Gear up for green renovations
Administrator | Jul 05, 2011 | Comments 0
 (NC)—Grab your work boots and pick up your paint brushes, it’s renovation season again. As the sun emerges from behind that winter cloud and the mercury rises, Canadians everywhere prepare for a little DIY. Before you get started, why not take a cue from the budding trees and growing grass and consider the environment before you put your blue prints into action. Before taking on any home renovation challenges, think about the three Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.Here are five building and renovation tips that will help you while keeping the environment in mind: 1. Go vintage – opt for one–of–a–kind, gently–used items that you can use to decorate your home at a reduced cost. Flea markets, thrift shops and Habitat for Humanity ReStores are wonderful resources. You can find your local ReStore at www.habitat.ca 2. Green up your appliances – if renovating your kitchen or laundry room, considergetting rid of those energy–sucking appliances and replacing them with energy–efficient models. According to the Ontario Power Authority, an Energy Star qualified front–load model reduces water use by almost 45 per cent and energy use by about 65 per cent 3. Opt for bamboo hardwood floors – bamboo is considered an environmentally–friendly flooring material due to its high yield and relatively fast rate at which it replenishes itself 4. Use healthier paint – conventional paints contain solvents, toxic metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause smog, ozone pollution and indoor air quality problems with negative health effects. Go for zero– or low–VOC paint, made by most major paint manufacturers today 5. Selecting building materials – For everything from the foundation, walls, roof, floors, windows, insulation and furnishings, consider the following: a. Is it local? Shipping materials from far away adds to their carbon footprint b. Is it sustainable? c. Does it offer good insulation? This will lessen your heating and cooling needs www.newscanada.com |
AIR CONDITIONING, PLUMBING & HEATING Gord Mark Heating & Cooling ASSOCIATIONS CONTRACTORS DECORATING FINANCIAL LANDSCAPING/GARDEN LAWN EQUIPMENT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
SOLAR ENERGY |
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