So Your Design Is: Green

What it is: Green design is not so much a style aesthetic as a dedication to living gently on the earth. It’s a two-prong approach of renewable materials and environmentally aware practices, all with an eye toward decreasing carbon footprints and considering the big picture of our planet.

Why it works: Living green has a direct, positive impact on our health and quality of life. Plus, it conveys ramifications far beyond our regional communities, or even our nation — it affects people and places across the planet, both indirectly and directly.

You’ll love it if… You sort recyclables on your sleep. Nothing lifts your spirits like a walk in the woods. Your idea of beach reading is The Omnivore’s Dilemma. You were composting manner before it was cool. Your favourite vacation is Earth Day.

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Design Secret: Energy-Efficient Lighting

Swapping ineffective light bulbs and fixtures for versions that cut down on energy consumption is one of the easiest, cheapest green measures you can take. Traditional incandescent bulbs are gradually being phased out on shop shelves, replaced by compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). The good news: The new generation of CFLs casts a warmer, softer light than the harsh, unflattering shine of the earlier cousins, which means you won’t dread looking in the bathroom mirror.

LED lighting, that tend to supply a more focused beam, are ideal for recessed cans, pendants and other activity lighting and undermounted applications like kitchen cabinets and toe kicks. And there’s a fresh raft of effective lighting fixtures on the market that reduce energy use much more.

Place it into practice: picking out the ideal bulbs and fixtures is half the bargain; another half entails using them correctly. Recall your mother nagging you to switch off lights when you exit an area or leave the home? She was perfect. Avoid turning lights on in the day when sunlight is going to do just as nicely, and never turn on more lighting than you need at a specified time.

Peter L. Gluck and Partners

Style Secret: Repurposed Materials

“Reduce, reuse, recycle” goes the mantra. Live up to the reuse part by using construction materials carried over from a former life. There are repurposed options for just about any surface you care to mention, such as glass tiles created from older bottles, countertops crafted of recycled paper and scrap metal turned into wall panels. The walls in this home are made from reused copper, which brings both warm glow and a striking, totally original texture.

Place it into practice: Salvage yards, flea markets and thrift stores were hotbeds of sustainability long before many of us knew that green was anything more than the usual colour. You’d be amazed at what you can find: old sinks and tubs in near-perfect state, sufficient weathered hardwood to groom all the floors in your home, entire countertops that can be trimmed to fit your kitchen.

4R Builders, LLC.

Style Secret: Sustainable Woods

Environmentally friendly woods take a few significant forms. There are readily renewable materials like bamboo, which grow so quickly that they don’t incur issues with deforestation. There are conventional and exotic woods grown in closely managed, renewable forests and harvested under ecoconscious practices. And there are reclaimed woods preserved from older buildings and other infrastructural elements, which have the bonus of some pleasing patina.

Place it into practice: Do your homework to be certain the material you’re purchasing is as ecofriendly since it claims to be, especially if it comes from a nation whose regulations are less strict. Look for a sign of certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and if you don’t find one, press the retailer for more details. The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a good resource for info about tropical and other woods for which sustainability tends to be a problem.

Feldman Architecture, Inc..

Style Secret: Water Conservation

Responsible water usage is vital to the green lifestyle — not cutting down on exactly which flows from the faucet but also collecting what drops from the skies. Rain chains, like the one shown here, and barrels divert and store runoff for use within the home (you can find them at major home improvement retailers). Fixtures like low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators and dual-flush bathrooms also help to reduce water waste.

Place it into practice: Now that you’ve got the equipment, apply water smarts to your everyday life. Simple measures like turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth, not rinsing dishes before you load them into the dishwasher and checking for plumbing leaks can go a long way toward preserving the world’s water source.

ZeroEnergy Design

Design Secret: Solar Panels

Solar power holds a lot of promise as a clean, renewable energy supply, and it is relatively simple to retrofit many houses with roof-mounted solar panels. You’ll need to inspect building codes on your town and the bylaws of your homeowner’s association (if you have one); after you’ve gotten the green light, you’ll want to do some studying to supply the very best panels to your residence. Also, you’re going to require a solar energy inverter to channel the sun’s energy into a form your home’s appliances and other electrical apparatus can use.

Place it into practice: Want to take energy conservation one dramatic step farther? Consider a dwelling roof. These beauties have insulation benefits that help to reduce a home’s heating and cooling costs appreciably — plus, they help to clean polluted atmosphere and promote water conservation. Consult a structural engineer and a landscape architect to make sure that your roof can deal with the extra weight and other considerations.

Design West

Design Secret: Indoor Plants

Indoor plants supply more than just a pretty bit of greenery — they also fight air pollution. Not only can they soak up toxic fumes from compounds like formaldehyde and benzene, but some, like English ivy, can also offset mold and other allergens. Contemplate philodendrons, Boston ferns, ficus trees and peace lilies — all easy to find, simple to grow and champs at keeping the atmosphere healthy.

Place it into practice: Contain plants as a piece of thoughtful layout instead of sticking them into random corners. Mass several large planters together for graphic impact, as in this area; organize smaller ones at a grid on shelving; or mount an indoor window .

Neuhaus Design Architecture, P.C.

Style Secret: Homemade Simple

Good habits are easier to adopt when you create them as simple as possible. Set up a recycling centre within an easy-to-access place, like the kitchen, garage or mudroom, to create sorting plastic, glass and paper second character. There are plenty of ready-made systems on the current market, including several that tuck away behind cabinets, but you are also able to mix and match bins and receptacles to style your own.

Place it into practice: Look for opportunities to reuse household items that are not heading out into the curb. Maybe old magazines can be utilized as wrapping paper or decoupaged onto boxes and vases; empty jars might hold craft supplies or corral silverware at casual cookouts; the very last dregs of paint in the can could be splashed on a canvas for DIY artwork. And don’t forget to take advantage of community programs for recycling electronic equipment, toxic waste and other items beyond everyday discards.

Andrew Pogue Photography

Style Secret: Concrete Surfaces

Concrete earns brownie (greenie?) Points for many reasons. It’s typically manufactured with local materials near its point of use, which makes for a smaller carbon footprint, and it does not require a lot of resources to create. It stores heat in warm weather and releases it in cool weather, so it is a natural at keeping your home comfy without blasting the chimney or AC. Plus it blocks air escapes to cut energy prices even further.

Place it into practice: If a home made entirely from concrete does not appeal (and for most of us, it doesn’t), use it only for the floors — you will still enjoy a lot of the positive aspects. Worried it will not jibe to your traditional decor? You might be amazed at how much you enjoy the edgy note. Or decrease the juxtaposition by having it scored and stained to resemble stone or tile.

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