What does energy conservation mean to you?
Is it the monthly amount you’re keeping in your pocket, instead of paying a high utility bill? Or is it a gloomy vision of global warming, polluting power plants, and acid rain?

Whatever your reason, if you choose to save energy, you are making a wise choice. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the typical U.S. family spends more than $2,000 a year on home utilities. Moreover, fossil fuel-generated electricity used yearly by an average-size home puts more CO2 into the air than two cars.

So how can you conserve energy in your own home?
Here are some of the most significant and cost-effective ways:

• insulate walls, floors and ceilings
• seal air leaks around windows and doors, so heated or cooled air can’t escape
• plant a tree to shade your windows which will reduce the need for air conditioning
• use multi-layered window treatments for better protection against heat transfer through the window
• install a programmable thermostat to easily control indoor temperature
• close heating vents and doors in unused rooms



photo from Stock Photos

• lower water heater temperature to 120° F
• take showers instead of full baths
• clean air filters on your air heating and cooling system for more efficient operation
• buy only energy-efficient appliances for your household; they may cost more, but the savings on your utilities will soon compensate for additional cost
• wash only full loads of clothes and dishes
• use energy-saving settings on your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer
• when not in use, turn off your computer and monitor
• plug all home theater components ( TV, DVD players, etc) into power strips; turn the power strips off when you aren’t using the equipment
• use compact fluorescent light bulbs or LED lamps
• install dimmers on your light fixtures; not only will you save energy, but also extend the life of the light bulbs
• turn off the lights when leaving a room, or install motion controlled switches

Educate yourself and others about energy efficiency. For more tips on saving energy, read the Energy Savers Booklet by the U.S. Department of Energy. And share your knowledge and ideas with your family, friends, and neighbors.

Kitchen and bathroom renovations are always giving me mixed feelings. I’m happy when my clients get a fresh, functional, and clean space. On the other hand, after every such renovation in my mind’s eye I can already see the mountains of debris where, eventually, the newly installed materials end their life after the owner decides that they can no longer serve their purpose.

The most popular hard surface material is natural stone: granite, marble, limestone, travertine, soapstone, you name it. Almost all of them are imported from remote locations. Because of this, they have increased levels of embedded energy (embedded or embodied energy is energy required to extract raw materials, manufacture the product, and supply it to the point of use), meaning that there is a significant amount of carbon dioxide emitted not only during the manufacturing process, but also while getting those products into our homes.

There are multiple alternatives to natural stone in kitchen and bath design: ceramic, glass, concrete, metal, solid surface, and many more. Recently I researched a hard surface material that I find particularly interesting, not only because the versatility of the design, but also because its content is up to 70% recycled, and the majority of the materials used are sourced within 500 miles of the manufacturing location. This recycled glass and concrete composite material is called EcoX, and it is manufactured by Meld USA in Raleigh, North Carolina.

EcoX is manufactured in slabs as well as tile. Its surface can be lightly polished to get a smooth finish or honed to reveal colorful recycled materials embedded in the concrete. The tiles are available pre-sealed with a low VOC penetrating sealer, and can be used in indoor and outdoor applications. Additionaly, EcoX can be used for table tops, wall panels, backsplashes, bathtub and shower surrounds, sinks, bathtubs, furniture, and accessories.

EcoX can qualify for LEED credits in Materials & Resources and Indoor Environmental Quality categories.
The manufacturer calls this product “an eco-sensitive concrete with personality”, and I must say that I totally agree!

Green construction includes a category of building materials called rapidly renewable materials, which have a  harvest cycle of 10 years or less. Building components that are able to regenerate in such a short time include bamboo, cork, wool, wheat and rice straw, and even sunflower seeds and sorghum stalks. Linoleum is also considered a rapidly renewable material, since it is made from linseed oil, cork dust and wood fiber.

To qualify for the LEED points in building certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, 2.5% of the total value of materials in a project needs to be rapidly renewable.

Some of the materials in the rapidly renewable category are less green than others. Not all meet other sustainability criteria, like local sourcing. Most of the bamboo flooring comes from China, and most linoleum from Europe. There are also concerns about forestry practices, the toxicity of binders, quality control and worker safety.

However, architects and interior designers have to regard not only environmental aspects, but also performance, durability and cleanability of specified materials. Let’s see how we can use them in our own homes to make our space not only healthier for ourselves, but also less burden on the environment.

Bamboo is a fast-growing grass used in flooring and furniture construction. You can choose between different colors, patterns (vertical and horizontal), even hand-scraped textures. Strand woven variety, great for high-traffic areas, is 1.5 times harder than red oak. Bamboo plywood and veneers have been adopted by furniture-making companies to manufacture casegoods (e.g. kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, countertops, etc.)

Cork is impermeable, fire retardant, lightweight and flexible. It’s main use is in flooring. I love to specify cork floors in kids rooms, where the material provides warmth and softness underfoot, and the texture hides any surface dents and scratches.

Wool has been use in interiors since prehistoric times. Wool carpets are more durable than synthetic, they’re hypoallergenic, and have a natural water-repellent coating -  a fat called lanolin. Wool is fire-resistant and absorbs environmental contaminants. It also regulates interior humidity levels thanks to it’s hygroscopic nature. Wool is also used in construction as a wall insulation.

How many times you were trying to find something in a hurry, only to realize that there is too much stuff inside of your closet, in the kitchen cupboard, or on your desk? The clutter we keep prevents us from being on time, makes us procrastinate and requires extra time and money for cleaning. It keeps us in the past, makes us depressed and sometimes ashamed of ourselves. We feel disorganized and tired just by looking at the excess stuff we’ve accommodated during the years and can not part with.

We keep too much stuff because it makes us feel more secure, or because we believe the more we have, the better. In today’s world, where we have instant access to practically every item’s high and low price alternative, we buy to our heart’s content. This causes our homes to be filled with stuff, some of which is rarely or even never used. Our rooms and garages are filled up to the ceiling, and it’s still not enough. Want proof? Just look at the numerous storage rental businesses around you.

Are you one of the many who are paying mortgage for a very expensive storage space for their stuff? Is your home full of rarely (if ever) used items? Maybe you already have tried to get rid of some of this mess, but without success?

Here are some ideas on how to start:

Define “clutter zones” in your home and attack them one-by-one.
You can approach the clutter clearing in two ways: either schedule the whole day (weekends work best) for a given space (the fast way), or assign a certain amount of time daily, for example 30 minutes, to work on this task (slower results, but often the only way if you’re busy on weekends).
Use the “empty and add” method: remove everything from the cleaned room (cabinet or drawer in case you’re using the “slower method”), and clean it thoroughly. Then bring in only the essential items like the bed in the bedroom, the sofa and chairs in the living room, etc. Concentrate on the activities you perform in that space and items supporting those. Try to live with it for a day or two, and then bring in a few (and I mean a few) personal objects that will help to make the room your own. That’s it!
Sort the remaining stuff into 3 piles: the ‘Throw Away’ (you know what to do with it), the ‘Get Rid Of’ (sell, give away, donate), and the ‘Consider’ pile (you can’t or won’t decide what to do with it right now – return to it in a month or so).
If you are a collector, try to rotate your collection so there are always some fresh and interesting objects on display, and the rest (pared down to the minimum, of course) is stored safely so it won’t gather dust and block the energy flow inside of your home.
And the most important advice (this made a huge difference for me personally): do not buy any more new items if you don’t get rid of something beforehand. And before you buy anything, always ask yourself: Do I absolutely love it? Do I really need it? Is the quality good enough to withstand years of use, so I don’t have to throw it away soon, in order to buy a new one?

Getting rid of unnecessary stuff in your live will help you become more energetic, gain a new perspective and make a fresh start. It also will improve your overall health by minimizing the use of household cleaners for everyday cleaning of your innumerable possessions, as well as the health of the planet through frugal use of resources, and shrinking the mountain of trash produced by you every year.

Happy De-cluttering!

EcoSmart Aspect in private residence

The cold season finally got us here in Southern California. Shortly, there will be a fire burning bright in every family room, adding warm and cozy ambiance to our season’s spirit.

I have spotted recently a very cool (and eco-friendly) alternative to a traditional wood burning or gas fireplace: the EcoSmart fireplace line by Australian manufacturer The Fire Company. Those innovative, open, environmentally friendly fireplaces are fueled by denaturated ethanol (alcohol) and don’t require any utility connection for fuel supply. Denaturated ethanol burns clean, resulting in emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) and steam (H2O). That’s why the fireplace does not require flue for ventilation. You can choose between freestanding portable pieces, in-wall or outdoor weather-resistant products. Stainless steel, fiberglass, glass, leather, different color options, and many shapes and sizes are definitely a big design advantage, in addition to the green aspect.

EcoSmart Fires are not only beautiful, but their thermal input is 14 Mj/h – 13,000 BTU – 3.5 Kw/h – which is equivalent to 2 electric heaters, able to heat up to over 350 sq ft of living space. One 1-1⁄4 gallon (5 liters) of fuel would last from 7 hours on the maximum setting up to 20 hours on the minimum setting.

Countless design awards are a proof of this product line’s superiority in almost every aspect of green design. I hope I will soon report a successful installation of one of the EcoSmart fireplaces.