Eco Friendly Radiant Heating

Many of us have forced hot air heating systems in our homes. It might have crossed your mind in the winter just how inefficient this method of heating is. Forced 'hot' air they call it? More like barely lukewarm, not to mention that the registers are often placed in the ceiling plane or high on a wall, resulting in cold drafty floors and all your heat escaping through the ceiling before it heats the room. Whoever came up with this system should be ashamed. It does not even follow any basic common sense laws of physics. Should we take into account the poor quality of indoor air that this system creates?

Fortunately there are much better alternatives, radiant heating has been a growing trend. While installation can be costly, it will pay for itself with the money you will save on heating. Radiant floor heat creates a very comfortable indoor environment, it also makes complete sense by all laws of physics. Since hot air rises, a heated floor will distribute it evenly in the entire space and you can say good bye to drafts! Moreover, this kind of heating is great for homes with kids, pets, and people with allergies as it does not create airborne pollutants.

Log Homes: Sustainable Living

Log homes have been around for centuries and have regained popularity in recent years. Until not long ago though, the energy efficiency of log homes was in question, but recent tests confirm that well built log homes have a superior 'thermal mass effect' and can outperform stick-framed buildings. Timber is a naturally renewable resource that requires less energy to produce than all other building materials. Log components, in particular, consume less energy and labor between harvest and placement on the housing site, while log walls provide 'surface as finish', saving material and labor costs since other building material layers are not required. Provided that a log home has high performance doors and windows that are well installed and an insulated roof membrane, it can provide enormous energy savings, not to mention it is very comfortable to live in concerning many aspects. While I believe the sheer size of modern log homes is often very unsustainable, if you keep with reasonable square footage - it can be a very ec0-friendly housing option. As with any wood used, you should always seek FSC certified wood, most log home companies and builders adhere to that as a given.

Country Log Cabins

European Log Homes

Green Log Home

Coyote Log Homes

Russian Log Homes Site

Northern Log (russian)

Archangel Log Homes

Watch this interesting video about Eco Log in Ontario, Canada.

Landry & Arcari Clearance and Carpet Benefits

Another winterizing tip: carpet your floors. While carpet may not always be the best option for homes with pets, young kids, and people with environmental allergies, it is great if your household does not fit into any of the above categories. Good quality carpeting can last a long time and provide significant thermal benefits in cold New England winters. There are also many sustainable options available on the market today if you are concerned about formaldehyde or other off gassing substances. Wool, though more expensive, is one of the best carpeting materials simply because it has unparalleled thermal properties, is naturally water repellent, and is a natural material. By their very nature, wool carpets and rugs are good for the indoor environment. That's because wool, unlike synthetic fibers, rapidly absorbs common contaminants in indoor air like formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Not only does wool keep the air free of many harmful pollutants, it will not re-emit them, even when heated. In fact, it has been estimated that wool carpets can continually purify indoor air for up to 30 years!

There is actually evidence that wool carpeting might help with allergies. It is not immediately apparent, but hard flooring lets the dust freely and constantly move around, which might trigger allergy attacks unless kept absolutely dustless everyday. Carpeting on the other hand can trap allergens and not let them escape, prohibiting the movement of particles in the air, and when regularly cleaned with a HEPA and CRI Green Label vacuum that does not release allergens back into the air it can create a more controlled environment for people with allergies.

CHECK OUT THE LANDRY & ARCARI WINTER CLEARANCE: JANUARY 23 - FEBRUARY 1st in Boston and Salem, MA

Upgrading Laundry: Energy Efficient Washers

Your old washing machine may be sending a good chunk of your wallet down the drain. While the approach of 'if it ain't broken, don't fix it' might work in some cases, in this case you might save more in both energy and water costs (not to mention clothing) by investing in an efficient washing machine. Energy-efficient washers can use up to 50 percent less energy and 60 percent less water than standard machines. As a general rule, front loading machines are more efficient when it comes to water. Some local utilities even offer rebates for front-loaders.

You might have not thought of this, but you will also benefit from the new washers that have more than just three basic cycle options like small, medium, or large load. They offer features like the delicate cycle and the steam cycle, which in turn can save you money by giving longer life to your clothing and as an alternative to dry cleaning (we all know how wallet draining that can be). From my personal experience, my clothing suffered significantly when we had to use an apartment complex community washing machine. The clothing that I wore for several years that still looked great after being washed hundreds of times in a European front-loader now all of the sudden looked like it was fifteen years old, the fabric started really showing the wear.

The National Geographic Green Guide offers a buying guide for washing machines where they rate them on several factors. Their top pics include the Kenmore HE2 Plus Super Capacity, the Samsung WF218ANW, and the LG Electronics WM3001HWA.

New President: Green Economy

With Barack Obama in office, as Van Jones put "the first 'green' president", the window of opportunity for renewable energy can finally be opened more than just an inch. The highlight and focus of Greenbuild 2008 in Boston was the Green Economy, now it can become reality. With the current economy crisis, energy is one of the spring points that can create jobs and jump start this country if it is executed in a wise and thought out manner.

California is already at the forefront of this solution with companies researching and producing renewable energy technology that demonstrates performance surpassing what was previously thought possible. New jobs are created and workers are trained in things such as solar panel or wind turbine installation. The task ahead is not easy, it requires determination and perseverance, but no longer can the US rely on other countries for its energy needs. The payback on the investment in renewable energy will not be seen in an instant - that would be too easy. It will take a few years, years that many small businesses do not have, yet it seems to be the only solution that can address several problems at once.

The Art of Biomimicry

Biomimicry is an art. The art of learning the intricacies and ways of nature and using them in the design of today's new technologies and products. Nature is overflowing with examples of complexity, efficiency, and sometimes outright mind-boggling design. Today architects, engineers, and designers can all draw on the inspiration provided by nature to design more efficient buildings, more adaptive transportation, and more innovative products.

The Biomimicry Institute is a non-profit organization that is at the forefront of this design movement. They have really great tools that a designer in any industry can use to learn more from nature and perhaps find ingenious solutions to problems that they face. Their portal, Ask Nature, is a free on-line database that is searchable by design challenge. It is also a great tool for students and children to learn more about the intricate designs found in nature.

Biomimicry has helped design a myriad of products and objects including cars, boats, airplanes, paints and coatings, high performance fabrics, solar panels, roofing material, and buildings.