves burn tiny pellets of compressed organic waste. They are easy to operate and are much more efficient at heating than traditional wood stoves, creating little air pollution. A single pellet can burn up to 24 hours. They cost between $1,700 and $3,000 to purchase and install, and are available as either free-standing stoves or inserts for existing fireplaces. Most of them do not require a chimney or flue, either, which means installation is cheaper than a conventional fireplace. And they stay relatively cool while operating. The biggest downside to a pellet stove is that it requires regular cleaning, including at least once a year by a professional. Depending on the size of the stove, a pellet stove can theoretically heat your entire home, and costs about $9 a month in electricity. Bonus Green Home Improvement Idea: Eco-friendly Kitchen Countertops Minor kitchen remodels are a popular option for homeowners looking to make a good ROI this year, with about an 83% return depending on what materials you use. It’s an old realtor’s adage that kitchens are what sells houses, and that’s no less true in 2017. Part of a good kitchen remodel is replacing an old laminate countertop with something a little better – and while you’re at it, you might as well go with the green option. What is “the green option”? Actually, there are several. A good, eco-friendly countertop is made of recycled or sustainable materials, doesn’t contain toxic chemicals that can leak into the air, and is durable – the ideal green countertop would never have to be replaced again, since a lot of being green is eliminating waste. One creative and very popular sustainable countertop material is recycled glass. Recycled glass countertops are beautiful, and so tough that you can actually set hot pots and pans directly on them. They are comparable expensive to regular granite, however, at $50 per square foot or more. IceStone makes a recycled glass countertop which has no problematic chemicals and was manufactured using 50% renewable energy. A less expensive option is recycled paper. It may sound crazy, but recycled paper combines with resin to make one of the most durable materials ever. They are waterproof, heat resistant, and so durable that you can cut directly on them. The most popular manufacturer is PaperStone, who use a cashew-based liquid as resin for even more green goodness. They come in a variety of shapes and colors, and can even mimic wood. Recycled paper countertops start at $30 per square foot and are extremely easy to install yourself, saving you a pretty penny on installation costs. What green home improvement update will you pursue this year? *"Top 10 Green Home Improvement Upgrades, Plus Costs, & ROI in 2017". (n.d.). Remodelingimage.com - Remodeling Ideas, Costs, Tips, and Advice. Retrieved from, https://www.remodelingimage.com/top-10-green-home-improvement-upgrades-costs-and-roi-2017/. Sure, you recycle, repurpose, and refurbish, but wouldn’t you love to really knock your friends’ organic hemp socks off? Turn them green with envy with these sweet, sustainable upgrades and remodeling ideas.
Detached workshops and studios carve out a nifty workspace, but you can make yours a green endeavor with these prefabricated rooms by Kanga Room Systems. They’re made with sustainable, high-quality materials here in the U.S., which means they don’t have to be shipped as far to reach you (as long as you live in America). Prices range from $7,150 for a 8-by-10-ft. room to $13,400 for a 14-by-24-ft. room. Reclaim Your FloorsRenewable, durable, and versatile, reclaimed wood is recycled — no new trees are chopped down for your floors. For a truly green floor, make sure any adhesive backing is free of formaldehyde and other harmful VOCs. Prices vary depending on the source and how much work it took to transform the wood from its previous use into flooring, but expect to pay about $5-$15 per square foot. Reclaimed wood is a hot seller, so it should be clearly labeled. Store the Sun's RaysPassive solar design captures the sun’s energy to keep interiors toasty and save you energy costs. Concrete floors and thick interior walls made of concrete, brick, or plaster soak up heat during the day and release it at night when sunlight goes away or your cozy fire goes out. That helps stabilize temp fluctuations and makes a room — or house — more comfortable. If your remodel plans don’t include passive solar design, you can always beef up your insulation. Chameleon-Like RoofsBlack roofs that absorb heat or lighter-colored ones that reflect it are useful — for half the year. MIT students are working on a solution: color-changing roof tiles that turn light or dark depending on the outdoor temperature, so your indoor heating and cooling system doesn’t have to work as hard. Although they’re not on the market yet, the inventors of Thermeleon tiles claim they reflect 80% of sunlight when they’re white, cutting cooling costs by as much as 20% over a black roof. Thumbs Up for TerrazzoChips of recycled glass cast into a concrete slab make up terrazzo, a green countertopchoice known for its durability and nearly limitless color options. Recycled components make up the bulk of the material — the glass chips usually come from post-consumer sources, such as bottles and windshields, which make terrazzo a greener choice than granite, but not cheaper. You can expect to pay about $57-$68 per square foot. On the upside, it’s easy to clean, and so tough that you can put a hot pot directly on it. Righteous Rain GardensRainwater picks up all sorts of pollutants like salt, fertilizer, and oil on its way into storm drains, which then dump the water into rivers and lakes. Rain gardens — plants arranged in a shallow depression — help soak up rainwater. That reduces erosion, improves water quality and decreases the chance of flooding. Costs vary depending on the size of your garden and what kind of plants you use, but native plants are typically cheaper and better for wildlife, too. Burning CleanWood-burning fireplaces are romantic, but they’re messy, inefficient, and produce pollutants that irritate lungs. A more eco-friendly choice: a direct-vent gas fireplace. Direct-vent fireplaces ($2,000 to $5,000) use outside air for combustion and convert up to 80% of the fuel they burn into usable heat (wood-burners convert only about 10% of their fuel). Direct-vent fireplaces don’t require a chimney, either — they can be vented horizontally or vertically. Sun Gets In, Heat Stays OutLet the sun shine in with these outswing folding patio doors made of low-E tempered glass, which has a special coating that increases energy efficiency. Sunlight shines in, but low-E glass suppresses heat flow, reducing energy loss by as much as 50%. If new patio doors aren’t in the cards for you, there’s always window film, which essentially adds a low-E coating to glass. Go Climb a TreeThere is a high-rise hideaway in Kyoto, Japan, built by the nonprofit Japan Treehouse Network, that it is meant to “break down the feeling of separation that exists between humans and nature.” It’s built from sustainable materials and doesn’t harm the tree. For your kids, it sure beats video games. See more treehouses, homemade cordwood masonry houses, and other gratifying, extreme green trends. *"9 Green Remodeling Ideas That'll Make Your Friends Jealous". (n.d.). Houselogic. Retrieved from, https://www.houselogic.com/photos/remodel/green-home-remodeling-ideas/slide/working-alfresco/#slide/0. |
AuthorBCC Builders Archives
August 2019
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