GREEN LIVING [GREENGOODS] Kitchen Views Custom and Kitchen Views at National Lumber Kitchen Views proudly offers their discerning clients Omega Cabinetry, which has earned certification in the groundbreaking Environmental Stewardship Program. This certification authenticates Omega’s high level of commitment to the environment and sustainability of natural resources. Choose from a wide selection of door styles, available with custom finishes in many wood species. There are fashionable selections for the outside, such as mullion inserts, and intelligent storage solutions for the inside. All within exceptionally built all-wood cabinetry and exclusive Omega Armor finishes that combine the best of fine furniture and easy care. Omega's solid wood case construction makes your cabinetry ready for a lifetime of use. www.kitchenviews.com
LaBarge Homes LaBarge Homes, a general contracting business specializing in custom homes, has been providing high-quality green building, hurricane-resistant construction and Energy Star–rated homes since 1996. LaBarge, an NAHB Certified Green Professional, uses Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF) to create beautiful homes that honor all architectural styles while providing an energy-efficient environment, with greater design flexibility, comfort and aesthetic advantages than conventional construction. ICF construction provides structural stability and a healthier living environment while reducing energy consumption by approximately 40 percent. Though ideal for high-wind oceanfront homesites, ICF can be used for all energy-efficient homes, additions and pools.
www.labargehomes.com
Maverick Integration At the 1984 Consumer Electronics Show, the phrase “smart home” was born. Twenty-five years later, technology is finally catching up to aspiration as the “smart grid” becomes a reality. Beyond home theaters and big screens, Maverick Integration automation systems can help you be greener by reducing your energy consumption. Since lighting accounts for 20 percent of your energy bill, Maverick offers lighting control systems that go beyond dimmers into the realm of learning your lighting habits, turning lights off when you’re not there and saving you big energy, which means big money. Come explore green home technology that adds convenience with Maverick. www.maverickintegration.com
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“I also have a television that draws only 40 watts when it’s on, where the norm for that size three years ago would have been 440 watts.” But the biggest energy culprit in the media room is the DVR/cable box, because it has to be on 24/7 to record shows. “It’s a mini-computer with a hard drive and operating system drawing 400 watts, versus the very basic digital transport adapter box that draws 16 watts. It adds up, especially when you have multiple systems,” Jaques explains. The green choice here is to forgo the DVR, or turn it off when you’re away. Programming a vacation mode makes automating your home’s electronics easy. “You hit one button when you leave and the whole house goes into a hibernation mode, so the only things running are the essentials like the fridge,” Jaques says. Smart home automation systems that can adjust lights, temperature, drapes and audio/video components are particularly effective for vacation homes that are closed up for a long period of time. “It’s the same idea of turning off the non-essentials, but the system learns the activity of your household while you’re there, then replays your lighting sequences as if you were living there but trimmed to 50 percent. It beats the single lamp on a timer hands down for security purposes,” Jaques says.
Room nLiving There’s no reason not to have a totally green living room from floor to ceiling. Start with an EcoSmart ventless fireplace for ambience. It burns bioethanol, a renewable carbon-neutral fuel, and comes in many striking designs, from standalone pieces to fireplace inserts. When it burns, it gives off carbon dioxide and water vapor, just like when a person exhales, explains David Sanborn, owner of EcoModern Design in Boston. If you like the look of wood for your walls, there are more than 200 varieties of FSC-certified or reconsti-