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 Printable PDF
Green Building
Enlightened Interiors
12/1/07
Green is More than a Color Scheme
By Carl Seville
Today, there are many beautiful finishes and striking materials that can take your décor to the next level. Taking your home to a higher level of environmental responsibility can be enhanced by your interior selections. When choosing materials, consider how each affects the efficiency, health, durability and sustainability of your house and the environment as a whole.
Starting at the bottom, green flooring options include wood, bamboo, linoleum and ceramic tile. Wood that is reclaimed, recycled or harvested from sustainably managed forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council provides you with an assurance that the product is truly green. Selecting water-based or non-toxic oil finishes for that flooring will keep your home free of potentially toxic volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). Linoleum manufactured from natural jute and linseed oil is an excellent substitute for sheet vinyl, while some ceramic tiles are now made with recycled content.
Moving up to the walls, drywall is generally the material of choice. Much of today’s drywall is made with recycled materials, and any scrap is also recyclable. As in floor finishes, most major paint manufacturers offer low and zero VOC products. Benjamin Moore & Co.’s EcoSpec paints, for example, have been certified by both the GREENGAURD Environmental Institute and Green Seal, while AFM Safecoat has offered non-toxic paints and stains for over 20 years. For your interior trim, consider finger-joined stock instead of stain-grade trim. Made from small pieces of wood glued together, it reduces the amount of old growth lumber required and provides a smooth surface that’s excellent for painting. To further reduce wood consumption, select interior doors with wheatboard or composition cores.
For the kitchen and bath, green cabinets have been a challenge to find, but many shops are now beginning to make them with formaldehyde-free plywood, FSC certified wood and low VOC finishes. Advanced shops are using wheat-based materials that are an excellent substitute for plywood. For counters, there are glass, concrete and stone-look surfaces made with recycled content and low-toxic adhesives. ENERGY STAR appliances save both energy and water. Plumbing fixtures that save water include dual flush toilets and low-flow shower heads.
Lighting is undergoing enormous changes. Compact fluorescent lamps can now substitute for almost any incandescent bulb. They reduce energy usage by 75% and last for years. LED lighting is also available for under cabinet and recessed applications, offering additional savings and fixture life.
Furniture made from reclaimed wood or FSC certified lumber and finished with low-toxic stains helps make your home green. For a finishing touch, organic linens made without chemical treatments further the goal of making a house healthy and natural.
Proper research and selection of materials combined with careful construction practices will make your house healthy, comfortable and efficient and allow you to be a good steward of the environment.
Carl Seville is a green builder, consultant, educator and writer on sustainability. He founded, and for 25 years served as Vice President of, SawHorse, Inc., an Atlanta design/build firm. Through Seville Consulting, his firm helps homeowners and builders create healthy, efficient and durable buildings by incorporating sustainable practices. Visit www.sevilleconsulting.com for more information.
Green Interior Resources
Forest Stewardship Council: www.fscus.org
Nontoxic floor finishes: www.bona.com;
www.specialhardwood.com/monocoat
Natural linoleum: www.themarmoleumstore.com
Green paint: www.benjaminmoore.com;
www.myaurapaint.com; www.afmsafecoat.com
Cabinets: www.neilkellycabinets.com
Countertops: www.zodiaq.com; www.icestone.biz
Interior doors: www.humabuilt.com;
www.columbiaforestproducts.com
Compact fluorescent lamps: www.nam.lighting.philips.com/us
LED lighting: www.lithonia.com
ENERGY STAR: www.energystar.gov
Appliances: www.kitchenaid.com
Fixtures: www.kohler.com
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