Having once fallen out of favor, cork flooring is undergoing a resurgence thanks to its natural sustainability, cushiony feel, longevity and beauty. Cork trees are not damaged during harvesting, making the bark a natural for future flooring needs. Whether you are standing in the kitchen or making a midnight run to the bathroom, your feet will appreciate the warmth and softness only cork can provide.

Image courtesy of DuroDesign http://www.durodesign.com

There is no better time to go green than when building a new home or remodeling an existing structure. As tremendous advances in materials and design have revolutionized the home construction and remodeling industry, it is vital to go into a project with an understanding that stick construction is no longer your primary or sole option.

For the vast majority of Americans, heating and cooling indoor space requires more energy than all other sources and losses combined. As electric and gas prices continue to climb, the simplest solution to reduce heating and cooling costs is to downsize. There are a number of architects that specialize in the design of small upscale homes and communities. Drawing on today’s materials, their creations result in elegant design and efficient utilization of indoor space. Additionally, smaller appliances and cars can reduce materials required for garages and carports.

Image courtesy of Knight Architect http://www.knightarchitect.com

For new construction, one of the most important decisions ought to be made prior to the building process – the location and orientation of the building pad. It would be energy-foolish to build a house in central Texas with countless picture windows embedded into the southern and western facing walls. Change the location to Leadville, Colorado, and such placement would be ideal.

When it comes to building a house, think top-down. Ensure the attic insulation exceeds the code requirements for your location. Attic ventilation is also important for warmer climates. Even the color of the roof can have positive or negative effects on losses and efficiency as you may not want a black roof in warm climates or a white roof in an alpine setting.

Somewhat less important is outer wall insulation, but switching from 2×4 to 2×6 construction gains you almost 2″ of additional insulation. Better yet, ask your builder to employ Insulating Concrete Forms for the outer walls. Unlike traditional stick construction, ICF walls are consistent when it comes to insulating R-value . Steel framing can reduce the need for load-bearing walls, thus lessening wasted space.

Forced air furnaces can be replaced with radiant heat which is more efficient and does not remove humidity from the air. Radiant heat may be applied to second stories by applying a protective coating of Gyp-Crete lightweight concrete. Water heaters are typically second in energy consumption behind heating and cooling. Old style tank water heaters may be replaced by central tankless units that offer hot water on demand which markedly reduces energy requirements. Tankless water heaters are available from such manufacturers as Takagi, Rheem, Rinnai and Noritz.

Move inside and the real excitement begins. New materials such as bamboo and mesquite add sustainable and durable beauty to floors, and cork has undergone a resurgency as builders have been attracted by its cushioning properties, resilience, renewability and durability. Trend-dependent wallpaper can give way to elegant Japanese paper, cork or tile.

Moving into the kitchen, large, bulky refrigerators can be replaced with smaller units. Modular refrigerators and freezers can be integrated into the cabinetry, saving valuable space. Induction ranges with efficiencies of 90% can replace energy-wasting gas and electric models. Smart washers and dryers save water and electricity, and stacked washer/dryer combos can save several feet of precious space. LED light pucks consuming only three watts can be used throughout the kitchen area.

Exquisite light fixtures with shades of paper or glass can soften living and bedrooms. Fluorescent bulbs consume far less than their incandescent counterparts, and LED’s for standard fixtures are on the horizon. Furniture made from sustainable woods such as pine and bamboo can replace hardwoods harvested from rainforests. Smaller, smartly crafted beds, nightstands and dressers can keep everything in scale.

New construction is the ideal time to re-learn everything you thought you knew about homes. The changes in homebuilding are revolutionary. The days of 3,000 square feet cookie-cutter homes are all but gone, with comfortable and urbane smaller homes and cottages poised for a comeback.

With Intel leading the way, great strides have been made toward improving the efficiency of the personal computer. With the rollout of their new 45 nanometer processors, Intel has upped the ante for both performance and efficiency.

What to look for when purchasing a new PC:

1. Purchase an Intel-based computer. At present, AMD processors are nowhere nearly as efficient.
2. Check the chipset manufacturer. Once again, Intel leads the way.
3. Power supply efficiency is extremely important when it comes to overall power consumption. Check the power supply for an 80+ efficiency rating. PC Power and Cooling supplies are a great choice at present.
4. Video – Do not buy a computer with a separate gpu unless you require the video horsepower to play high-resolution games or edit moving video. The new integrated gpus are far superior to their predecessors
5. Some motherboard manufacturers have added epu’s (energy processing units) to their mainboards to further reduce power consumption. Look for EPU on the motherboard box.
6. Do not buy branded, entry-level PC’s as they typically use inefficient processors and power supplies.
7. Have a PC custom-built and designed by a local or regional independent computer store. Look for stores that are members of the Better Business Bureau.
8. Do not buy a larger computer monitor than you need. Bigger displays draw more power than their smaller counterparts.
9. Buy peripherals that have three year warranties as longer warranties typically mean longer service life. Long-term, you will spend less and conserve natural resources.
10. Turn your computer off at night or when leaving the house. The days of running your PC 24/7 are over.

Image courtesy of Samsung

When it comes to modern home entertainment, the television is king.  After two decades of living room bloat, tomorrow’s smaller, more manageable living and great rooms will not necessitate a big screen television. The energy requirements for a large LCD or plasma television can push 1000 watts which is not dissimilar from that of a refrigerator.  Downsizing to a 32″ screen size reduces consumption to 100-150 watts, and careful placement of furnishings can guarantee a quality view for the whole family. Try to avoid plasma televisions due to the extra energy requirements.