These days, everyone is thinking about the environment–and for good reason. With the explosion in population around the world there’s no question the human impact is putting a strain on our natural resources. And regardless of where you may stand on the climate change issue pretty much everyone agrees that we must all be good stewards of this planet we call home.
For that reason, there’s been a tremendous interest over the last couple of decades in finding more environmentally friendly and sustainable ways to improve our homes. Eco-friendly designs, as they are often called, are more often than not the preferred ways to approach many building and remodeling projects.
If you are planning on a new remodel project, you may want to consider going with a green design. The cost, in many cases, can be very similar with standard remodeling projects, it’s just a matter of knowing where to look for the right materials. As a professional Remodeling Company we know the ins and outs of eco-friendly remodeling.
There are many simple things that can be done that will increase the efficiency of your bathroom. For instance, faucets and shower heads that utilize aerators use about half as much water flow but with nearly twice the power as standard fixtures. Also, in the water-saving fixtures category, you can have a low-flow toilet installed which will also use about 50% as much water as their regular flow counterparts.
For flooring, wood paneling and cabinetry, you can look into using eco-friendly wood products. Designers Northwest is an environmentally conscious remodeling company that looks to use “reclaimed” or “recycled” woods. These are wood products derived from previous sources and remanufactured for other purposes. The great benefit to these products is that they don’t require any further harvesting of live forests. You can look for the “Smartwood Rediscovered” label which signifies certification by the Rediscovered Wood Initiative of the Rainforest Alliance’s SmartWood program.
Another popular wood choice is Bamboo as seen above. Eco-friendly Bamboo wood is popular because is harvested from sustainable sources and has beautiful, durable look and feel. Bamboo forests can mature in just five to seven years, compared with other types of woods that can take over 100 years, in some cases, to reach full growth. Bamboo is also a very cost-effective wood and can save you money versus some of the more common woods used in remodeling projects.
As for bathroom tiles, an eco-friendly bathroom tile option is recycled-content tile. Recycled-content tile can be used for walls, floors or countertops and is often derived from recycled glass or other renewed materials from the manufacturing industry. The benefit to the environment is significant because it helps to reduce landfill waste. These tile products are also extremely sturdy and resilient, and usually longer lasting than typical tile materials like linoleum. You might be surprised at just how attractive many of the surfaces are coming from recycled materials, and, like many of the other green products available, they will save you money while helping to save the environment.
When you’re ready for your next kitchen or bathroom remodeling project, drop us an email and we can help with the selection of the many eco-friendly products available. If everyone does just a small part, together we can make a big difference.