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Green home resources

Our click-and-go guide to earth-friendly materials

Sunset

GREEN GLOSSARY

Active solar energy: Energy created from exposure to the sun, captured through equipment installed in buildings; used to generate energy and heat.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs): Fluorescent lighting that uses up to one quarter the energy of incandescent bulbs, producing the same output with a lifespan up to 10 times longer.

Drip irrigation: Landscape watering through small, perforated underground pipes that deliver water to roots of plants, slowing evaporation.

Dual flush: Long popular in Europe and Asia, a dual flush toilet system reduces overall water consumption by providing two different flushing forces.

Energy Star: A government-backed program that encourages production and use of household products that use less energy, save money, and help protect the environment. To gain the Energy Star rating, products must meet stringent energy efficiency criteria set by the U. S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Engineered wood: A wood product derived from fast-growing, small-diameter trees as well as from wood strands, veneers, lumber, and other forms of wood fiber that might otherwise be discarded.

Fly ash: A byproduct of coal-burning power plants, which is usually dumped in landfills. Fly ash has binding properties similar to cement and can be substituted for the large portions of cement used when making concrete. Also used as an ingredient in brick, block, paving, and structural fills.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): A nonprofit organization that sets environmental standards for forest management worldwide. FSC-certified wood is sustainably harvested, helping to conserve old-growth forests and the ecosystems they support.

Gray water: Wastewater from sinks, showers, and laundry that is reused for irrigation systems.

Low-E windows: Low emissivity glass has a clear coating that absorbs and reflects radiant heat and UV rays, helping to keep your home cooler in summer and warmer in the winter.

Low VOC: Volatile organic compounds (VOC) area chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature. The term “organic” indicates that the compounds contain carbon which off-gasses and pollutes the air. Paints and materials with low VOCs have low levels of toxicity.

Natural fiber fabrics: Materials such as cotton, wool, silk, and linen that are biodegradable and require little energy to process.

Passive solar energy: Energy created from exposure to the sun, captured primarily through the design and orientation of a building.

Permeable pavers: Allows rainwater to rapidly infiltrate and enter the sub-base where it is naturally filtered, rather than run off into storm sewers.

Photovoltaic array (PV): Rooftop solar panel system that directly converts sunlight into electricity via an electrical inverter connected to your power meter.

Radiant barrier: A thin layer of metallic foil bonded to roof sheathing, reflecting up to 97 percent of the sun’s heat. Reduces indoor temperatures during peak summer days.

Rainwater harvesting: Storage of rain runoff from downspouts, gutters, and roofs collected in large barrels or tanks for use in landscape irrigation.

Tankless water heater: Up to 70 percent more efficient than traditional water heaters, tankless water heaters provide hot water on demand, reduce or eliminate standby losses, use less space, and last longer than conventional water heaters.

Title 24: Part of the California energy code, revised standards for new home construction require that 50 percent of light output in kitchens derive from high efficiency fluorescent bulbs.

Wheat board: Non toxic particleboard made from 60 million tons of straw waste produced in the U. S. each year and used for furniture, cabinetry, and countertop substrate. Bales of wheat straw are milled into fine particles, and then sorted, dried, and bound together with a formaldehyde-free resin.

Xeriscape: Low-water landscaping with slow-growing, drought-tolerant plants in order to conserve water and reduce yard trimmings. Xeriscapes generally require less maintenance, fertilizer, and pest control than traditional landscapes.

ACCESSORIES

Bamboo Trays

Esque
503/289-6392

Fitzsu Society
323/655-1908

Mi-Workshop
619/231-7985

One Earth One Design
888/270-7005

Bedding

Fold Bedding / 100 percent wool Wave Wool
510/232-5018

Home Accents

Branch
415/341-1824

Esque
503/289-6392

Fitzsu Society
323/655-1908

One Earth One Design
888/270-7005

Resource Revival
800/866-8823

Recycled glass drawer pulls

Spectra Decor
800/550-1986

Recycled glass plates

Viva Terra
800/233-6011


APPLIANCES

Energy-star-rated

Electrolux
877/435-3287

GE Appliances
800/626-2005

Jenn-Air
800/536-6247

Whirlpool
866/698-2538


AWNINGS

Motorized

ERS Shading

408/629-3740


CABINETS AND SHELVING


Cabinet maker

Neil Kelly Cabinets
503/335-9207

Nontoxic laminate veneer

Abet Laminati
800/228-2238

Reclaimed wood

Certified Forest Products
800/993-9113

Historic Woods
801/835-3476

Yankin’s Reclaimed Materials
530/587-3700

Recycled teak storage shelves

The Wooden Duck
415/453-0345

Resin panels

3form / EcoResin, a 40 percent recycled polyester resin
800/726-0126

Lumicor
888/586-4267

Wood substitute

Kirei Board
619/236-9924

COUNTERS AND SINKS


Bamboo

Smith & Fong Plyboo
866/835-9859

Teragren
800/929-6333

Concrete with fly ash and porcelain

Designed by Michelle Kaufmann Designs / from recycled toilets
510/271-8015
Built by Concreteworks
510/534-7141

Concrete with recycled rice hulls

Concreteworks
510/534-7141

Concrete with stones

Mark Concrete
831/632-0845

Crushed quartz

CaesarStone
818/779-0999

DuPont Zodiaq
800/906-7765

Paper and phenolic resin

Richlite
888/383-5533

Reclaimed wood

TerraMai / reclaimed teak
800/220-9062

Recycled cast aluminum

Eleek
503/232-5526

Recycled glass

EnviroGlas Products
888/523-7894

Syndecrete
310/829-9704

Vetrazzo
510/234-5550

Recycled metal

Renewed Materials
301/320-0042

Recycled paper

PaperStone
360/538-9815

Sustainable wood

Endura Wood Products
866/263-3939

Windfall Lumber
360/352-2250


DECKING


Composite wood

Evergrain Decking
800/253-1401

Latitudes Decking and Railing
800/598-9663 or 877/463-8379

Trex
800/289-8739


DRIVEWAY


Pervious driveway stone

Pavestone
530/795-4400


EXTERIOR WALL SURFACES


Fiber cement

Cembonit from Cement Board Fabricators
800/366-5378

James Hardie Building Products
866/442-7343


FIREPLACES

Alcohol-fuel, flue-less burner

EcoSmart Fire
213/382-5656

Marin Outdoor Living
866/854-2649

Logs

Duraflame / AnyFire log, made of bio-wax and is clean-burning
209/461-6600


FLOOR COVERING


Nontoxic adhesive backing

Mohawk Flooring
800/266-4295

Seagrass matting

Cost Plus World Market
877/967-5362

FLOORING


Bamboo

Gammapar
800/283-5667

Smith & Fong Plyboo
866/835-9859

Coconut Palm

Smith & Fong Durapalm
866/835-9859

Cork

Expanko
800/345-6202

Natural Cork
800/404-2675

Nova Distinctive Floors
866/576-2458

Dakota Burl

Environ Biocomposites / bio-based material created from sunflower hulls
800/324-8187

FSC-certified wood (Forest Stewardship Council)

Beronio Lumber
415/824-4300

Linoleum

Forbo Linoleum
570/459-0771
Available from ecohaus, 800/281-9785 and Eco Design Resources, 650/369-5001

Reclaimed wood

Black’s Farmwood
877/321-9663

TerraMai
800/220-9062

Wood

EcoTimber / certified hardwood and engineered flooring
888/801-0855

Wood substitute

Teragren
800/929-6333

Recycled tile

Terra Green Ceramics
765/935-4760

Tile

Crossville / EcoCycle, recycled porcelain
931/484-2110

Fireclay Tile / Debris series has 50 percent recycled materials
408/275-1182


FURNISHINGS


Armchairs

Kenneth Cobonpue (for distributors) / La Luna armchair made of handwoven rattan vines over a sustainably harvested mahogany wood frame
888/889-9005

Area rugs

BPSRugs / online rug collection contains a minimum of 10 percent recycled content; mill operates with 100 percent renewable electricity
800/423-4709, ext. 3

Branch / round floor mat handmade of recycled vintage leather belts at TING Studios in the United Kingdom
415/341-1824

Merida / Festival from the Woodstock Collection, 53 percent wool and 47 percent paper
800/345-2200

Patricia M. Baun / hand painted canvas rug
604/879-7775

Beds

Maria Yee / Bamboo Timbre Mondo bed
831/457-2900

Room & Board / sustainably harvested cherry Anders Bed
800/301-9720

Chairs

Palecek / Seagrass Havana Slipper Chair
800/274-7730

Coffee tables

Alex Suvajac / bamboo, water-based glue, non-VOC coating
778/836-1328

Dining tables

Designed by Michelle Kaufmann Designs / made of concrete and rice hulls
510/271-8015
Manufactured by Concrete Works
510/534-7141

Foot stools

Kenneth Cobonpue (for distributors) / made of bamboo and recycled plastic
888/889-9005

Lounge chair

McGuire Furniture / Copenhagen Lounge Chair with recycled industrial materials
800/662-4847

Sidetables

McGuire Furniture / Ironwood Stump Table, hand-carved from fallen ironwood trees
800/662-4847

Sofabed

Janus et Cie / Maui Sofa Bed, kraft paper twisted around steel wire
310/652-7090

Stool-side table

Kenneth Cobonpue (for distributors) / Chiquita Stool, natural rattan poles and molded steel base
888/889-9005

Throw pillows

Branch / Hoodoo pillow of reclaimed Ultrasuede filled with down and feathers by Galya Rosenfeld
415/341-1824


INSULATION


Formaldehyde-free insulation

Johns Manville / EasyFit insulation, fiberglass strands that improve heat resistance and sound control
800/654-3103

Radiant-barrier sheathing

Bonded Logic / UltraTouch, recycled denim
480/812-9114

Louisiana Pacific / TechShield, prevents radiant heat from entering an attic
888/820-0325


KITCHEN AND BATH PLUMBING FIXTURES


Bathroom faucets

Kohler / Kohler Stillness® widespread lavatory faucet, #K-942-4
800/456-4537

Kitchen faucets

Kohler / Kohler low flow “Coralais”
800/456-4537

Shower

Kohler / Kohler MasterShower Ecofficient showerhead with mixer – Kohler Stillness thermostatic valve trim
800/456-4537

Showerheads

Danze
877/530-3344

Delta
800/345-3358

Hansgrohe / Axor Terrano
800/334-0455

Kohler
800/456-4537

Moen / Showhouse
800/289-6636

Ondine
800/423-9485

Oxygenics
800/344-3242

Rohl
800/777-9762

Toilets

Kohler / Kohler, dual flush, “Escale”
800/456-4537


LANDSCAPE


Lighting

Environmental lights / LED lighting
888/880-1880

Mulch

Building REsources / Red Shovel Glass Company, recycled glass mulch and recycled ceramic shard gravel
415/285-7814

Building REsources / tumbled recycled glass
415/285-7814

Green Waste Recycle Yard / from salvaged and reclaimed urban forests
510/527-8733

Pits in Pieces / recycled peach pits
303/562-7080

Plants

Berkeley Horticultural Village Nurseries
866/874-4443

North Coast Native Nursery
707/769-1213

Pacific Nurseries
650/755-2330

Succulent Gardens
831/632-0482

Suncrest Nurseries
Available from Sloat Garden Center
415/566-4415

Synthetic lawn

SYNlawn / artificial turf made using soybean oil, post-industrial waste, and recycled plastics.
866/796-5296


LIGHTING


Fixtures

Alexander Lighting
206/624-7357

American Fluorescent
Available from Lamps Plus
847/249-5970

Fluorescent bulbs

MaxLite / MiniCandle
800/555-5629

Sylvania Dulux
978/777-1900

LED

Progress Lighting
864/599-6000

Pendant lamp

Allsop Home and Garden / solar lanterns
866/425-5767

Greenlight Concepts
415/702-5655

Propellor Design / Furrows Pendant Lamp from reclaimed wood
604/682-6665

Sensors and dimmers

Lutron Electronics Company / Maestro IR remote-control dimmer
888/588-7661

Watt Stopper / Vacancy Sensor switch
800/927-9287


MODULAR


Prefabs

Glidehouse by Michelle Kaufmann Designs
510/271-8015

mkLotus by Michelle Kaufmann Designs
510/271-8015,

Sunset Breezehouse by Michelle Kaufmann Designs
510/271-8015


OUTDOOR FURNITURE


Concrete furniture

Concreteworks
510/534-7141

Deck chairs

Loll Designs / Emmett Chair, 80 percent post-industrial recycled plastic
877/740-3387 x 106

Reclaimed redwood furniture

Tom Schot Benches
831/462-0730


PAINT


Clay-based

Benjamin Moore Aura / low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints
800/344-0400

BioShield Paint
800/621-2591

Kelley-Moore / E cote, recycled paint products
888/677-2468

Yolo Colorhouse / no-VOC paints
877/493-8275


ROOFING


Living roof

Rana Creek Living Architecture Division
831/659-3820

Metal roofs

ASC Building Products / steel roofing and siding
800/272-7023

Custom-Bilt Metals / TITAN Cool Roof, highly reflective coatings to minimize heat gain
800/826-7813

Metal Roofing Alliance
360/275-6164

Metal Sales / metal roofing and siding products
800/759-6019

Organizations

EcoroofsEverywhere / information on green roofs
503/740-2051

Greenroofs.com / information on organic green roofs
888/477-1326

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities / green roof industry infrastructure association
416/971-4494

Northwest EcoBuilding Guild Green Roof Project / an organization for sustainable building
206/575-2222


SOLAR


Organizations

American Solar Energy Society
303/443-3130

California’s Solar Living Institute
707/744-2017

DSIRE / Database of State Incentives for Renewables, a project of the North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council & Efficiency
800/336-2786, North Carolina Solar Center

Panels

Kyocera Solar
800/544-6466

Sharp
800/765-2706

SunPower Corporation
408/240-5500

Photovoltaics

Akeena Solar
888/253-3628

Kyocera Solar
800/544-6466

SunPower Corporation
408/240-5500

SunTechnics Energy Systems
888/786-8321

Solar fountain pump and photovoltaic panel

Gaiam Real Goods
877/989-6321

Solar frame

Ready Solar
877/817-3239

Solar modules

Find Solar / directory of renewable energy professionals created through a joint partnership between the American Solar Energy Society, Solar Electric Power Association, Energy Matters LLC, and the U.S. Department of Energy
303/443-3130, American Solar Energy Society

GE Solar
866/750-3150


STRUCTURE AND FRAMING


Engineered wood

Arxx Building Products / insulated concrete forms
800/293-3210

Louisiana Pacific / I joists, Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL), and Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
877/744-5600

Lightweight concrete

Syndecrete
310/829-9704

Rammed earth

Rammed Earth Development
520/623-2784

Structural insulated panels (SIPs)

Insulspan
800/726-3510


TILE


Concrete

Smith-Laredo
866/581-5748

Sonoma Cast Stone
877/939-9929

Recycled ceramic and lavastone

Fireclay Tile
408/275-1182

Recycled glass

Bedrock Industries / recycled glass tile
206/283-7625

Fireclay Tile / Debris series
408/275-1182

Oceanside Glasstile
Available from Ceramic Tile Design
415/575-3785

Sandhill Industries / mosaic blend tiles
208/345-6508

Tree Street Design / handmade tiles
650/879-9027


WATER


Wonderwater / Wonderwater Rain Catchment Systems
530/926-5050


WATER HEATERS


Tankless hot water heaters

Noritz
866/766-7489

Rinnai
866/746-6241


WIND


Southwest Windpower
928/779-9463


WINDOWS AND DOORS


Closet doors

3form / recycled plastic resin Bear Grass
801/649-2500

Low-emissivity glass

Andersen Windows
800/426-4261

Marvin Windows and Doors
888/537-7828

Milgard Windows & Doors
800/645-4273

Pella Windows & Doors
800/374-4758

Sierra Pacific Windows
800/824-7744


WINDOW COVERING


Roman shades

Hartman & Forbes / painted handwoven bamboo ColorWeave shades
888/582-8780

Solar shades

Solar Shading Systems
866/432-4353