Indoor Air Quality

Going green isn’t just about preserving the planet, it includes safeguarding your health as well. As homes have become more tightly sealed and the use of manmade materials increased, indoor air quality has declined.

One of the main culprits is the outgassing of potentially harmful fumes from building materials and other products in our homes. While these volatile organic compounds (VOC) often have a noticeable smell, they can also be odorless and may continue to emit gases for months or even years after installation.

The solvents found in paints and other finishes, along with formaldehyde adhesives used in composite materials like particle board, are some of the most common sources of outgassing, though there are a number of other products that can contribute to the problem as well. Due to increased health concerns, many manufacturers have developed no or low VOC products that greatly reduce or eliminate outgassing.

Low VOC Products

EQcountertops from VT Industries are an example of an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional laminate countertops. They are manufactured from low VOC particle board, water based adhesives, and GREENGUARD certified laminates.

EcoGlue™ is another green product that is safe to use in your home. This water resistant adhesive is nontoxic and releases less than 1% VOCs into the air. It can be used to bonds everything from wood and cloth to metal and tile.

While many companies now offer low VOC paints, ecoprocote™ takes their commitment to the environment even further by making many of their finishes from soybeans. Not only is this a renewable resource, but it provides better protection that traditional finishes.

Ventilation

Proper ventilation is another important factor in improving the indoor air quality in your home. Both whole house and spot ventilation systems can be used to supply fresh air inside the home.

Range hoods and bathroom vent fans are the most common types of spot ventilation. In addition to reducing odors, they can remove excess moisture that promotes the growth of mold and mildew. Some vent fans, like the Sensaire® Humidity Sensing fans from NuTone, turn on and off automatically when high humidity is detected.

Energy Efficiency

Improving energy efficiency in your home not only helps the environment, it can save you money. One of the most cost effective ways to lower your utility bill is by adding insulation.

Though fiberglass insulation is still the most common type, sprayed expanding foam is also available. Not only does it have a high insulating value, but foam can actually add structural strength to the building. BioBased foam is a green alternative that is made from soybean oil.

If you’re building a new house, you might consider using insulated concrete form construction (ICF) as an energy efficient alternative to traditional wood framing. Hollow foam blocks are stacked together to form the walls and are then filled with poured concrete. This type of construction is very strong and completely seals out drafts, resulting in walls with as much as an R-40 insulation value.

Those living in a warm climate may be able to reduce their air conditioning bill by applying a special coating to the exterior walls that reflects heat. COOLWALL® coatings from TEX•COTE are available in both a smooth and textured finish in a variety of colors. They can lower the temperature of exterior walls by as much as 40° which may result in a 4% to 22% reduction in cooling costs.

Even if you aren’t able to include the latest green technology in your home, there are a number of simple ways to improve energy efficiency. Weather stripping windows and doors, caulking cracks in exterior walls, and repairing air leaks in ductwork can all make a big difference in your utility bills.

Another easy way to save energy is by replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFL) ones like those from n:vision. Each bulb you replace is estimated to save from $40 to $80 over the life of the bulb.

Choosing Green Products

Green products are everywhere these days, and it’s often difficult to decide if they really help the environment or are just a clever marketing ploy. There are a number of books, such as the The Lazy Environmentalist and Green Building Products, that offer advice and evaluate environmentally friendly products. Websites like the Green Guide and GreenSage also serve as valuable sources of information, with articles on a variety of green topics as well as reviews of specific products.

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Power tools used on Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford® are provided by Ryobi.

From reducing energy consumption to recycling waste, it seems like everyone is interested in doing their part to help the environment these days. While green living conserves natural resources and cuts down on pollution, it also has the practical benefit of saving money on your utility bills.

Actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr. is living proof of the power of going green. While you probably know him best from his many roles on television and film, he’s been an outspoken advocate of sustainable living for almost 40 years. Everything about his home demonstrates his commitment to treading as lightly as possible on the earth. He’s even written a book, Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life, about his experiences.

Sustainable Site

The first consideration in building a green house is minimizing the environmental impact to the site. Just north of San Diego, the green development of Del Sur is doing just that. Their emphasis on environmentally friendly building practices and commitment to preserving 60% of the development’s land as open space have earned Del Sur some of California’s top environmental awards.

Pervious paving of driveways, streets, and parking lots is another way to limit damage to the environment. While pervious paving has the look and feel of concrete or asphalt, it allows rainwater to filter through and soak into the ground. This decreases runoff that can pollute waterways and lower groundwater levels, as well as reducing the need for costly storm drains and retention ponds.

Reuse and Recycle

The Ranch House at Del Sur is both a welcome center and an example of sustainable development. Since shipping building materials long distances greatly increases their impact on the environment, many of the materials at Del Sur were obtained locally. Walls for the Ranch House were constructed from stones found on the property while the wood flooring and the ceiling beams came from structures that were being demolished.

Nonprofit organizations like the Reuse People are given buildings that have been slated for demolition in exchange for tax deductions. They then disassemble it and resell the materials to finance their efforts. By taking the building apart piece by piece, they are able to reuse about three-fourths of the total weight and recycle much of the rest.

Companies like TerraMai in California, specialize in turning high quality wood from demolished structures into lumber for paneling, flooring, and millwork. Since much of it comes from older, slow growing trees, the wood is stronger and more stable than lumber produced today.

Rather than tearing down older inefficient homes and apartment buildings, some developers like Marty Bhatia of OM Development, LLC in Chicago, convert them into energy efficient and environmentally friendly structures. Buyers are even provided with a manual that explains the building’s green features.

Green Products

Green building materials can be made from just about anything, including agricultural waste.

Environ Biocomposites produces a composite material made from recycled sunflower hulls known as Dakota Burl® which doesn’t emit harmful gases and can be used for a number of interior applications.

Kirei Board is an environmentally friendly product manufactured in China from sorghum stalks that remain after harvesting. The lightweight panels have an interesting grain pattern and can be used for anything from cabinets to flooring.

Conserving Water

A family of four uses on average 400 gallons of water a day, or almost 150,000 gallons a year.

Toilets are the largest user of water in the home. Older models require up to three times the water of new high efficiency toilets such as the Persuade™ and San Raphael™ from Kohler. Replacing an existing toilet can cut your home’s water usage by as much as 10,000 gallon a year.

Showers are another big water guzzler. Replacing a standard showerhead with a low-flow model, like the Kohler MasterShower® Ecofficient™, can save up to 20%.

Adding low-flow aerators to kitchen and bathroom faucets will help as well. Be sure to check with your local water provider to see if tax credits are available for installing water conservation devices.

Another way to cut down on water usage is by funneling the runoff from your roof to a storage tank for watering your lawn.

Some systems, such as the Deluxe Potable System from Rainwater Management Solutions, can even filter the water for use in your home.

If replacing bathroom fixtures or installing a rainwater collection system isn’t in your budget, you can still cut down on water usage by repairing leaks, limiting time in the shower, and washing only full loads of clothes and dishes.

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