Filed under: green features
When people are talking about green/eco-friendly cabinetry, what exactly are they referring to and what are the options? Let’s look at 4 key factors which contribute to green cabinetry.
1) Cabinet Casework Material
The term “casework” refers to the box and drawers of your cabinets. At the minimum, green/eco-friendly kitchen cabinet should have “no added urea-formaldehyde”. Urea formaldehyde resins are used in conventional plywood and particleboard adhesives and can off-gas formaldehyde gas, a carcinogen, into homes.
According to Fine Homebuilding magazine, formaldehyde occurs naturally in wood and throughout the environment, so no wood product is completely formaldehyde free. That is why green-cabinet makers often specify “no added urea formaldehyde” to indicate that they use non-formaldehyde-emitting binders.
It is a good idea to consider using casework material that is free of added urea formaldehyde such as formaldehyde-free particleboard or medium density fiberboard (MDF). Formaldehyde-free particleboard or MDF is marketed under several trade names, two of the best known are Medex and Medite II. Both are often more expensive than conventional particleboard or MDF.
2) Cabinet Door Material
Cabinet doors should either be built entirely from hardwood or have a hardwood frame with a veneered, formaldehyde-free center panel. This can be a FSC-certified hardwood or other rapidly renewable materials such as bamboo and wheat board (an MDF-like agriboard made from wheat straw). Recycled or reclaimed materials can also be considered. Some of these options will incur a premium (e.g., FSC-certified wood can command a premium as high as 25%).
3) Cabinet Finish
Whether you are re-finishing cabinets or buying new ones, look for water-based sealants, low- or no-VOC finishes; formaldehyde-free paints; and solvent-free adhesives.
4) Origin of Production
Local production should be chosen whenever possible to minimize carbon footprint and also to reduce freight cost. “LEED for Homes” green certification defines “local production” as products that are extracted, processed, and manufactured within 500 miles of the home.
According to “Fine Homebuilding” magazine September 2009 issue, European manufacturers already meet formaldehyde limits lower than the Phase I US “California Air Resources Board” standards. So the good news is that environmentally conscious homeowners on a tight budget might consider kitchens by Swedish furniture maker Ikea. In addition to meeting Europe standards on formaldehyde, Ikea does not use wood from intact natural forests and is working toward using only certified wood.
January 14, 2010
For a long time now, I have been in love with the beauty and eco-friendiness of bamboo flooring. Though bamboo flooring is categorized with wood floors, it is actually a grass. Bamboo is considered to be eco-friendly because it is rapidly renewable, growing to maturity in just 5-7 years, compared to 50-150 years for many hardwoods.
Bamboo flooring can be sturdy, with a hardness that rivals and in some cases exceeds the hardness of hardwoods. Nowadays, bamboo flooring can be found in a variety of colors, grains, manufacturing methods and it can be cost effective (often less expensive than hardwoods) and just as easy to install.
There are 3 main types of bamboo flooring (based on manufacturing methods):
1) Solid Bamboo Flooring: solid bamboo flooring is milled from one piece of wood or consists of several solid strips adhered together. It can be sanded and re-finished several times.
2) Engineered Bamboo Flooring: engineered bamboo flooring planks are scientifically designed with a real hardwood layer set atop multiple cross-grain plies that work together to offset the natural movement of real wood. Because wood expands and contracts in the direction of the grain, one layer stabilizes the next, resulting in a product that is less susceptible to the effects of moisture and temperature change.
3) Strand (Woven) Bamboo Flooring: Strand (woven) bamboo flooring is created by shredding, blending and pressure treating bamboo fibers with an adhesive. They are much harder and denser than traditional bamboo flooring, making it well suited for high-traffic areas. Exotic and unique patterns can be created (e.g., tiger-like patterns can be created by combining both natural and carbonized strand bamboo).
When it comes to colors, there are 3 main selections for bamboo flooring:
| 1) Natural |
This is the color of bamboo in its natural, unstained state. The color appears to be light blond. |
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| 2) Carbonized |
Steamed bamboo, caramelizing the sugar within to deepen its color. |
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| 3) Stained |
Bamboo flooring can be easily stained to match the color/shade of your choice |
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When it comes to bamboo grains, there are 3 main types:
| 1) Horizontal |
The bamboo slats are arranged and laminated side by side flatways |
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| 2) Vertical |
The bamboo slats are stood upright on edge and then laminated. |
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| 3) Strand (woven) |
See above ”strand woven bamboo flooring”, due to the manufacturing method, the grain can appear to be twisted or more random, creating exotic and unique patterns. |
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Bamboo flooring can be quite affordable compared to traditional hardwood flooring. There are a huge selections of bamboo flooring between US$3.00 and $7.00/sq.ft. In fact, you may be able to find bamboo flooring on sale for as low as US$1.99/sq.ft at your local flooring stores.
January 14, 2010
Did you know that the typical U.S. family spends about $1,900/year on home utility bills (reference from “US Department of Energy”)? Unfortunately, a large portion of that energy is wasted. And each year, electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars. Energy-efficient improvements not only make your home more comfortable, they can also yield long-term financial rewards.
Here are 10 easy and no/low cost ways to save energy and money at your home:
1) Take short showers instead of baths
2) Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes
3) Unplug chargers when not in use. Did you know that your cell phone charger, PDA charger or other small electronic chargers continue to consume energy when they are not plugged into your device? Unplugging these chargers will save you electricity and money.
4) Turn off your lights, computers and monitors when not in use
5) Use compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. CFL bulbs are a little more expensive than regular light bulbs but they can last 10 times longer and can cut lighting costs by up to 75%, a very good investment for your home. Check your local Ikea stores or lighting companies for the many options that are available in your area.
6) Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
7) Setting Your Thermostat. Turning down your thermostat when your home is not occupied or at night can save about 1% for each degree the thermostat is lowered for an 8-hour period. For example, lowering the thermostat from 72F to 65F at night is expected to save you $70 if heating your home costs $1,000/year. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat at home, installing one is a smart way to keep your home comforable and to save energy.
‘8) Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120F.
9) Wash Clothes in Cold Water. When possible, wash clothes in cold water. About 90% of the energy used in a clothes washer goes to water heating.
10) Clean Your Clothes Dryer Lint Trap After Each Load. This can dry your clothes faster and help you to save money.
If you are looking to replace home appliances or products, be sure to look for ENERGY STAR labelled models. ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency and can save you significant amount of energy and money throughout the life span of the products.
January 14, 2010
Cutting back on the water we use is good for the environment, for salmon and other wildlife, and it can lower your water bill too. Therefore, it is a good idea to reduce water use at your home. A good place to start would be to review the water consumption of your bathroom fixtures and fittings.
1) Toilets
According to “Built Green”’s publication, toilet flushing is the largest single use of water in a household, using up to 40% of residential water. Older toilets can be using 3 to 5 gallons per flush (gpf). Federal law mandates all new toilets use no more than 1.6 gpf.
Nowadays, there are many options that can achieve even higher standards; in fact, it is not difficult to find affordable toilets that can achieve 1.28 gpf. Check out the Water-Sense approved list for models.
Another option is a dual flush toilet – i.e., toilet that has two flushing choices, 1.6 gpf and 0.9 gpf, the user can choose the flush depending on the type of waste. Dual flush toilets are now becoming increasing popular and are available from many major manufacturers, including Toto and Kohler.
A limited number of manufacturers now have “very high-efficiency” toilets with average flow rate achieving <= 1.1 gpf (including Kohler, American Standard, Mansfield), though personally I found that models are still limited (especially if you are looking for comtemporary style like us) and you do have to pay a premium to get these models.
2) Lavatory Faucets
Another water consumption in your bathroom is obviously your faucets. Federal law requires that faucets have flow rates no greater than 2.5 gallons per minute (gfm). There are now many faucet options out on the market that can achieve 2.0 or even 1.5 gpm. If a faucet is labelled as EPA “Water Sense”, the maximum flow rate is 1.5 gpm. For existing faucets, you can also install Water Sense approved aerators to achieve these new lowered flow rates.
3) Showerheads
As for your showerheads, it is a good idea to look for showerheads with an average flow rate of <= 2.0 gpm (per stall). There are now many options on the market at affordable prices. Newer “very high-efficiency” showerheads can even achieve <= 1.75 gpm.
Believe it or not, ToTo now even carries a RAINSHOWER head (10″ x 10″ square) that can achieve a maximum flow rate of <= 1.75 gpm, giving you both a comfortable, luxurious bath experience and still achieving incredible water savings.
Both “LEED for Homes” and “Built Green” certifications encourage water conservation indoors and outdoors and there are points given for high-efficiency and “very” high-efficiency fixtures and fittings.
For more tips and information on water conservation, to calculate your current water consumption with online calculator, or to find out rebates in your area, please visit “Saving Water Partnership” and “United States Environmental Protection Agency Water Sense” websites.
January 14, 2010
Landfill space is rapidly diminishing and incineration produces pollutants; therefore, part of being green is to reduce waste as much as possible. I’m sure you have heard of the phrase “reduce, reuse and recycle” in your daily life, and managing construction waste is no different — You want to reduce as much waste as possible (e.g., by ordering just enough materials based on your construction needs), reuse as much as possible and recycle as much of the waste/materials as possible.
Both “LEED for Homes” and “Built Green” certification programs require builders to achieve a certain level of waste reduction/diversion (e.g., recycling, reuse).
For “Built Green”, the pre-requisite for 4 star certification is to recycle at least 50% of your waste, and you can get additional points for achieving higher waste reduction/diversion percentage. “LEED for Homes” requires builders to investigate local options for diversion and to document the diversion rate for the project. Additional points can be given based on higher actual diversion rate.
We are fortunate that there are many local options for recycling and diversion in the King County/Seattle area. Many of these local facilities are able to achieve diversion rate higher than 88%, thereby giving you maximum points to both “LEED for Homes” and “Built Green” certifications.
If you live in the King County/Seattle area and are looking for a waste management company for your house re-modeling/construction project, a good place to start your research would be the King County Solid Waste Division (click here). This website consists of names/contact info of many local waste management companies and their published monthly diversion rates. There are more waste management companies than are listed on the website but this is an excellent place to start your research.
January 2, 2010
One of the best ways to “green” up your remodeling project is to use salvaged building materials — these are materials once used in buildings but were “salvaged” for re-use. By saving these materials, we are diverting waste to become useful materials and giving precious materials a valuable second chance in life. Also, these materials are often listed at prices (much) lower than brand new ones, so may be you can save a few bucks at the same time.
If you are in the Seattle/Puget Sound area, you are in luck! There are many places you can go to do your treasure hunt:
1) Re-Store
2) Second Use
3) Habitat for Humanity
4) Earthwise Architectural Salvage
All of these organizations also offer removal/salvage services. So if you are planning for a demolition/re-modeling and have materials that may be salvaged, give them a call first! They will come, remove the materials, truck them away and provide you with a tax receipt! Which means saving you dumpster fee, putting more money back into your pocket and helping the earth a little bit all at the same time.
Of course, if you still cannot find what you want from the above local salvage stores, you can also try the Craiglist. I have heard many success stories which people are able to find great deals off Craiglist for their house remodeling projects.
Good luck and happy treasure hunting!!
October 19, 2009
We are using 30% Fly Ash in our concrete for foundation. Fly Ash is a fine, glass-like powder recovered from coal-fired electric power generation plants. Millions of tons of fly ash are created annually in the US from power plants and are usually dumped in landfills. Using fly ash in concrete mix is considered green because it takes the waste what would typically end up in landfill and put them back in use. Reducing the amount of cement in the concrete is also considered green as the production of cement is a energy-intensive process. Use of a ton of fly-ash to subtitue for a ton of cement can save enough energy to power an average american house for 24 days and reduce CO2 emission equal to 2 month’s use of automobile. Fly ash concrete also requires less water in the mix.
See the following link for more information for the use of fly ash in concrete.
Use of fly ash content improves strength, workability and pumping of the concrete. The curing time will take longer, but the concrete will have a higher ultimate strength.
Use of 30% fly ash is not a common practice. Many concrete suppliers do not supply this on a regular basis and may not have the strength test for such mix. We got our concrete from Glacier Northwest (now a part of CalPortland).
Our concrete mix for the foundation is as followed:
- Sand 1230 lb
- aggregate 1850 lb
- Type I-II cement 470 lbs
- Fly ash 200 lbs
- Water 265 lbs
Load total: 35Water/cement ratio: 0.396
October 14, 2009
After clearing, grading and site preparation, our foundation is finally poured today!
We are using 30% fly ash concrete mix which is considered to be more environmentally friendly. Why? It is because fly ash is a residue from coal combustion; by using fly ash in our cement mix, we are actually converting waste into useful material. In fact, research has shown that by adding a controlled amount of fly ash, the strength of the concrete mix can be improved.
That sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Well, the flip side of that is that with the higher content of fly ash, the concrete does take longer to cure (which means taking longer for your construction project to complete), so it is still not a very common practice for most constructions to be using such a high content of fly ash yet.
“LEED for Homes” green certification program recognizes the sustainability aspects of adding 30% fly ash to concrete foundation mix – you can earn points towards the certification.
October 9, 2009
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