Your green building or renovation:

There are many ways that we can help you to reduce your home’s carbon footprint affordably.  Some of these include:

1. Caulking, for superior air sealing, improved energy efficiency
2. Duct sealing mastic, for performance and health
3. Advanced framing techniques to allow for better insulation of walls, for improved energy efficiency, and reduction in material usage.
4. Paints and other finishes with reduced levels of toxins, for health and comfort
5. Changing your homes current halogen pot lights to new technology LED retro trims
6. Energy efficient appliance installation
7. New windows to meet todays high efficiency standards

Regardless of the scale of your renovation and despite the fact that the notion of going green is still relatively new in residential construction, it is possible to go green in every room of your home thanks to a growing number of environmentally – conscious products, materials and installations. so since bathroom renovations are popular for many homeowners today, let’s take a look at the ways you can go green in the bathroom without sacrificing the luxuries consumers look for in this private getaway space:

Floors:

There are scores of rich floor surfaces available, ranging from reclaiming old wood to install and refinish on-site to those made of renewable bamboo and cork to carpets and tiles made from recycled materials such as rubber, glass, and plastic.

Walls:

All manufacturers in Canada have gone to non-voc latex paints for your home interior. Drywall has moved to lightweight and mold-resistant styles. There are also many other environmentally-friendly materials to choose from for wall panels.

Vanities and Counters:

Thanks to commercial farming and harvesting techniques, elegant wood vanities don’t have to come at the expense of old growth forests, and soy-based glues are replacing formaldehyde adhesives in furniture plywood. Recycled lumber is available for both cabinetry and floors. And a growing number of manufacturers are creating beautiful stone and tile counter surfaces made of recycled content – even paper.

Plumbing Fixtures:

In addition to low – flow and dual-flush toilets (which provide stronger water flow when needed), many toilets and tubs manufactured today feature porcelain that is made of up to 70 percent post-recycled content as well as highly polished surfaces that will save on frequent cleaning. If you are doing a major plumbing make-over for the home look into water recirculating systems that circulates the hot water in the system to get the hot water to the faucet fast thus savings many gallons of water a day as well as wasted energy.

Heating:

Long-considered luxurious extras, things such as radiant floor heating are actually environmentally friendly design choices. Unlike traditional room radiators that line (and tend to heat) the outside walls of a room, radiant floor heating warms the entire room evenly from the floor tiles. Many of our clients are surprised to learn that electric radiant heat pad floors are not exorbitantly expensive and ultimately offer more energy-efficient heating with a “set it and forget it” low voltage draw.

Lighting:

Although halogen lights are always a better choice than traditional incandescent lights, they do tend to produce a lot of heat, so look for Xenon, compact fluorescent and LED lights (which produce low voltage from tiny semiconductor chips). One of the common complaints about these lights is their color, but advances have been made to make these light sources appear softer and warmer.

Proper Installation:

Don’t forget about opportunities to go green with some of the mundane, but necessary, bathroom accessories including fans and vents. By installing separate and timed fan and lighting switches (including a separate fan in the shower stall), you can run only the fans that are needed and eliminate wasted electricity and heat. Also, don’t forget to insulate exterior walls properly and install double-paned windows that resist moisture and minimize heat loss.