The Beauty of Water Conservation

People being people, population clusters are rarely planned. Someone looks at an arid desert and says, “Wow, that would make a great place for a major metropolitan area,” and boom, Los Angeles, or Las Vegas, or Tuscon pops up. The people are there, but water isn’t. Even in areas where water supply shouldn’t be a concern, over-building, sloppy agricultural practices, and polluted water supplies can all lead to a scarcity of this most valuable of resources.

It’s a micro as well as a macro problem. Agri-business sucks up major hydration, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates the average household uses 260 gallons of water a day—so there’s a lot of room for savings all around. Conserving water is a smart, eco-friendly practice anywhere you live, but in drought-prone communities it can be a huge money-saver to boot, not to mention one that is often mandated by local regulations.

One of the easiest and least painful ways to conserve water is to upgrade small fixtures—sink and bathtub faucets, and showerheads—to low-flow versions. Finding just the right fixture for your bathroom, life and preferences is made easier with the WaterSense labeling program established by the EPA. Just check the label for the WaterSense logo; faucets and showerheads carrying the logo use up to 30 percent less water than standard fixtures, without a noticeable decrease in performance. Most major plumbing brands offer several WaterSense showerheads and faucets. WaterSense faucets are available in all the standard handle configurations, finishes and design styles, in prices from mid-$20s to $100 or more. The showerheads range in price from about $20, to around $70, with a few running more than $100. Price varies based on features such as multiple spray settings, special hand grips and, of course, styling. Learn more about the EPA’s WaterSense program and labeled fixtures at www.epa.gov/watersense.

The Waterpik EcoFlow NSC-653EF

hand-held shower head features

 6 spray settings, a stylish chrome

 finish, and a flow rate of 2 gpm. 

Photo courtesy of Waterpik (www.waterpik.com).

Start with your showerhead. The typical low-flow showerhead uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute (gpm) or less, in contrast to the 5.5 to 6 gallons that was standard for showerheads before 1992. Given the average 10-minute shower, it’s pretty easy math to see how savings add up quickly.

Older low-flow heads weren’t so good at striking the balance between conserving water and providing an invigorating spray, but modern versions bring the blast. High-efficiency showerheads abound, and come in both handheld and stationary styles. Kohler (www.kohler.com/conservation) offers high-performance, water-conserving showerheads and “handshowers” (Kohler’s term for handheld sprayheads), under the MasterShower® Ecofficient™ mark. These products offer flow rates as low as 2 gpm. Waterpik (www.waterpik.com/shower-head/ecoflow.html) has joined the environmentally friendly parade with its stylish EcoFlow® showerheads that feature ergonomic handheld designs and flow rates as low as 1.6 gpm. Moen (www.moen.com) manages that same low-flow in super high style with their Eco-Performance showerheads, “spa” bodies and steam features. Moen offers high-end finishes and some of the most beautiful (and pricey) high-efficiency shower fixtures available.

American Standard's Portsmouth faucet

is a WaterSense fixture with contemporary

styling. Photo courtesy of American Standard 

(www.americanstandard-us.com).

Faucets are ripe for savings as well. The EPA estimates that adding WaterSense faucets to your bathrooms and kitchen can save up to 500 gallons of water each year. American Standard offers a wealth of super stylish WaterSense faucets (www.americanstandard-us.com/water-efficiency/watersense). Other companies offer new water-conserving faucet technology. Delta’s Touch2O® faucets (www.deltafaucet.com) incorporate technology that allows the faucet to be turned on with a touch, and that automatically shuts the faucet off when hands are moved away from it. KWC Faucets (kwcamerica.com) offers Coolfix faucets with a single lever handle that runs cold in the standard “six-o’clock” position, in which most faucets combine hot and cold water. The user must rotate the lever for warm water. This simple change can save on heating bills.

JADO's Savina  faucet is a classic look

with water-sipping efficiency. Photo

courtesy of JADO (www.jadousa.com)

Aerators are another easy way for renters and homeowners to save significant amounts of water. Faucets produced before 1994 usually aren’t equipped with an aerator, and adding one is a simple and quick project. You can find aerators at home centers for less than $5 (although more expensive WaterSense aerators can run $10 to $15). Similar devices are available for use on showerheads, including flow control inserts and control valves that are installed between the shower pipe extension and the showerhead.

Adding low-flow fixtures to your bathroom suite isn’t just a matter of saving money. Because so much of the water used in the bathroom is heated, using less water means heating less, which translates to lower energy costs over the long run. In any case, water conservation in the home carries both financial and ecological benefits.

EcoChic Accent Hardware

You’ve finally got those bamboo cabinets all installed, nice and level. You added the recycled glass or reclaimed wood countertops. The work is behind you, right? Wrong. Now it’s time for the fun easy part—accenting those cabinets.

Recycled or reclaimed hardware—including handles, pulls, hinges and knobs—are the icing on the cake for many remodeling projects. Whether you’re putting in all new cabinets, adding a closet to a bedroom, or just hanging a new door, the hardware adds immeasurably to the final look of the project. These small touches are also a way to keep your green mojo rolling.

An assortment of reclaimed hardware—subject to change.
Photo courtesy of Better Homes and Garbage.

There are two basic types of eco-friendly hardware and accents: reclaimed and salvaged units, and those made from recycled materials. Either type offers incredible opportunities for a one-of-a-kind look.

Salvage operations such as Better Homes and Garbage (www.bhandgarbage.com), Recycling the Past (www.recyclingthepast.com), and the ReStore outlets run by Habitat for the Humanity (www.habitat.org/restores) feature an ever-changing line-up of rescued hardware. You’ll find pieces in all types of metals, and even some gems featuring craftsmanship and detailing from yesteryear, such as cut glass handles or knobs. The biggest deals are to be hand on hinges, pulls, and other hardware that need to be cleaned up. There are lots of over-the-counter products to revive tarnished or otherwise blemished metal hardware, and glass can often be brought back to life with a simple washing. The key, though, is to find the number and size of pieces that will suit your project exactly. This may take some looking and patience.

Some of the beautiful handles offered in DuVerre Hardware's Arroyo line.
Photo courtesy of DuVerre Hardware.

On the other hand, you can have the beauty of brand new hardware with the convenience of in-stock shopping by turning to the growing number of accents on the market made from recycled materials. Natural Built Home (www.naturalbuilthome.com) sells recycled glass knobs, handles and pulls, while Nature’s Hardware (natureshardware.com) sells a variety of accent pieces made in whole, or part, from recycled materials. DuVerre Hardware (duverre.com) offers handles made 100 percent post-consumer waste, in a number of different finishes.

In any case, never settle for dull—or less than totally green—accent hardware to dress up your remodeling projects.

“Green” as a Carpet Color

Area rugs are all well and fine, but when it comes to luxury flooring, it’s hard to top wall-to-wall carpeting. Carpeting’s warmth and comfort underfoot is why it remains the most popular home flooring. In the interest of full disclosure, I should admit I’m not a big fan of carpeting in the home. I run a take-your-shoes-off-at-the-door house, and I think reclaimed wood is a great choice for the purely “green” home. That said, there are many shades of green, and there is simply no denying the unrivaled extravagance of plush carpeting underfoot when you get out bed in the morning, or when just want to walk around barefoot.

SmartStrand carpet comes in many different

 colors, shades and designs. Photo courtesy of

Mohawk Flooring (www.mohawkflooring.com).

The trick is to find the greenest carpet possible. That’s a little more complicated than it might appear at first glance. How eco-friendly and healthy a given carpet is depends on the fiber, the nap (looped, cut, short or tall), the backing, and the pad you use. All of these will affect, to one degree or another, the harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) the flooring off-gasses, how quickly the carpet collects dirt and potential allergens, and how recyclable the carpet is when it comes time for a new floor covering.

Start with the carpet fiber. Wool is hands-down the most sustainable, healthiest, and most eco-friendly carpet fiber. Unfortunately, left untreated, it is susceptible to staining.  Wool is also much more expensive than synthetic-fiber carpeting, and far less widely available. The first place to look is online, where you’ll find companies such as Eco by Design (www.ecobydesign.com, selling EcoChoices all-natural wool carpeting), and Earth Weave Carpet Mills, Inc. (www.earthweave.com), offering Bio-Floor™ carpeting that is all natural, containing no chemical treatments.

However, most people turn to less-expensive, easier-to-find synthetic fibers. Triexta is quickly becoming the synthetic fiber of choice for its durability, cleanability and soft feel. Sold under the name SmartStrand from Mohawk (www.mohawkflooring.com) is formulated in part with renewable resources such as polymers extracted from corn. The carpet is also extremely durable and long-lasting. The same can be said of polyester P.E.T carpeting, which is made in part from recycled plastic bottles. P.E.T carpet is not, however, as nice underfoot as nylon or triexta.

Give just as much consideration to the carpet’s backing and binding. Backings have traditionally been constructed with latex binders that produce 4-phenylcyclohexene (4-PCH), a nasty VOC. Ideally, the binder and backing adhesive should be a natural or inert glue. The backing itself should be hemp, jute or other natural material. Stay away from vinyl, PVC or SB latex backings, which can contain potentially harmful chemicals, including styrene—a suspected carcinogen.

The pad you use is as important as the carpet itself, in terms of comfort, longevity and air quality. Some synthetic carpet pads feature a laundry list of potentially harmful chemicals and VOCs. However, there’s really no need to introduce these toxins into your home’s environment. Stick with carpet pads made of felt or rubber. On the same note, avoid glued-down installation methods. Tack-strips work perfectly for almost all wall-to-wall carpeting installations.

When shopping for carpeting keep an eye out for the Carpet and Rug Institute’s green label (www.carpet-rug.org).  The label indicates that the product meets CRI’s standards for low-VOC emission and sustainability. It’s not the be all and end all of certifications; the CRI is an industry organization. Personally, I take exception with some of the CRI’s stances on carpeting’s role in indoor air quality and its connection to related diseases such as asthma. But the certification program was developed in tandem with the EPA, and the label is an indicator that you’re shopping in the right direction.

No matter what carpet and backing you’ve chosen, it’s always a wise idea to thoroughly air out the room for 48 hours after installation. Your lungs will thank you.

Insulating Wisdom

You can’t see it, you usually can’t touch it, and you’ll forget it’s even there, but insulation has a gigundo impact on just how green your house is … or isn’t. Any major remodeling project is a chance to determine what type of insulation (if any) exists in your walls and attic, what shape it’s in, and what upgrade or new insulation would best serve your purposes.

This particular decision is not just a matter of being green. The right insulation makes your home more comfortable, more energy efficient, and creates a healthier interior environment. Along the way, it can save you bundles of cash.

The majority of homes are insulated with Fiberglass batting, which remains the most widely used insulation. However, Fiberglass can be difficult to work with, can irritate the skin, eyes and breathing passages, and is far from a green material. Even worse, older homes may still have urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI). The formaldehyde is a carcinogen that can compromise indoor air quality for years and possibly decades after installation. 

Thank goodness you have a bevy of green insulation options to pick from! These come in the same basic forms as traditional materials: loose-fill blown-in (or spray-on) versions, or batting.

Blown-in or spray-on expanding foam insulation is incredibly effective, quick to install, and long-lasting. In the past, this product meant dealing with chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs) that depleted the ozone. Today, however, there are green spray foams that, while still urethane-based, off-gas virtually no VOCs and perform beautifully. Demilec USA (www.demilecusa.com) manufacturers a couple of examples, including Sealection and Heatlok Soy. Sealaction uses water for the delivery system and is an open-cell foam, while Heatlok Soy incorporates recycled plastic, and includes soy and vegetable oils, and is a closed-cell foam. Both are certified through the GreenGuard program, and the National Association of Home Builder’s “Green Approved” qualification.

Closed-cell products are usually denser, stiff and offer a higher R-value than their open-cell cousins. They also resist air, water vapor and moisture penetration better than any other insulation. However, this superior performance comes at price: closed-cell foams are more expensive overall, and cost more per R-value, than most other options. Generally, closed-cell products are reserved for areas where having a highly effective air and moisture barrier are real concerns.

Cellulose blown-in insulation is an even more eco-friendly option. Although the R-values pound per pound are lower than urethane spray foam, cellulose insulation can still offer from R-13 to R-60, depending on the thickness of the insulation. The knock on early versions was moisture retention; they were blown in wet and often retained moisture that led to mold and mildew growth. These days, companies like GreenFiber (www.greenfiber.com) make cellulose products that are not only as much 90 percent recycled paper, they are also blended with borate or similar treatments that prevent mold growth, insect infestation, and serve as fire retardants.

Cellulose insulation is competitively priced with other types, and it is often sold as a DIY option. You can buy blowers and the related equipment, or rent everything you need from a local rental center. Keep in mind, though, the job is messy and must be done correctly to realize the maximum R-value and other benefits. When installed correctly, blown-in and sprayed-on insulations create tighter air seals and provide better sound-deadening properties than other types of insulation. That's why the vast majority of homeowners opt to use certified professionals when going with blown-in or sprayed on insulation.

Recycled cotton or denim batting such as UltraTouch by Bonded Logic, Inc. (www.bondedlogic.com) is some of the most truly green insulation available. UltraTouch includes approximately 80 percent post-consumer waste, and releases no VOCs. The batting is perforated so that you simply measure, tear, and install. The material doesn’t irritate skin and breathing passages as Fiberglass does, and is Class-A fire rated. The company also produces UltraTouch cellulose insulation.

A less common but potentially effective and environmentally responsible option is mineral wool. There are two types of mineral wool: a version called rock wool that is formed from natural minerals such as basalt; and slag wool that is processed from blast-furnace slag (the scum floating on top of molten metal). Mineral wool is available as loose fill and the much more common blankets and stiff boards. Companies such as Thermafiber (www.thermafiber.com) provide the insulation and the tools needed to work with it. The material typically includes about 75 percent post-industrial waste and is installed in roughly the same way as Fiberglass batting is.

The place to start in choosing any insulation is the R-value. Balance selecting the highest R-value possible against your budgetary constraints, and where you live. A high R-value will provide a bigger return on investment in the frigid Northeast, than it will in more temperature southern States.

You’ll also want to pay close attention to the technical specs for the insulation you’re considering. Review the manufacturer’s claims regarding “settling” (the tendency for wall insulation to slide down in the cavity, leaving little or no insulation in spots—something that can even happen with traditional Fiberglass batts). Establish the green cred of the insulation you’re leaning toward, by checking out if it qualifies for LEEDs credits.