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Paints and Finishes
Many conventional paints and finishes create hazardous conditions for those using them, emitting VOCs into the home's air as well as creating problems when it's time to responsibly dispose of them.
Orit Yanai, a LEED-certified designer who specializes in green wall finishes, says not only do regular paints emit damaging VOCs, they're not good for walls, either. "Regular paints suffocate the walls," Yanai says. "Earth-based paints let the walls breathe. They repel dust and pollen and are really so much better for your health."
Pettitt agrees with Yanai, noting that while low- and no-VOC paints used to be inferior in quality and color selection, they now are ready for primetime. "I have a child, and I need to be able to have paint that wears well, looks good and can be cleaned," he says. "The new low-VOC paints can do that, and they have a great selection now, which they didn't used to."
Yanai says she also loves to use earth-based materials like clay- and lime-based paints. "These are in very high-end homes, and they look incredible," she says.
For wood and concrete stains, choosing soy- or other plant-based stains is a more environmentally sensitive move, says Patterson, who used a soy-based concrete stain for her home.
Insulation
When Patterson did her "green" renovation, one of her favorite finds was a denim insulation from Ultratouch, which she used in all the original structure's walls. Because the sheet insulation is a recycled material and its flame retardancy comes from borate, an organic substance, it's a safe, eco-friendly alternative.
"It's an insulation you can feel comfortable with," Patterson says. "There are photos of me and the contractor installing it ourselves." The denim-insulated walls have an R-value (the measurement that determines the efficiency of insulation) of about 21. In the addition, Patterson chose an open-cell, soy-based spray foam from Biobased with an R-value of about 45.
Water Efficiency
Water is getting newfound attention as droughts have ravaged normally wet areas like the Southeast. Hall says it's time people became aware of the incredible amount of water the average home consumes.
"A typical home uses about 100,000 gallons of water each year, so there's a huge opportunity for homeowners to save water," he says. Hall recommends water-conserving appliances like Energy-Star certified washers, dryers and dishwashers, as well as low-flush or dual-flush toilets. New systems that use "gray" water—water that has been used to wash clothes or do dishes—to irrigate the yard are also becoming popular with builders and homeowners concerned about their water use.
The Green of Green
All the experts agree, however, that as green products sell more, the price will continue to drop and the availability will increase. Pettitt says today's assortment of products compared to four or five years ago is incredible. "One of my clients used to say ‘it takes green to go green,' " he says. "But now, many of these items are very reasonably priced. And with energy efficiency and conservation, you will make back what you spend."
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Text by Alyson McNutt English
© 2007 Bob Vila
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