Green renovation

When renovating, try to reuse the material that you’ve removed. If you can't use it yourself, find a local recycling center. They often accept construction material. Also, even though the building your are renovating may be old, use this opportunity to put in better insulation, low water consumption toilets etc., this time round.

Green roof

In urban areas, where the roofs are flat, why not put up a green roof? Not only it helps reduce global warming, you can also use is to grow vegetables and plants. A roof garden is also good for rain water management.

Heating and Cooling

As mentioned before pick the most energy efficient appliance with energy star logo. Also, make sure you buy the right size system to fit your needs. Prioritize heating from hydroelectric power than burning gas, for example. Once installed, make sure you follow the instructions for maintenance so you draw optimum value from it. You may need to clean or change elements of your system once in a while.

Insulating windows and doors

Let’s face it: the best insulation would be to only have walls and roofs --- no windows or doors! That’s what Eskimos do with their igloos. But since that’s not possible, invest a wee-bit more into energy-efficient windows. Windows that open using levers are more effective in the long run because they seal better. Sliding windows can become loose and lose their insulation value.

Window insulation

Whether your house is located in a very cold place or in warmer climates, ensure your windows do not let in too much air. This is not just a problem with old constructions that are not well insulated to start with, but also with newer ones where the insulation is not as effective as it should be. Fortunately, there are a variety of products available at the local hardware store that can correct this fault. To check if you have air infiltration, light a candle and bring it close to the window, if the flame is not steady, you need to insulate.

Location for your home

When you are selecting an ideal location for your new home, include natural green elements as part of your selection criteria:

• Is it close to work, school or whatever place you frequently have to commute to?
• Would you need to cut a lot of trees to build your house?
• Is the area close to a bus or train station?
• Does the city or neighborhood have environmental policies in place?
• The quality of the ambient air is another thing to look into. The EPA has an index that measures ozone over several places in the US.
• Is your town recycling the minimum (glass, metal and paper) or are they going beyond and have recycling centers places that process and reuse articles and offering a compost program?

Paint type

Did you know that paint can also be made from natural substances, such as citrus plants and other ingredients such as milk protein or clay? Such paint products come free of preservatives and biocides. Clay paints can carry a little odor but it lasts very long --- sometimes as long as 40 years. On the downside, they have a porous finish that needs sealing with natural wax to protect from stains and liquids, and there could be fewer color options in latex paints (approximately 100) and plasters come in powder form and require mixing with water.

As for milk-based paints (yes, you heard me right!) they are 100% natural, have little or no odor and are highly durable (can last for centuries if applied correctly). The only disadvantage (if it can be called that) is that come in powder form, so they need to be applied quickly once exposed to air and water (within 12 hours). They also need sealing with natural wax to protect from stains and liquids; they have least color options (say, just 30-40) and are the most expensive of all eco-friendly paints!

But if you must have synthetic paint try to go for the ones made from recycled paint with low-VOC labels. Check the data sheet and look for the VOC level. You should not buy anything higher than 150 grams per liter.

Paint quantity

Before setting out to buy paint, check if you have left-overs from previous projects that can be used, and if you find that paint is no longer good, take the opportunity to have it recycled. If you must buy new paint, buy only the amount of paint you’ll need to complete a project and buy recycled paint with low volatile organic compound as mentioned above. You can always go and get more, if you need to, later. In some places, they may even take the unused can back. If that’s not possible, store it safely or dispose of it according to your local municipal regulations. Donate unused paint to a charity organization and they would be so grateful for a fresh coat of color!

Painting tip

When painting indoors, throw open all windows and use fans to vent fumes. Pregnant women and people with allergies or asthma should not paint and should stay out of the area for at least 48 hours. Try to have it done over the week end or at night so the fumes are gone when employees come back to work.

Smaller houses

Small is beautiful. Extra square footage not just cost more it also takes more time and effort in maintenance, not to forget increased energy consumption, furniture, gadgets and gizmos. Make sure you build the right size, according to your family size and needs and renovate only when you need to.

Ventilators

Instead of an air conditioner, install a ventilator. It consumes less energy (At least ten times less) and will get you through those hot summer days in comfort.

Construction materials

If you are planning on renovating your house, select materials processed from recycled products. Inquire and the person at your hardware store will guide you in the right direction.

Bamboo flooring

Bamboo is one of those things that the ecological community does not agree upon. On the plus side, it grows very fast therefore gets replenished faster than wood, but on the flipside it comes from far-off places such as China and India, which for north Americans is the other corner of the world. So does the benefit outweigh the environmental costs? If you hesitate between bamboo and any other exotic type of wood, bamboo should be your choice.

Carpet

Rugs are treated with stain-proofing chemicals, mothproofing pesticides and more. Wall-to-wall carpet can't be taken up for a good and thorough wash, and pollutants can settle deeper than vacuums can reach. Dust mites are a common trigger for asthma, rates of which have doubled in children since 1980. Pesticides and herbicides sprayed on lawns, lead dust from your neighbors' renovation project—anything blown or tracked into your house—can settle into your carpet for years.

If you must have carpets, do the following. Carpets need to be cleaned very regularly. Also, when selecting a carpet, select the one made with 100% recycled material. It saves the resources and also is fewer loads on landfills. The Interface Company (www.interfaceglobal.com) is a leader in sustainability and in a manner has revolutionized best practices in the industry that it operates in. They embarked on this journey in 1994 and continue to innovate and improve in an industry that a few years ago, you hadn’t imagined could become so pro-environment. Finally, when you buy new carpet, have them take yours back for recycling.

Ceramic tiles

Ceramic is very durable and the resources needed to produce it are not overexploited. Also, more and more tiles are made with recycled material (glass, clay etc.) so try one of those.

Cork flooring

The insulation cork provides is off the charts! It now comes in a variety of colors just make sure their varnish is water-based. It’s also good for sound proofing and is quite flexible, so can be used for a variety of aesthetic finishes. Since cork is a natural insulator of both heat and sound and soft enough to absorb the inevitable bumps of childhood, cork walls make perfect sense for a house with little children. Cork is harvested just once in a decade from the outer bark of oaks that grow in arid regions in Portugal, Spain, Algeria and Morocco. Flooring is made from the scraps remaining after bottle corks are punched out (www.environmentalhomecenter.com).

Double-pane windows

In windows, choose the double-pane kind. For cooler climates, the space between two sheets of glass contains gas (argon) and the surface reflects the heat but during summer months it’s the external sheet that reflects the heat back to the outside. The drawback however is that the reflecting agent is not environment friendly and not easily recyclable as it does not fuse easily with other varieties of glasses.

Garbage disposal

Compost what you can throw very little in the garbage bin. You may not know it but the water used for garbage disposal can disrupt the delicate water ecosystem. A good exercise for those willing to get their hands a little dirty is to go through your trash once and see if you can somehow reduce it further, could recycle more, or are you throwing things that were useless and you should not have bought in the first place? If for nothing else, this should be an eye opener.

100% recycled glass tiles

If you are thinking of new glass tiles, purchase 100% recycled glass tiles. They are made by melting post-consumer and post-industrial waste glass. It advantages are numerous. They utilize materials considered waste, less glass gets lifted to the landfill and these absorb less fossil fuel than consumed new glass tiles.

Polyethylene lumber

This material is made from recycled plastic containers and is generally used as outdoor furniture in parks and for making benches, trash cans etc. It’s also used for outdoor components such as picnic tables and decks. The beauty of the material is that it does not fad in color over time, hence does not need a fresh coat of paint every two years. It’s also resistant to insects and humidity.

Stone tiles

Like ceramic tiles, stone tiles are very durable. However do look at the origin of the stone. The best option is local. Since the material is heavy the environmental impact of lugging it across several miles can be serious.

Wood flooring origin

Local wood or second hand flooring (have it re-milled) is the best options. Exotic woods like teak, rosewood or pine may look nice but forest extraction and transportation aren’t worth the aesthetics. If your floors are in a relatively good condition, they can be re-polished and refinished with a low-VOC product such as Polyureseal BP made of AFM Safecoat.

Wood selection

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifies wood that has been harvested with sustainable methods. It not only considers the environmental impact but also if the workers and local businesses have been adequately compensated for it.