It’s not as difficult to “green out” your home as many may think it is. Every little thing helps. From taking shorter showers, in order to conserve water, to switching to a push lawnmower, which will reduce carbon monoxide emissions; living in a greener environment is what many consumers want in their new home.
Trying to design a green home overnight isn’t always a realistic goal, especially when considering the recent advances in green technology offering an array of new products and materials. Without careful planning, your green building project can quickly become overwhelming, so be sure to take your time educating yourself on your options. When taking on the task of designing a greener home, you might consider the following green products.
DuPont SmartStrand Carpet
Corn Carpet – DuPont engineers, working alongside Mohawk Industries, created a new type of biodegradable carpet, 100% recyclable, known as SmartStrand® carpet. According to sources, the only thing that will stain SmartStrand® is blood. This eco-friendly carpet is created through a chemical process that transforms corn sugar into plastic, then the plastic is spun into fibers and woven to produce carpeting that is rumored to be as soft and durable as its nylon counterpart. Producing SmartStrand® carpet reduces the need for petroleum, saving a gallon of gas for every seven square yards of carpet manufactured.
Radiant Barrier Sheathing
Radiant Barrier Sheathing – There are quite a few options for going green when it comes to your home’s roof. One in particular is radiant-barrier sheathing, which can reduce your monthly energy bills by up to 17%. The sheathing is composed of thin sheets of aluminum and laminated to wood panels that are installed above your roof’s rafters and below the shingles. This process helps to block the sun’s radiant heat during summer months and reduce heat loss during winter. Many roofing companies provide this product and prices range, so be sure to get more than one quote before hiring a contractor.
Low-E Windows
Low-E windows – Low-Emissivity windows are constructed with special coatings that are designed to reflect the sun’s infrared light. This process helps to keep the heat of the sun on the outside of your home, while preventing heat loss during winter. The R-value assigned to windows is a measurement of the window’s thermal resistance. For example, the standard double-pane Low-e window averages around an R-2 or R-3 rating. The higher the R-value, the more resistance the window provides towards reducing the movement of heat.
See more:
Top 10 Ways to Make Your Home Green
How do I Improve My Indoor Air Quality
The Green Guide for Everyday Living
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The corn carpet is a novel concept – seems it might even be reasonably priced as well – a huge factor when trying to reduce your carbon footprint.
Augusta GA Homes
Navy Chief, Navy Pride
Joe Loomer (USN Ret.)
Associate Leadership Council, Growth Chair
Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners
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Don’t forget geothermal air conditioning. It can make a big difference for your home, the environment and your wallet. The energy savings are 50% or more and you can receive a tax credit up to 30% for purchasing one.
Many timber frame houses are now nuilt with no heating system othet than just the light bulbs and body heat!
This is an excellent post. What about tankless water heaters? I have also heard that in California they are seeing alot more active solar and solar tiles being used. What do you think about that trend? I would like to see alot more of this.
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I have never heard of many of these solutions. The idea of Corn Carpeting is fascinating and amazing.
It is great to see technology helping us to get more green.
Great post. Another good way to go green, is to get an electric grill or electric fireplace.
I enjoyed reading this post about How do I Make A Greener Home?. Really interesting. I will come back to visit this blog again.
Great ideas, here — I’m already using vinegar, now I’ll know how to use baking soda. Thanks very much for all this information.
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