Embodied Energy – What Is It and What Does It Represent In My Home?

Simply put, embodied energy is the amount of total energy a tangible article houses. Energy, in this terminology, represents physical exertion, production, environmental growth effort, shipping, crating, recycling, and anything else that requires a form of effort to produce an object. The smallest of objects to the largest of buildings all contain embodied energy.

Heck, even the sweater I am wearing right now has embodied. It’s wool, so the energy used to feed a sheep, sheer the sheep, box the raw wool, ship it, mill the wool, spin to production fiber, ship again, dye the yarns, weave the sweater, ship the sweater, stock the sweater, my gas to get to the store, the department stores energy necessary to sell the sweater, bag the sweater, drive the sweater home and finally remove the tags and wear the sweater. Phew! Please notice I stopped here and I could go into what energy is needed to dry clean the sweater!

So in short, embodied energy of the total of all types of energy. This is such an important attribute to be aware of as an interior designer because it provides clarification and weight to all the decisions being made for an interior. All of a sudden, deciding on the arm chairs shipping from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Detroit became a better choice over the chairs shipping from Spain – at least in regards to the embodied energy attributes.

Having awareness of embodied energy not only assists you in making wise purchasing choices; it can also help guide you in what to do with the sweater when you are ready to pass it on. I believe when you remove yourself from your own reality for a second and put yourself in the shoes of an object (I know, odd concept), you can have clarity and really start to think about your purchases differently. As Americans we are consumers, but what if we all just made the conscience decision to consume less. Think about the overall impact you could have on embodied energy.

One of the best examples I like to use for reduced embodied energy are vegetables. Think about the energy difference between a cucumber bought at the grocery store versus one grown in your backyard… its an interesting concept.

What easy steps can you take to reduce the embodied energy surrounding you?

Creating an Organic Feeling Environment

Organic, Natural, Environmentally friendly, these are all the buzz words we are hearing today. But what can you do to bring the organic look into your home? In the ideal world, a large open area with lots of windows would be a great way to bring in the organic look.

Now some of you may have this and some of you may not, so let’s start with the background color. This can make or break the overall feeling in the environment. Make your color scheme consistent with the colors of nature; beige, brown, white, light blues, light greens, stone, and grays. I recommend picking one of these colors for the paint on your walls. Possibly light beige, a color that might remind you of sand. Now, what to do with the rest of the room?

For a dining room, I recommend light colored or painted white woods. The area to pop the other “nature” colors might be on the seat fabrics. Bringing in light greens and blues mixed with white and browns are ideal to make the room pop. Try a beautiful oil painting of a water scene over a buffet or on an open wall. Keep the window treatments light and airy; possibly not use any at all! Soft linen drapes in a white might be a perfect solution, but do not use this color if it is the same color of your walls because a soft contrast is needed here. Repeat the soft colors used in the room through the dishes, glasses and/or vases. And most importantly, don’t forget the table centerpiece! Some soft greens foliage, a bowl with sea shells or stones, possibly even candles may work perfectly here.

As for the bedroom, I would recommend light colored wood, painted white wood, bamboo, or wheat board for the furniture. The bedding would be the perfect opportunity to bring in the beautiful blues and greens found in nature. Texture can also add to the feeling such as using linen or soft cottons. Wood, bamboo, or tile floors would look great in here with a sisal rug. Wall art should be simple with a skinny frame or even frameless, but don’t forget to make sure there is some color! Keep the lamps light, possibly with a glass base and a white shade without any details. Simple picture frames, greens, or candles would be the perfect finishing touch for the nightstands.

Finally for the living room, always look at the largest piece of furniture you will need. Typically this is the sofa and is a great start to building the atmosphere of your room. A beautiful crisp white sofa will bring a light organic feeling to an environment. Then placing colored pillows in blues, greens, beiges, stone or grays is a great start to bring in the colors of nature. For the coffee, end tables, and entertainment console remember to keep the wood light colored or painted in light colors. Simple accessories that remind you of nature are great for adding to the feeling to the room. How about some large coffee table books with photographs of the ocean, lighthouses, or the outdoors? Simple candles can be placed in a large charger with stones or shells covering the bottom. Bowls are a great place to add natural textured accessory balls. Finally, finish off the room with a beautiful seascape painting, photography of outdoor places, or flower prints.

Enjoy your Organic Feeling Room!

Why is Carpet More Sustainable Than We Think?

There is a common misconception that carpeting is not green and is very bad for the environment. That is not necessarily true – the carpet industry has made great strides to become more environmentally friendly. In my opinion, they are one of the leaders in the interior design industry when it comes to sustainability! Here is some important information that would be great to think about and research before purchasing your next carpeting.

Pre-consumer content and post-consumer content can be found in carpeting. Pre-consumer content is often in the fiber, yarn, backing, and sometimes even in the padding and/or cushioning

Post-consumer content can be found in the fiber, majority from PET beverage bottles, backing systems, which is often glass, and padding/cushions.

Much waste is generated during the manufacturing process but they have come up with ways to help reduce it. Backing waste may be used to make carpet cores used during shipments along with the PET bottle caps that are left over when the bottles become the carpet fiber. Yarn waste may find it’s next life in the carpet padding, filler used in building materials or lawn furniture. The high-end carpet pads that include polyurthane foam may have gotten scraps recovered from new mattresses or furniture.

Don’t forget that carpet tiles are becoming more common than broadloom in commerical environments and allows for less waste generated during installation. Replacement when stains occur is easy because you will only need to replace a couple tiles verses the entire carpet in the room. Now that’s sustainable and saves you money!

Some companies have even gone as far as looking at the waste of adhesives used during installation for carpet tiles. This new trend is called Spray-Lock adhesive. It allows for installation that will be instant and troweling is not necessary. A simple spray can contains the adhesive to be sprayed on the floor for an instant bond. It does not allow for shifting of the carpet tile but you are still able to peel off the tiles for replacement. When the adhesive can is empty, it is even recyclable!

Finally, it’s time to think about the carpeting after we are finished with it. The majority of carpet companies have a reclamation program. For a small fee, your carpeting can be hauled away for you and recycled. Most companies will take back the carpeting regardless of who it was originally manufactured by. This helps the carpet companies from having to produce raw materials during production and protects us from filling up landfill space and possibly causing other negative consequences to the environment.

So what do you think?  Do these facts make you re-think what you formally thought about carpeting?

Tile Flooring – New trends in Vinyl

Ceramic tile and Vinyl flooring have been considered a thing of the past, often considered dated materials for today’s home. On the contrary, I have found some new trends, particularly in vinyl floor products, that may surprise you.

Vinyl is a great flooring option for the eco-friendly consumer. There is a product that may sound all too similar to the old fashioined linoleum called “marmolium,” which is made up of polypropoline and plastic composites. It is extremely durable and you can find some great colors in the recycled line.

Quite honestly, you can find an ever growing range of colors, patterns sizes and textures. Vinyls have made huge strides in style with custom designs that are available. Check out the Chilewich line for example. This happens to be my favorite source for vinyl! They have created a product that is a woven mesh top backed with rubber and can be installed wall to wall like carpet! It is called their W2W line and may have been hard to find on their website if you didn’t go into the commercial line. I highly recommend using a local source that carries the Chilewich line to provide a recommended installer. As with carpet, seams can be challenging to line up with this product. It will never look seamless, but it will look GREAT! I have used this in powder rooms, mudrooms and play areas. It stands up well to moisture and is extremely cleanable.

Tile is an expected choice for a kitchen or a bath, and it also makes sense in a high traffic entry or family room. It can create a streamlined effect that can visually expand a space and make it appear larger.

Classic Kitchens and the trend in “retro style kitchens” create the perfect backdrop for marmolium. Checkerboard patterns are timeless, and can now expand beyond the black and white combination. Get creative! Try a soft blue and a creamy purple vinyl checkerboard to balance a gray toned countertop with white cabinets. The great thing about vinyl is that if you get tired of it in even as little as 3-4 years, it wasn’t an huge expense and can be replaced!

To Do or Not Do…Wallpaper?

How many times do we find ourselves walking into older homes with the bright colored prints on the wallpaper and thinking to ourselves “Goodness, what were they thinking?!” Do not be so quick to judge my friends; it was once the “in trend” to do! Just think to yourselves – as much as you don’t want to pay to take the ugly stuff away, neither did they! There are many ways to brighten up the room.

But if you can believe it or not, wallpaper can still be an “in trend” to do. I know it may be hard to believe, but think for a minute…. I’m talking about more of the texture papers. Real grass clothes, printed grass clothes, textiles, faux leather, faux color washing, faux linen looks. Yes! That’s right. These can do wonders in your homes! Do you have a wall that has some imperfections that need covering up? Do you like to change your pictures often? Real textile wallpapers are great for covering up those little nail holes that move around when changing out pictures!

Hallways and other high traffic areas are great places to put some of these wall coverings. Or you can use it as an accent wall in a room where some of these textures and textured prints come in great colors that could really pop the wall! If using as an accent, try to blend in the adjoining walls or coordinate the wallpaper well with other furniture, accessories, and wall art in your room, such as beige painted walls with a darker beige wallpaper. Or pop the beige wallpaper by using a soft color in your wallpaper, such as green, brown, burgundy, or rust orange/spice color.

There are even eco-friendly wallpaper options! There are companies that are using water based inks for printing, recycled materials, and even producing the wallpapers with low-energy manufacturing! If you go a step further into the vinyl wall covering lines, which are mostly used in commercial settings, many of their products are GreenGuard Certified. The GreenGuard Environmental Institute oversees this process and is an industry-independent, non-profit organization that establishes acceptable indoor air standards for indoor products, environments, and buildings. Also, many have recycled content and the paper can be recycled at the end of its life.

How do you feel about wallpaper?  Do you see it as a thing of the past, or should it make a comeback into your home?

Recycled Content: Pre-Consumer versus Post-Consumer

Nowadays it is impossible to turn on your television and not see some sort of advertisement that involves green products. But it is important to be a wise consumer and have a little background knowledge about what makes a product truly green versus “greenwashed.” One of the first basic steps to becoming a well versed green product consumer is to have some knowledge about recycled content, the different types of recycled content (did you know there was more than one?) and what recyclability is in contrast to something having recycled content.

The first type of recycled content is pre-consumer recycled content. This a product that contains the “leftovers” or the waste from a manufacturing process. A good example of this is Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF). MDF contains wood particles and sawdust that are then compressed with adhesives and binders to create a very dense material that is used for building. The sawdust and wood particles that make up MDF can be collected from wood mills and slicing plants. Depending on the amount of sawdust that is collected versus created for the MDF determines its recycled content. Pre consumer recycled content is not considered as “golden” as the nest type of recycled content; post-consumer.

Post-consumer recycled materials is any object or material that avoid a landfill after its original purpose of use. Great examples of this type of recycled content are soda cans and milk jugs. Everything you place in your recycle bin at home, such as newspapers, are picked up and delivered to the recycling plant on the first step to become post-consumer recycled content. This type of recycled content is considered “better” because it embodies items that were recycled in lieu of going to the landfill directly.

There are limits to the number of times a product can be recycled and reused. There gets to be a point where a material cannot be used again because it begins to lack in structural integrity. Also, it is really important to keep in mind that just because something contains recycled content does not mean it can be recycled…and just because something can be recycled does not mean it contains recycled content. In an ideal world we would get both – high recycled content and recyclability!

Reclaimed Hardwood: Great For the Environment, but Is It Great For You?

Last year I was attended NEOCON in Chicago. This is an interior design industry event that brings together various (hundreds, in fact) manufacturers and allows them to strut their stuff for three days. This event is, for the most part, commercially focused, but there are always some products that will cross over to the residential realm.

NEOCON is held at the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago right on the river. The building is massive! I have heard that it is the largest building (by mass) in the US, but I am not sure if I believe that or not. Anyway, my firm gave all of us the challenge this particular year of going out in the Mart and finding the best ‘nugget’ we could. This artifact could be anything from a new type of seating, a new furniture system or a decorative finish. My love that day became a reclaimed wood manufacturer and refinisher.

I found Terra Mai tucked away with some other small companies on the 8th floor. I was awe struck by the rich tones and beauty of their wood samples lay over the carpet. I was thinking they were exotic red woods until I learned that they were all reclaimed species. Some of the materials and varieties available were old bleachers from high school gymnasiums. Another, which I fell in love with, was a series that gathered old fishing industry shipping crates, deconstructed them, cleaned, refinished and then resold the flooring. They called the product line “fishtail oak.” I cannot even describe how beautiful this was. It was as if every wood tone became compiled into one floor. There were hints of orange, red slices and yellow highlights. Absolutely gorgeous!

The pricing for such material is comparable to buying new hard wood at a premium. They have to cover the cost of collection, refinishing and shipping. It is also good to keep in mind that the inventory fluxes with what is found or available. There is a constantly updated website that allows for ease of shopping.

Do you think this is gross or something to be celebrated? I like the idea of my floor having a story. So if someone asks, there is a little more to say other than, “I bought it at Home Depot”. You can’t really recreate aged beauty, so why not let your floor have a few words of wisdom?

The Debate on Whole House Air Purification Systems vs. the Good Old Fashioned Open Window!

I recently heard that my city is one of the worst in the nation when it comes to air quality. (A good excuse not to get out for a jog…right?) Well, it got me thinking about what simple things that I could do in my own environment to improve the quality of air. Here is some debatable information that may blow your mind! Sorry to all you “Green Design” Lovers out there. Sometimes I don’t think that we realize the ramifications that “new-to-the market” building materials may have on our health.

As it turns out, indoor air quality has become one of the major concerns of the Environmental Protection Agency. Strangely enough, air inside homes and offices is more toxic than the worst outdoor air – possibly two to five times worse, especially in newer, energy efficient houses. Insulating properties designed to keep winter’s cold air out and summer’s air conditioning in are not assisting you in improving the air quality in your home. The old fashioned exchange of indoor/outdoor air doesn’t happen often enough in the newer energy efficient homes to keep interior air safe to breathe. It is times like these that I am glad I live in an 80 year old home! LEAD RULES!

The reality is that the implementation of new materials that can reduce your overall utility bill may also result in higher health costs. Allergies are on the rise. One study determined that 54% of our body’s energy comes from the air we breathe, so the stuffy air indoors – where most of us spend 90% of our time – are depleting our body’s natural resource for defense on every level while it attacks our immune systems with an overload of used air.

The traditional solution of “opening a window” isn’t always possible in office buildings.

Studies show that air filtration and purification systems can correct the problem. As I began to search for systems, I saw a mind-boggling assortment of options in a wide price range to improve the quality of the air we breathe. Not one filter or purification system can meet all needs in all areas, so it’s important to know what you are shopping for in an air cleaning system for your home.

Here are some pros and cons highlighted in pursuing a system, if you choose to at all:

These are key words that you will find on packaging or labels in the specifications of various systems

• Ionizers: This is a process used in conjunction with other kinds of filters. It emits a small electric charge to the air stream which draws air through it; this creates a magnetic-like attraction for pollution particles and causes them to adhere to the filter.

• Electrostatic Precipitators: Filters the air by creating opposite charges on metal wires or plates; this attracts and holds dust, pollen, smoke and other particles as small as .0001 microns on a metal, glass or fiberglass assembly that can be washed and re-used.

• Ultraviolet Light Purification: Passes the air through a UV system that destroys bacteria, viruses, and dust mites of any size.

• Ozone Releasing: Destroys all bacteria that comes in contact with the ozone, and leaves a “fresh” smell in the air. We associate this with the clean smell following rain, because some ozone, carried from the outer atmosphere where it protects us from harmful sun rays, remains in the lower atmosphere after a storm.

The safety of ozone gas in interiors, however, is questionable; it can irritate the lining of lungs and exacerbate breathing problems. The US federal government has set standards depending on the rate of filtration and room size recommendations. The Canadian government has banned the sale of ozone releasing air purification systems.

• High Efficiency Particulate Air (hepa) cleaners capture airborne pollutants .3 microns or larger; this includes some tobacco smoke, household dust, and pollens. The are designed to remove 99.97% of the particulates that pass through the filters, which cannot be cleaned and re-used; they must be replaced. They have no effect on fumes, viruses, bacteria, smaller mold spores, and some tobacco particulates.

• Ultra Hepa: A more efficient version of the hepa, the makers of these filters claim that they remove out 99.999% of the particulates that pass through them.

I often wonder if we are getting too smart for our own good. What does “environmentally friendly” really mean? What is “All Natural”? Did you know that you can buy a bag of “All Natural Doritos” at the grocery store now? We live in a society that has managed to put a label on everything, making us all believers in better ways to live our lives. Mother Nature is our oldest and most natural cleaning process. I think that our bodies adapt to our surroundings. Sure, some of us may feel that we will live longer than others due to the air quality around us, but in the end, we all have to “live” somewhere. Even if the Amazon was noted as having the best air around…what would happen if we ALL moved there? Not so great anymore…right?

Through all of my searching, I find myself laughing…just crack a window and live your life! Get outside for awhile. I have decided that instead of investing in an air purification system, I think a nice outdoor breeze sounds much better than recycling used indoor air.

What are your favorite outdoor activities? How do you feel about this green living trend?  Share your thoughts and pastimes on here!

Saving Money With Your Kitchen Appliances

Saving money is a huge concern for everyone these days! We have all cut out many unnecessary expenses from our monthly budgets. But have you thought about how to save money on your electrical bill? How about with the appliances that you have in your home? Did you know that the easiest way for you to do that is to purchase products that are Energy Star Certified?

Energy Star reports their certified products use 30 – 75% less electricity than other products. Can you believe that Energy Star actually has more than 50 categories of products that are eligible for certification? The appliances that are typically found in the home that can help you to save money include: refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves, and even televisions!

Appliances come in many finishes. The most popular finish found in the home today would be stainless steel. Stainless steel can give an upgraded look to any kitchen. It fits in new and old homes (although there are great alternatives out there to stainless steel; check out one such alternative in our blog “Kitchen Appliances: Out With Stainless, In With Bronze!“). Repeating the stainless steel throughout the kitchen is very easy to accomplish and will give off a completed look, such as a stainless steel sink, drawer pulls and cabinet knobs, lighting fixtures, canisters, etc. Stainless steel appliances will work in both traditional and modern environments. They especially look sharp when placed with maple cabinets for a more modern feel or with cherry cabinets in a more traditional look.

When paired with the right paint color, the outcome can be a dynamic up-to-date kitchen! Some popular kitchen colors are red, burgundy, light green, darker greens, and terracotta. It’s important to pick a color that you are comfortable with because the color can affect your mood. The kitchen is a room that many families spend time in together, so let’s make the times spent there as happy as possible!

Finally it’s time to think about your counter tops. For durability you many want to use a harder surface such as granite, concrete, or corian. For a less expensive finish, try Wilsonart’s HD laminate. I guarantee it will impress your guests. It almost looks like the real thing!

Did you know when looking to renovate your home that the kitchen should be given significant amount money set aside? This is because the kitchen tends to be a room where many family and friends will gather when visiting your home. When looking for your next project, keep this in mind! And most importantly, enjoy your new kitchen!

What is your favorite kitchen decor?  Color?  Have you upgraded to energy efficient Energy Star products yet?

Reused Materials – A Bad Use or Reuse, or Smart Thinking?

We are not talking products that are recyclable here, nor are we discussing materials and products that contain recycled content (there is a difference!). Instead, I am talking about the world of down and dirty reuse. Reuse can be defined as taking a product, as is, and giving it another purpose. One of the best examples of this is “found art” – meaning taking a found object (aka garbage or waste) and mounting it and calling it art. I think that there is a chance to see the beauty in anything, but where do we draw the line?

I recently saw a video of green building initiatives in the city of Chicago. A few years back, the city funded a competition for creative sustainable housing. The video highlighted the most innovative house that was built and won the competition.

The house incorporated a mural wall of all clear glass bottles. These were used bottles that were identical, clean and (unexpectedly) filled with water. Due to the placement and orientation of the house, the wall was south facing and received the most natural light. The water is heated by the sun and then doubles as a passive heating system. Pretty cool.

So, in this instance, we have a reused product (bottle) that created a triple purpose of beauty (if you think so, I do), heating and reuse. After looking at the wall, it almost becomes a questions of why aren’t we doing this more? The second question that comes to mind is…who cleans the water? That could get pretty nasty.

A less classy example of reuse I recently saw was old road signs that were transformed into end tables. Once again, could this become an attractive show piece, or does it make the space take on a “dorm room” feel? I think the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For how long have we all been purchasing jeans that already have holes manufactured into them? Why not buy old pants that get holes naturally?

So the next time you see brand new throw pillows for sale at Pottery Barn (or a store like it) at $50 a pop that are made from recycled potato sacks, think about this: are those pretty? Or are they a bad use of reuse?

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