Sustainable Design: Green Design Tips For Your Home Remodeling Project
We constantly hear about Sustainable design: green materials in home remodeling, but do we know what’s best for our home?
According to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), “sustainable building” incorporates and integrates a variety of strategies during the design, construction and operation of building projects. The use of green building materials and products represents one important strategy in the design of a building.“Green building materials are composed of renewable, rather than nonrenewable resources. Green materials are environmentally responsible because impacts are considered over the life of the product.”As energy is getting more expensive, and the demand for high-efficient appliances is growing tremendously. Entire homes are rediscovering the evolution of going “green". Nowadays, eco- friendly living doesn't end with the double-paned glass windows, solar panels, and tankless water heaters we have all become familiar with. Many interior and home designs are going green as well in the kitchen, bathrooms and living areas including the outdoors. Environmental needs are revolving at a speed of light and the quest of excellence for the newest or rediscovered trends and materials for eco-friendly interiors are coming into every room of the house. From counters and furniture created from trash – or at least what would've been trash – to natural walls, fume-less paints and light bulbs that last basically forever.
Sustainable Design Trends
Read on below to discover 6 of the biggest trends in eco-friendly interiors:Bamboo is said to grow like weeds, but it actually grows faster than any other hardwood. It’s tremendously renewable, growing fast and never dying. Bamboo grows quick after harvesting making it a wonderful green option for hardwood floors, furniture, cabinets, wall coverings, and ceilings. Consumers are realizing that bamboo is not only a 'green' choice but often superior to conventional hardwoods. Bamboo is very durable and light. It is resilient to wear more than other hardwood floor types. Bamboo is also naturally resistant to moisture, making it far less likely to stain or warp from water damage or humidity fluctuation.Concrete has been used for decades around the world to create durable, low-maintenance structures that endure time as well as the elements. Nevertheless, concrete has found its way inside our homes, with a wide array of custom colors and designs you wouldn’t believe that concrete can turn countertops and flooring into ingenious beautiful concept.Cork is an ultra-green substance that’s emerging in popularity as an interior essential. Although, it may seem like an odd material for floors -- the soft, spongy thing you pull out of a wine bottle or stick notes on or find on the bottom of springtime shoes. Since cork is naturally antimicrobial, it being used in the kitchen and is growing in popularity as a countertop material. LED Lighting uses virtually no energy at all and rivals against the traditional incandescent bulb. It is more efficient than a fluorescent while creating a warmer shade of light than a CFL. You will only change your light bulbs a few times during the course of your life since they last 20 years. LED bulb are more expensive than incandescent and CFLs ranging from $30 all the way up to $100. However, the future savings will be worth it. Since it is an expensive investment in your home, it's presently used more in commercial lighting choice. However the good news is that prices are coming down, and ultra-green LED lighting will soon become a practical green solution for your home.Reclaimed and Recovered Wood If sustainability is of great importance to you, engineered wood floors made out of reclaimed or recovered wood are a great option. Most wood floors come from trees collected for that purpose – these trees are cut down for unique flooring in mind. Reclaimed wood uses re-finished, old wood floors and other building elements making new wood floors that have a rustic look. While another green option is recovered wood, which uses trees that have been cut down for other purposes, typically in clearing land for building purposes. In this case, recovered trees that were being killed anyway are used to create brand-new wood floors.Recycled Glass can be used in many types of home construction with materials, including flooring, tile counter tops. You most likely never thought the wine bottles you recycled would end up back in your kitchen. Recycled-glass countertops incorporate the glass you tossed in the recycling bin and transform it into a distinctive kitchen surface. The glass pieces can be of any size and color.
You Don't Have To Sacrifice Style Or Design To Have A Green Home.
Whether you want to build a new home that's eco-friendly or update your current home with green building features, Imagineer Remodeling can help! Contact us today for more information or to schedule your free in-home estimate.