You Can Renovate Your Home The Green Way

Renovating your Home the Green Way  

As a GREEN Realtor and Certified Green Building Professional I am asked the same important question from homeowners as they undertake renovations throughout their residences: “How can I make my home green; more environmentally friendly?”  

They know that it’s not only the right thing to do from an environmental standpoint, but that renovating with green materials and appliances will be a key selling point down the road if they choose to list their home.  

The following are just a few suggestions I am able to give to these green-minded homeowners:

• Consider using bamboo, cork or eucalyptus flooring products in place of more traditional flooring materials. They mature in roughly half the time of hardwoods and are an affordable and durable option.
• Use wood alternatives or FSC-certified wood products in your cabinetry materials.
• Consider locally-sourced products when possible to reduce carbon emissions during transportation.
• Install low-flow toilets and faucets for more water reduction throughout the home.
• When shopping for appliances, look for the Energy Star label; you might be surprised at the growing number of appliances that now carry the label.
• Use eco-friendly paints, stains and finishes that aren’t made up of volatile organic compounds, which give you that woozy feeling after painting and contribute to pollution. If you aren’t sure if the paints you’re considering fit the bill, ask the supplier – or ask me(!) to assist you in finding the paint that is environmentally friendly.
• Reuse scraps. If you have leftover flooring, cabinetry or countertop material, keep it around. You never know where or how you could reuse these materials in the future.

Renovate the GREEN way!