Ideal Living - Spring 2010

7Insulation. Energy Star® also estimates that homeowners can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs (or up to 10 percent on their total annual energy bill) by sealing and insulating their homes. A new home should be sealed and insulated well, but to be really green, specify an earth-friendly insulation.

GreenFiber manufactures GreenFiber Cocoon Insulation for use in attics, floors and walls of residential new construction and reinsulation applications. It is a blown-in insulation that provides outstanding thermal performance, fire resistance and sound control. Moreover, it consists of 85 percent recycled content.

8Go Tankless. Traditional water heaters heat anywhere from 40 to 80 gallons of water at a consistent 120°F, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Instead, choose a tankless water heater that heats water only when you need it. As long as a faucet, shower or hot-water appliance is operating, the tankless water heater continues to run. Once the faucet or appliance is turned off, the tankless unit stops. A tankless unit costs more to purchase, but the projected energy savings is around 50 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. It also takes up less room. It is about the size of a medicine cabinet and can be installed on the wall, in a closet or outside the home.

9Look for Recycled Countertop Material. Granite countertops are nice, but granite is a natural stone and therefore, a finite resource. As an alternative, consider installing countertops made of recycled glass or those with recycled plastic content. IceStone manufactures its countertops using 100 percent recycled glass and concrete, which diverts hundreds of tons of glass from landfills each year.