Celebrating Earth Day with Interiors

Did you celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd? Did you do anything to make your home interior environmentally friendly? Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering a home improvement project or purchase.

1. Have you switched all your incandescent bulbs out for compact fluorescent light bulbs? If not, next time you are in your local hardware store, pick some up. You will have them ready when that next light bulb burns out.
2. Do you really need your heat or air set at the same temperature when you are out of the home or sleeping? Consider installing a programmable thermostat? It will save you money and help save the earth.
3. Is air flowing into your home under doors and windows? Plug them up! Air leaks allow air and heat to sneak outside, making it more difficult for us to control the air in our home. In turn, this makes the air conditioner or furnace work harder. It ends up costing you more money and wasting precious resources.
4. Buy local products. Products made overseas require tons and tons of fuel.
5. Buy items with post-consumer recycled content. This can range from clothes to fabrics, plastic containers to furniture, even coffee mugs.
6. Do you reuse? Reusing ensures less waste goes into landfills. Can you reuse that old piece of furniture? Can you reuse paint you already have in your basement? How about shopping at a thrift or antique store? It’s amazing what your mind can come up with when given the opportunity to save money and make something beautiful for your home!
7. Buy Energy Star Appliances. Replace old appliances with Energy Star models when they break. Your appliances will run more efficiently and can save you money in the long run. Remember to unplug your small appliances when they are not in use because they can still suck up energy.
8. Don’t forget to ask the experts. Decide if buying a sustainable product is an option for you before you buy anything for your home. If so, just ask the expert for more information. I bet you learn something interesting.

Celebrate Earth Day all 365 days in your home! How have you made the Earth better today?

Complementing Stone Floors: 5 Favorite Elements

Stone floors can be a gorgeous way to achieve a contemporary, earthy look but they often also have a “cold” feel. Warming up the floors with complementary pieces can take some creativity, but the work is well worth it. Here are my five favorite additions that are sure to warm up your home:

Eco-Smart Non-Vented Fireplaces: This is the most streamlined  fireplace I’ve come across that maintains the earthy feel of a stone floor. These fireplaces burn denatured ethanol alcohol and are naturally clean burning. Not only that, but the government offers incentives: Up to 30 percent or $1,500 in tax credits for the purchase of these fireplaces!

 

 

Chester Grommet Curtain: The Chester Grommet Curtain is a great option for softening the rigidity of stone floors, but maintaining a contemporary style. Grommets are in brushed silver or iron, to coordinate with the color of the linen.

 

 

 

Dover Artist Studio Rug: This contemporary rug comes from India and is made from 100 percent New Zealand wool. The stone-like circles are a nice contrast to the rigid lines of caulk stone floors sometimes have.

If this rug doesn’t match your style, consider how you can pull the subtle colors from your stone into a rug with contrasting colors. Many stone floors are darker, so lighter colors can both soften and better define areas of the room.

 

Cornice LEDs: LEDs are not only energy efficient, but they add the right amount of soft light to lift the textures of your stone floors. LEDs on top of a cornice gives the room a comforting, even romantic lighting effect. If you already have cornices, consider adding LEDs.

 

French chandelier: This chandelier dates back to 1920’s France. This total splurge (priced at $2,400) is a dream lighting piece. The ambient lighting is an earthier-feeling option than the contemporary style of the cornice LEDs.

Gold Certified for Art: Is Your City’s Art Museum LEED Certified?

In the news, most of what we see about the Midwest details how poor Michigan is doing economically. Yet, when you look at sustainability, Michigan is leading the nation. Green design has been going on in Grand Rapids for the past 16 years and has been championed by retired Steelcase chairman Peter Wege. They even have a journal, Grand Rapids Business Journal, that compiles volumes of information on sustainable business practices, building reuse or restoration methods to bio-economy businesses.

Western Michigan has more LEED certified buildings per capita than any other region in the country. The Grand Rapids Art Museum is not only the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified art museum in the United States, but also in the world. It is not just a LEED certified building, but it is a Gold certified building.

When a building is certified green, it does not just refer to the materials used in the building. It also considers operational functioning. Anyone who has ever designed for an art museum knows that there are very exacting climate standards to maintain the artwork in pristine condition. Green features include energy-efficient lighting, use of natural light, heating and cooling systems, and recycling systems for water and paper supplies.

The water collection system is able to reduce the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s demand for water by 20 percent. So in addition to using less water, they will be paying for less city water, which affects their operational costs. Natural lighting was used in 70 percent of the museum’s space and courtyards that can be viewed from the museum are planted with indigenous plants and trees.

Green educational programs and activities are offered as part of LEED requirements. Even the gift store has environmentally friendly retail items e.g. items made from recycled paper and organic cotton clothing are just a couple of items.

In addition to these factors, consideration was also given to where the museum would be located so that transportation to the museum would be easily accessible to public transportation or commute by bike.

Do you have a LEED certified project in your region?

Starting from the Bottom Up: Green Design

When construction begins on a facility we rarely think about the foundation work. After all, it basically gets buried on the outside by the earth. And on the inside, we turn it into a recreation room with drywall or paneling. A new foam wall system has improved foundation. It uses two layers of foam with reinforcements and the cement is poured between the layers. Before this system, the forms would be pulled away from the concrete wall. Now we leave the foam in place as additional insulation to the lower level of our facilities.

Nudura is a new product that moves this technology from the lower level of homes through the entire building. In locations that are prone to hurricanes and tornadoes, this technology may save lives and prevent
property damage. The walls can withstand winds up to 250 mph and have hurricane anchor systems suitable for roofs. The anchoring elements are surrounded by cement in the concrete walls, so the roof will not break away from the home.

The basis of their product uses foam walls with one concrete wall between to form the foundation all walls within the home. Because the walls are made of highly insulated concrete, they reduce air infiltration that can occur in traditional wood stud homes and reduce sound transfer into the home. They also increase the fire protection over wood built walls for up to 3-4 hours. Concrete would not allow for moisture to get caught between the walls. Once they are cured, they are impervious to moisture and molds caused by moisture forming in the walls.

The wall systems are manufactured with recycled material and produce little waste during the construction phase. Most of the waste during the construction phase of buildings goes directly into landfills. The foam forms are non-toxic and do not emit CFC’s or HCFC’s. They are able to design their forms with 45-degree angles or curved walls so the building materials do not hamper the design. This means a precise layout, reducing costs on labor to layout. Another reduction on costs is in the delivery of the forms because they are able to be shipped flat, so almost twice as many can be shipped on one truck transportation costs and fuel usage is reduced.

In areas of high humidity, winds and termites, the Nudura product would be a logical building material. What do you think? Is your home built with this material? How does it hold up to traditional foundations?

Issues When Relighting History

When working on historic projects, there are many considerations for a designer. Lighting design for exterior work in historic areas is complicated by new laws that talk about light trespassing. Light trespassing means that if you live in an apartment or loft over a store, the lighting for the sidewalks or the store entrance is not to “trespass” into your loft. In years past, homes near a car lot might have trouble telling the difference between day and night because of the amount of light that would “trespass” beyond the lot and into the homes and yards.

When working in Regensburg, Germany, the concerns were the same. They wanted to keep their historical fixtures that had been present since the medieval days, but they wanted to be able to control the light so it did not “trespass” into the spaces above the fixtures. Though the existing lamps (Mercury Vapor) were efficient, there were issues and the designers wanted to replace the lamps with LED lighting, which would improve energy efficiency.

There was also the issue that mercury vapor globes were used in the street lights. Mercury vapor has numerous potential issues. First, there is mercury in the lamp so when they burn out, they must go to a hazardous waste site. The larger problem is that to create light, mercury vapor lamps also create ultraviolet radiation. These lamps are encased in an outer envelope that filters out the wavelength containing the ultraviolet radiation, but if the outer envelope is broken, so is the protection. The mercury vapor lamps also do not give the same color quality as LED’s because they cast light in the blue/green spectrum.

The designers had Germany’s national electrical codes, which stated that in retrofitting existing lighting fixtures you cannot use the original socket in the fixture. Everything had to be rewired . Using a great deal of creativity, they put the ballasts in the roof of the fixture. They had the wires hidden in the metal brackets holding the fixture. 48 LED’s were used, allowing for great control of the light distribution pattern. 4-6 LED’s were used for the street lighting, creating a soft ambient light. The LED’s were lensed, non-lensed, dimmed or used at 100% to light the building’s facades and architectural details.

In addition to creating a beautiful streetscape, the LED lighting increased efficiency so each fixture uses 40W less of power. By careful positioning of the LED’s there is no light trespassing into the spaces above the street level.

Lighting Energy: Concerns About Mercury

Osram Sylvania, a major manufacturer of lamps used in lighting fixtures, took their second telephone poll of more than 300 homeowners and renters. The poll, which was done in November 2009, had the results issued in December 2009.

Now, this may not be as important as the U.S. census, but it did show that many of us want to save money on our lighting through efficient lamps. We are also interested in what they are made of and how it may affect our planet. This interest by the public may well be of interest to other manufacturers; the public’s views are not micro but macro, as we do understand that there is interconnectivity in the choices we make.

Osram Sylvania found that three out of four consumers had switched to the energy efficient lamps we know as compact fluorescent. The survey also showed that though compact fluorescent lamps were the overall favorite choice by the public. There were, however, serious concerns about the mercury found in these lamps. Lamps with mercury are considered hazardous waste items and are not to be thrown in the trash to go into landfills.

What was a surprise in this survey was the fact that the public did not know about the legislation that had been introduced and pasted requiring phase out of incandescent lamps by 2014. With the United States being the major consumer of incandescent lamps, the phase out would reduce the demand for incandescent by 1/3.

Experts say that by changing to compact fluorescent from incandescent, this could lead to a drop in energy demands and close 80 coal fired power plants because compact fluorescent lamps use 75% less energy. The phase out of 100w incandescent lamps is scheduled for 2012.

Americans are not the only people being asked to change over to compact fluorescent lamps. In February 2007, Australia instituted a mandatory program to phase out incandescent lighting by 2010. Great Britain announced, approximately six months later, a voluntary initiative to change over by 2011. The British officials estimate they will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 5.5 million tons annually just by changing from incandescent to compact fluorescents.

Did you know about the legislation phasing out incandescent? Did you know there was mercury in fluorescent lamps? Did you realize there was that kind of energy efficiency in a compact fluorescent?

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something… Green? What is the Greenest Method – New Construction VS. Existing Facilities?

Green buildings are all the rage. New technologies and innovate thinking are turning the new construction projects of today into the most efficient and effective ever. But is this new and innovative thinking for new facilities looking over existing structures that their preexisting embodied energy?

Some of the most obvious positive features of new green construction and interiors are:

• Enhanced energy efficiency
• Responsive and conservational HVAC application
• Smart recycled content, rapidly renewable and recyclable material application
• Positive site selection, most available municipalities, planning for smart commuting, location planned for closeness of modern conveniences to reduce carbon footprint of space inhabitants
• Enhancements in water usage, application of rainwater collection, use of grey water reuse from sinks for irrigation and water closet flushing
• Possible implementation of site remediation, for the reuse of a site otherwise destroyed by contamination.

So with all of these positives in mind it is easy to forget that at the end of the day these are still construction projects, which means large equipment, lots of shipping, long construction schedules and virgin material use. Not to mention there are also the elements of site disturbance, depends on urban or rural planning, but either way it is either a site clean up or clearing out which can cause impact.

In comparison to the above, here are a few of the eco-conscience benefits of using existing structures for facility remodeling:

• Use of less virgin material
• Use of existing internal and external structure
• Existing infrastructure, parking lots, community lines and building footprint, etc…
• Reduced site disturbance
• Preservation of historical relevance

When using existing structures there will be the obvious use of existing space and materials versus new. However, it is possible to update mechanical, electrical, plumbing fixtures and irrigation – but by updating, are we truly making a facility just as efficient as if we were planning new from square one? Probably not. I think that there will always be a continual argument of something old versus something new, but I think there are a few key thought provoking questions to get a conversation going for a project:

• Is there an existing structure available that meets our user needs for space, location and commuting?
• If so, how old is the facility? How much of the existing structure can we use? Is it stable? Are we able to update the building systems?
• Does this existing structure meet most of our expectations?
• Does the facility hold any historical ties to the surrounding community? Is there an opportunity to beautify and celebrate the past?

If you answer yes to most of the above then maybe there is a way for you to reduce the embodied energy of your project – maybe there is a way to remodel a house versus build a new one? I think I am a bit biased, but I really do think using what we have already built is very important. Sometimes you can’t avoid building new, but I believe when you can you should.

What do you think is the more green solution – something old, something new? Because in the end we really are just borrowing this planet from the generation to come. How can we plan smarter?

Plantation Shutters: The Hard Window Treatment

Plantation shutters have been admired in homes for several hundreds of years. This is actually one of the first window treatment design solutions ever. Original to the south and breezy homes of the Caribbean, plantation shutters now complement even today’s more contemporary upscale homes, when selecting larger louvers…

Louvers you say? Here is a simple diagram to give you a 101 course in the components of a shutter. As early as the 1700’s plantation shutters were appreciated for their ability to block the direct heat of the sun while still allowing in the cooling breezes. In my client’s homes now, we sometimes struggle with creating a clean, uniform look without the fuss of a soft window treatment. Sometimes it is strictly a result of wanting to maintain temperature inside the home. They often act as a great insulator to drafty windows. With the high standards set long ago, the plantation shutter has been able to transcend its original setting and lend beauty and ambiance and style to many homes today.

Taking a look deeper into the construction of shutters, here are some thoughts that may sell you on the solution for your own home:

• With each louver forming a perfect line, one after the other, the all-wood, custom plantation shutter provides a room with a unique combination of form and function, a beautiful design either completely open or closed. But when slighted tilted, the true beauty of the plantation shutter lies in its ability to blend the elements of the inside of your home with the outdoors without neglecting their task as privacy filtrates.

• Each louver reflects light at different angles in the room and offers a nice warm glow throughout your room. In today’s fast-paced, pressure-filled world, everyone appreciates an escape from the tension of everyday life. As more of today’s homes are designed to benefit from and embracing natural light with large windows that you are sometimes left puzzled with how to make them function in your home and lifestyle.

• Plantation shutters are now more appealing than ever to the old home suffering from heat loss in the winter and cool air in the summer- to contemporary homes that need to find a clean sleek definition for the windows. Plantation shutters are a great money saver over time. They save energy in winter and in summers. They slow the loss of heat through the glass in winter. Keep shutter window coverings open on sunny days to let the sun’s warmth in and close them at night to insulate against cold, outside temperatures. In summer, energy savings result in keeping hot air out, reducing air conditioning bills.

Losing heat through windows and doors represents a significant chunk of most heating bills. Some sources estimate that loss through windows alone could account for up to 35 percent of heating bills. The upfront cost of a shutter may seem high – look to spend somewhere between $300-$600 per average size window. You can also consider man made shutters (painted in many stocked shades of white), which is much more cost effective than natural wood and they have a tendency to be warp resistant. When you start to think about what it can do for you over time, they pay for themselves!

Here are a few things to do around your home that can help you decide if you are a candidate for shutters.

Energy Efficiency Tips

■ Check around windows and doors with a candle or a light piece of thread on a windy day to determine where drafts are. This will reveal problem areas in need of immediate attention.

■ Remove and replace damaged caulk and weather-stripping. Self-stick foam and rolled rubber weather-stripping are easy to install and can contribute greatly to your home’s efficiency.

■ An inexpensive method of weatherizing windows involves attaching thin, clear plastic film to the window trim inside of the house using two-sided tape. The film is then stretched taut using heat from a blow dryer to remove wrinkles and creases.

■ Decorate your windows with efficiency – closed shutters, window shades, blinds, curtains and lined draperies. All contribute to energy savings by helping to insulate windows.

■ For a long-range solution, consider installing efficient replacement windows, or storm windows and doors…OR TRY SHUTTERS!

How have you made your house into an energy-efficient home?

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?

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