Homeowners who want to
do something good for the environment,
but feel overwhelmed by the task are
turning to "green" home products as a
way to help conserve natural resources
and add beauty to their homes at the
same time.
Architects and designers across the
country report that clients are
requesting, and in some cases requiring,
that designers find new ways to "go
green."
"Not only do people want
earth-friendly and energy efficient homes,
but they are demanding them like never
before," says Nate Timms, architect.
"Clients are really leading the charge
when it comes to green design and
architects are trying to stay one step
ahead by finding new products and
concepts that fit the bill."
This trend is supported by families
from Hollywood to Hillsboro, and it has
even made its way into a part of the
home that is never very energy efficient:
the windows.
According to the National
Association of Home Builders, windows
are one of the largest sources of heat or
air conditioning loss due to their low
insulating ability and high air leakage
rates.As a result, windows are typically
net energy losers, and can be
responsible for losing 25 to 50 percent
of the energy used to heat and cool
homes.
Polywood interior shutters by offer
homeowners a beautiful and permanent
way to create more insulated, energyefficient
windows that are also good for
the environment. Polywood, an engineered
wood substitute, has the
appearance of wood without the
problems commonly associated with
wood such as cracking,warping,
splitting or fading. It also receives high
marks for both its classic good looks and
its green qualities.
"Products like Polywood do not use
up our natural resources and are a great
alternative to wood shutters or mini
blinds that need to be replaced every
few years," says Dix Jarman, CEO of
Sunburst Shutters. "It is important for
consumers to do their homework on this
topic - even some synthetic products can
be harmful to the environment if they are
completely petroleum based. Polywood is
made from recyclable synthetic material
that is a by-product of natural gas, making
it far more earth-friendly than other
shutters."
Some "green" products are
manufactured in a way that protects the
environment from pollution and waste,
while others conserve energy and save
valuable resources: Polywood shutters do
both. Third-party thermal conductivity
research comparing the energy efficiency
of Polywood shutters to that of wood
shutters and aluminum mini-blinds found
that Polywood shutters are 70 percent
more energy efficient than wood shutters
and 1,600 percent more energy efficient
than aluminum mini-blinds.
The trend toward earth-friendly
design and decor is not expected to slow
any time soon. Choosing products that
are efficient and made of sustainable
materials is one way homeowners can do
their part to pitch in for the "green"
cause.