Latest Trend in Home Decor: Go Green

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.