Remodeling Contractors

Remodeling a living or dining room is a lot easier than a kitchen or bath. If you are a DIY kind of person, a living or dining room remodel is a great place to start. These projects will be a lot easier than their kitchen or bath counterparts. Not having cabinetry or plumbing issues can greatly simplify a project. By incorporating material choices that are sustainable, your remodel may also become a “green remodeling” project.

Obviously, the greenest choice in a remodel project would be not to remodel at all. You would not need to buy materials, nor would you contribute any waste products. But that would defeat the whole idea of making your space better. The real green remodeling question is how to do it with the smallest impact on the planet.

Replace drafty windows with efficient ones to make your home more green.

Just a Facelift

Not every remodel involves adding space or moving walls around. Swapping out some old, drafty windows with some new efficient ones is a good place to start green remodeling. Installing new flooring and a fresh paint job can also change a room significantly. If your home has proper solar exposure, new windows could also provide some passive solar heating.

New Space

If your renovation includes adding new space or converting other space, chances are high there will be some framing involved. The traditional method has been wood framing, but today, with higher lumber costs, many people opt to frame with steel studs. Steel studs have been used in commercial settings for many years, but now they are gaining popularity in residential green remodeling applications. Not only are they lighter and easier to handle, they can be made from recycled steel, and when they end their life in your home, they can be recycled again.

Healthier Air

Another common goal of remodels is to improve indoor air quality. This may be done with the use of low or zero-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, or by removing allergen-filled carpeting. Hardwood and tile flooring make great choices for living and dining rooms.

Replace drafty windows with efficient ones to make your home more green.

Deconstruction Instead of Demolition

With less and less landfill space, the cost to dump materials is increasing. It only makes sense to use deconstruction techniques, which means taking buildings apart and separating out materials that can be reused. Many cities have implemented mandatory policies for this type of recycling. It may take a bit more time, but you will save on your trash expenses and limit your input to crowded landfills.

Green remodeling makes sense for many reasons, and being kind to the Earth sits at the top of my list. It’s also nice to see that our advancing technologies can provide for more sustainable, cleaner and healthier living. A few years ago, I got the opportunity to install my first lot of recycled cotton insulation. This product is made from industrial scraps of denim and rivals fiberglass in its performance. After a full day of installation in short sleeves, I felt no need to make a mad dash for the nearest shower. Recycled cotton insulation was so pleasant to use that it has been my first choice for projects ever since. Whether your remodel is a simple paint job with no-VOC paints or an addition for passive solar heating built with recycled steel studs, humankind and Mother Earth will thank you for your green efforts.

Learn more about ways to incorporate green technology into your renovations, from low-VOC paint and radiant floor heating to solar power systems for your home.

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Author Kevin Stevens moved to Colorado from Michigan in 1991. He has been a woodworker for over 30 years, and has also worked as a biotechnology engineer. Kevin now runs a remodeling business where he practices green technology and sustainability. He is currently building an off-grid cabin in New Mexico.