ECO FRIENDLY: Home products that save money ... - The Insite Group

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24 Insite/February 2008 ecoproducts layer by layer. Employing local craftsmen and purchasing local products are also part of environmental stewardship, as is recycling. Even more careful use of dimensional lumber in framing can significantly reduce waste; more builders are realizing that green building can save money. Consumers are realizing, too, that environmentalism is about smart, sustainable choices, not a total renunciation of convenience or style. There is a growing awareness in our community, though it’s obvious that central Texas is not California. For some, that’s probably a relief. But even here in the south, where environmentalconsciousness has lagged, consumers are starting to care. Martin says that, “For the last two or three years, the number one driver for green building is energy efficiency.” Polls show the second reason is health; number three is that “it’s the right thing to do for the environment.” Their pocketbooks may motivate people, but that doesn’t mean they can’t do some good while outfitting their homes. “Consumers are getting really educated on green building,” says Martin. He cites one NBHA article conclusion that consumers are expected to double spending on green products and services in the near future. For those in Bryan/College Station there are plenty of businesses that offer those indemand green products and services, from the ground up. Flooring n Chuck Moreau, Brazos Valley Carpet Outlet owner, carries carpet products from Shaw and Mohawk, two innovative companies. The Shaw Green Edge recycles carpet fibers, while Mohawk uses “alternate products such as corn,” and “a polyester that is basically recycled coke bottles and things like that,” says Moreau. “We sell a lot of that,” he says. In the past, those innovative polyesters didn’t always perform as well, but the fiber construction has really improved. Don Foltermann, carpet manager at
Chapman Paint Company, says, “Everything is now cradle-to-grave,” which means recycling more frequently, even carpet padding. “The price is about the same,” he says of these innovative carpets, sometimes even a little less. Moreau lauds industry efforts to recycle wood. Whereas previously, used wooden flooring might have been “just scrapped,” many companies now strip down discarded wood and refinish it. In some cases, this means reclaimed wood from old barns and historical buildings with lots of character, like “old nail holes, burn marks and cracks,” says Moreau. “It’s really neat stuff,” he says excitedly. BVCO does sell it, but Moreau admits the current demand from customers for unique historical planks isn’t overwhelming. “I do see the manufacturers moving toward green, making it more price-effective,” he adds, and believes it will become “more predominant in our market.” As an environmentally conscious person, he notes “it has to start with me,” he says, meaning additional promotion of “green” flooring choices in the future. Paint n Just as the flooring industry is addressing the chemicals it uses in carpets, so too is the world of paint, says John Jahnke, of Chapman Paint Company. It doesn’t take an environmental activist to recognize that paint fumes aren’t exactly healthy. Paint choices inched toward low-odor and the elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the recent past, but “now nearly everything is green and more environmentally friendly,” says Jahnke. He is particularly intrigued by Benjamin Moore’s new Aura product line because it reinvents the concept of paint. “They’ve rethought the whole process, and the colorants are totally different from the standards by every other company.” Usually colorants have different oils, but the Aura line is pure colorant with water. Jahnke says even the tinting machine is different; it uses a humidifier to keep the Bathing Beauty 822-5871 • 810 S. WaShington, Bryan • WWW.acmeglaSS.com voted BeSt of the BrazoS valley 2001-2002-2003 2004-2005-2006 2007 • cuStom ShoWer encloSureS • Beveled glaSS & mirrorS • heavy glaSS • glaSS BlockS • taBletopS • framed mirrorS February 2008/Insite 25
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