Nest Thermostat

Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.

The new generation of thermostat is here.  There is wait list for the Nest thermostat.  It took about two weeks to receive an invitation to purchase.  Nest programs itself to help you save energy.  It even included a sensor to turn off when you leave your home and can be turned on through your smart phone.  Nest cost $250 and can easily be installed by a homeowner.

Color of the Year 2012 - Tangerine Tango

Mix fresh hues of orange with grays, blues, and neutrals for a polished look.  It brings something special to both interiors and exteriors.  Remember to use low or no VOC paints especially for interiors.  If a low VOC option is the only one available air out the room for several days and use air purifying houseplants to create better indoor air quailty.

LED Lamp Review - PAR20

At Forrest Glover Design, we have become increasingly interested in the use of LED retrofit lamps.  They use a fraction of the energy of incandescent lamp, use current fixtures, and often better light quality.  Since we also love using original artwork in our designs, there is the added bonus that LEDs are UV free and will not fade the art.

Buying LEDs has put me in a more cautious mood when buying the lamps however.  PAR20 LEDs cost around $25 compared to $5-10 for their Halogen counterparts.  They also last around 20 years so you want lamps that you are happy with.  We have tried four different lamps in a dark hallway of our studio with vivid pieces of art. 


Good

Philips - R20 LED

The Philips R20 is everyone's least favorite.  It is very dim and has an unexpected blue tint for its 3000k color rating.  The lamp is also quite long and sticks out of the standard fixture for PAR20 lamps.

 Better

GE - PAR20 LED

We tried the GE PAR20 in two different color temperatures.  The 2700k has a warmer light than the 3000k which is bright white.  Of the two, most liked the 2700k light better.  That said, the light has as pink tint to it rather than yellow that is associated with incandescent lamps.  It very pleasant and was my favorite until we tried the Philips PAR20 LED.

NOTE:  Most people do not like the color of 4100k lamps.  If you are not lighting offices for increased worker productivity, stay away from them.

Best

Philips - PAR20 Led

There are a few reasons, this lamp is our favorite.  The main being its shape.  We were all very excited about the GEs but there are a lot of fixtures that they do not fit in.  The Philips PAR20 is so close to the shape of the halogen it is replacing, that is even fits into wire clip fixtures that used to be so popular with track lighting.  The color is also a beautiful yellow with a nice halo around the lighted surface.  Compared to MR16s, that are often used to light artwork, the LED PARs have such a smooth transition from light to dark that I think many people will prefer them.

Purchase LED replacements as your incandescent lamps burn out, and you will be making any easy start to greater energy efficiency and lower bills.  In our area of Northern California, the payback for switching to a LED PAR20 lamp is about one year when used 4 hours a day.  Over the lifetime of the lamp, you will save around $400 in lower energy usage and lamp replacement.  That's even if the price of energy does not increase within the next 20 years.

Color Trends - Neutrals

This year we continue to look to the natural environment for inspiration.  As people become more aware of the earth and it environments, we tend to celebrate the beauty of our natural surroundings.  Neutrals are as complex as the earth and provide a natural base for home decor.  They can be used successfully to create many different moods and feelings.

Example photos below are taken from Pinterest with color swatches of colors we love.  Bioshield is a natural clay paint and YOLO Colorhouse offer only zero-VOC paints in its collection.

What are some of your favorite paint colors?

36 Beige - Bioshield

210 Sand - Bioshield

Stone .06 - YOLO Colorhouse

Leaf .02 - YOLO Colorhouse

Quick Fix - Shower Savings

The great thing about beginning to retrofit green is there are often many easy and inexpensive changes that can make a big difference.  We will talk about water circulation systems in a future post.  Before you take on a larger project, its nice to take small steps.  In the shower, you can save water and energy by installing a shower shut-off valve.

Danco Valve

The valves cost between $5-10 and the project takes 30 minutes to complete.  After installation, simply turn the water off at the valve while shampooing, lathering or shaving.  Complete instructions are available at Lifehacker.  This can cut your water and energy use significantly without having to rush your shower.  It is often overlooked that, even if you are not in a water sensitive area, using less hot water also contributes to big energy savings.

For added water savings, collect water in a bucket while the shower heats up.  This clean water can be used to water houseplants or vegetable garden.

Sustainable Flooring

The floors in your home offer a few unique consideration when you are retrofitting your home.  As always, it is best to keep your existing flooring rather than ripping what you have out to put new floors in.  Even if you recycle the old flooring, there is some materials waste and financial expense to have the job completed.   Hard flooring is generally healthier than carpeting.  It is easier to keep clean and does not contribute as much chemical off gassing.   If you are interested in replacing your homes flooring, it is a great time to consider hydronic radiant heating.

Horizontal

That said, there are some exciting new flooring products on the market.  One of our favorites is Timber Millwork by Sustainable Flooring in Boulder, CO.  Timber Millwork is created from post-industrial byproduct sourced from furniture manufacturers and pulp industries.  It is FSC-recycle certified, contains no added Urea Formaldehyde, and twice as strong as oak.  It is available unstained or prefinished in four colors.  Buying flooring that is prefinished will likely provide of better indoor air quality since it will not need to be stained after installation.  Millwork is available in horizontal and vertical patterns.

Vertical

Sustainable Flooring also offers other products including bamboo and cork.

Wall Installation

Retrofit

 transitive verb

1 : to furnish (as a computer, airplane, or building) with new or modified parts or equipment not available or considered necessary at the time of manufacture

2 : to install (new or modified parts or equipment) in something previously manufactured or constructed

 3 : to adapt to a new purpose or need

 

Many great organizations focus on greener building standards in new construction, but what about existing building.  Retrofitting your home can save you money, provide a safer and more comfortable environment, and conserve natural resources.  When deciding to go green, remember that it is often more sustainable to remodel an existing building than build a new one.  A new building would require more materials to build and the home you left behind would likely continue to waste energy, water, and resources for the rest of its useful life.