As much as we all might want to build our green dream home from scratch, it might be more realistic to think about green remodeling. For one thing, it’s debatable which is greener but considering the reduce, reuse, recycle mantra, doesn’t remodeling just feel greener? Equally important, that’s what most of us are more likely to wind up doing. It might seem like a great way to go to hire the best green building consultant, but if you’re more the DIY or quasi-DIY type, you’re simply better off making improvements on what you have.
If you’re going to be remodeling, it pays to invest in the environment. Think about it logically (just for a second), how many ways are there to make a house stand out in tomorrow’s housing market? There’s already a surplus of homes with shiny chrome kitchen appliances, marble counters, and recently remodeled bathrooms. If you’re going to remodel, do it in a way that not only pays you back in years of enjoyment but also pays you back as a (green) investor.
Green or not, remodeling for smart homeowners begins in the kitchen and bathrooms (particularly the master bath):
Green Kitchen Remodeling Basics
First things first: Hire a kitchen/bath designer every time. These people have more knowledge of the latest trends, best fixtures, and most sensible layouts than other professionals. Architects are not Kitchen Designers. Those Sales Clerks in the big box stores are not Kitchen Designers (at all). The contractor who is putting an addition on your home or remodeling your kitchen is not a Kitchen Designer. Your brother-in-law who installed his own kitchen is not a Kitchen Designer.
The kitchen is the most energy-intensive room in your house, which means a kitchen remodel is the best place to try conserving energy. Also consider that the cabinets, counters, et cetera where we store and prepare food can have a measurable effect on the toxicity levels of the items that go into your body. Yes, really. You can read more about green counter materials: recycled glass, corian, granite, and concrete here.
Green Kitchen Appliances
Next comes the best green appliances for your kitchen. What makes an appliance green? Efficiency. That’s the bottom line, the appliance is designed to save energy for both you and the planet. EnergyStar is the top governmentally controlled rating in the efficiency business. Be sure to tell your kitchen designer that you’re planning to install a recycling organizer, composter, etc. so they can help you plan accordingly to reduce waste.
Cabinets
Another reason to hire a kitchen designer is their services — with any number of certifications from AKBA to CKD to CMKBD — are free (ahhhem, built in) when you buy their cabinets. If you just hire the services of a kitchen designer, their fee is usually 10% of the total kitchen job and they’ll stick with you for the whole job as Project Manager. This can be your best chance for going local. Local crafts people can usually make anything that you and the designer can conjure, meaning they’re not limited to the specs of any manufacturer. Read: You choose the materials, shapes, sizes, and other custom touches while keeping it all local. You can choose FSC certified woods, recycled glass, water-based finishes (low VOC or no VOC as well as no formaldehyde or sulfur), and GreenGuard laminates.
Natural Light and Ventilation
Not all kitchen remodeling includes windows and ventilation, but if you’re feeling so inclined and you can afford to do so, you will find few better ways to invest in your physical and mental health as well as the value of your home. Without getting too touchy-feely, natural light and air quality have an immeasurable effect on your well being. You’ll likely want to work with the pros on the window front, but here are a number of energy-efficient ceiling fans which will add a unique touch to most any kitchen area.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that you’ll be well-served in preserving the luster of your newly renovated kitchen as well as your indoor air quality by employing green kitchen cleaners.
In Part 2 of the Green Building Materials and Remodeling we’ll discuss Bathrooms.
