Green Homes Special Series: Part Nine: Window Treatments

Green Factors Window treatments can offer many environmentally friendly attributes. They might enhance energy efficiency or be crafted of renewable or recycled materials; be created in manufacturing processes that reduce waste and re-use materials; originate from locally sourced materials to reduce transportation issues; or be created of healthy and safe materials with few or no chemicals and no volatile organic compounds. Regardless of the green features, avoid “greenwashing” and look for certifications or other proof. (For more information on greenwashing, see this article.) Victoria Schomer, ASID, LEED AP, of Green Built Environments in Asheville, N.C., suggests also looking at design and usability. She says that certain window treatments, especially horizontal ones, can be huge dust collectors, a problem for indoor air quality. Look for window treatments that can be easily wiped off, vacuumed clean or taken down and sent to a green drycleaner. Be aware that those window treatments that feature stain and wrinkle resistance may mean the material contains chemicals that can affect indoor air quality. Schomer says window treatments need to be positioned so that they do not cover HVAC vents. Blocked vents will suppress heating and cooling functions. While better-insulated shades, for example, can keep a home cooler on hot days or warmer on cold days, they do necessitate having to open and close them at appropriate times to get the benefits. A woven wood shade from the Signature Series® by Budget Blinds. © Budget Blinds Assessing Your Needs Upton suggests that window treatments may be the one place in home decorating that homeowners, even do-it-yourselfers, need to consult an interior designer or a window professional that specializes in green window treatments. “There is much more to it than it seems, and there are many factors that need to be considered in addressing all facets of optimizing window treatments for energy, sun control, thermal comfort, privacy, etc.,” she says. Upton says those factors include: knowing what function you want the window treatment to serve addressing the function first, then proceeding with appropriate decoration considering local materials, workrooms and installers and selecting materials that are sustainable, which can include recycled and recyclable content for environmental stewardship, while also giving special attention to selecting paints and finishes free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to optimize indoor air quality.

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