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by Tammy Crosby The House Designers' Chief Operating Officer When it comes to building green it is never too early or too late to start looking at sustainable and energy efficient products for every area of your home. Whether you are just starting your build or you are well on your way, our architects have advice for you on their favorite energy efficient products. From major appliances that efficiently use energy and power, to air conditioners that give you the option to go solar, and ENERGY STAR® rated doors and windows there are a remarkable array of energy efficient products on the market. Take a look and see if you can find a product that will increase your home's energy efficiency. |
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Therma-Tru® Classic-Craft® Mahogany Collection™ Keeping a tight seal on your home ensures that the energy you spend heating and cooling your home will not go to waste. Your entry door is very important in that regard, so you'll want a door that comes highly rated for its energy savings. We love Therma-Tru® doors because they have thousands of ENERGY STAR® efficient products that fit seamlessly into your home's exterior style. Among them is the Therma-Tru® Classic-Craft® Mahogany Collection™. This ENERGY STAR® rated product gives you the look of real wood with all the benefits of a fiberglass door. Unlike wooden doors these will resist rotting, cracking, and splitting and they're made from environmentally friendly materials that will last for decades. Model: See if your Therma-Tru® door qualifies for ENERGY STAR® |
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Integrity® All-Ultrex Double Hung Windows In a typical energy audit of your home, the seals on your windows and doors would be checked for leaks. Just like your entry door, if a window's seal is broken it means that heated and cooled air can escape and therefore drive your heating and cooling costs up. How a window is built can also increase its energy efficiency. We love Integrity® by Marvin® Windows and Doors because of their commitment to energy efficiency. Double Hung Windows from Integrity® by Marvin® Windows and Doors puts a contemporary twist on a classic window style while still providing the energy efficiency that environmentally conscious consumers demand. These ENERGY STAR® windows not only provide the energy efficiency that is so important in home building today but they are also easy to maintain, as the sashes tilt inward for easy cleaning. Model: Read about Integrity® by Marvin's® commitment to energy efficiency |
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Whirlpool® 4.3 cu. ft. Duet® Steam Front Load Washer and Dryer ENERGY STAR® appliances are one of the best ways to raise your home's energy savings and if there is one thing that you will constantly be using, it's your washer and dryer. Whirlpool's® 4.3 cu. ft. Duet® Steam Front Load Washer and Dryer are an efficient team that will help make laundry less of a chore. Thanks to the Precision Dispense Ultra technology, the washer will help you keep your clothes looking new longer and saves nearly 10 percent in detergent costs. The 12-Hour FanFresh® option with Dynamic Venting Technology® activates a built in fan when the wash cycle is over, tumbling clothes for up to twelve hours so that you can dry a small load of clothes right in the washer. The Active Spray technology evenly coats your clothes with a cone-shaped spray pattern. The 7.4 cu. ft. Duet® Steam Electric Dryer with Advanced Moisture Sensing is the perfect companion since it virtually eliminates shrinking and over-drying. It features three sensors that monitor temperature and moisture levels within the chamber and stops when the clothes are perfectly dry. Model: See more about Whirlpool's® sustainability |
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KitchenAid® 24 Cu. Ft. Standard-Depth Four Door French Door Refrigerator A modern refrigerator is important if you are looking to cut down on your energy consumption. The best way to do that is to replace an obsolete unit with an ENERGY STAR® model. French door refrigerators are a popular configuration now and that is why we love the KitchenAid® 24 Cu.Ft. Standard-Depth Four Door French Door Refrigerator. Not only is this refrigerator ENERGY STAR® qualified but it it is designed so that all stored items are easy to find and retrieve. This KitchenAid® freestanding French door refrigerator features an independent refrigerated drawer, a feature we particularly like. It features five adjustable compartments that can be customized to fit everything from small treats to a party tray. Model: See more ENERGY STAR® qualified refrigerators from KitchenAid® |
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Delta® Fuse™ Collection Smart water use is another way to improve on your home's energy efficiency. An energy efficient faucet can go a long way towards helping you decrease unnecessary water consumption. Delta® faucets offers many water efficient faucets that are designed to help you use less water. All of their water efficient products meet CALGreen standards. Water efficient kitchen faucets like The Fuse™ Collection model featured here use only 1.5 to 1.8 gallons per minute compared with the industry standard of 2.2 gallons per minute. Delta feels that an extraordinary faucet should look the part. The Fuse™ Collection for example uses a little dash of color to give your kitchen an artistic element. Add soft, contemporary style and outfit it with cutting-edge features and you have a collection of faucets that are designed to be innovative and elegant, as well as water efficient. Model: See more water efficient faucets from Delta® |
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Brondell® Swash® 1000 Bidet Seat Did you know that Americans use over 34 million rolls of toilet paper everyday? Brondell® does and that's why they've innovated their line of Swash® bidet seats. An enormous amount of water and chemicals goes into the production of toilet paper and so Brondell® has innovated their Swash® Bidet Seats to use less water and drastically reduce the amount of toilet paper used by as much as 75 to 100 percent. Installing a bidet seat such as the Brondell® Swash® 1000 Bidet Seat can help reduce the amount of electricity, greenhouse gases, trees and water consumed making it a great product to install in your energy-efficient home. Model: See more Brondell® bidet seats |
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CertainTeed® Cedarboards™ Insulated Vinyl Siding Building a green home starts with the building process itself. Insulation is one of the key factors in building a green home. It helps you use energy more efficiently and makes your home more comfortable. That's why we love CertainTeed® Cedarboards® Vinyl Siding. Not only does the insulation help you keep your home heated and cooled effectively, but it is also created to be environmentally friendly. CedarBoards® D6 contains up to 73 percent post-consumer waste and almost 100 percent of the raw materials are used in the manufacturing process, reducing landfill waste to near zero. The installation also eliminates the need for painting and caulking. All that is needed to maintain your vinyl siding is an occasional cleaning with soap and water. The minimal maintenance involved with CedarBoards® means that your project will have less environmental and economic impact. Model: Read more about CertainTeed's® sustainability practices |
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Owens Corning® EcoTouch® Insulation When you are building your home you want to make sure you have adequate insulation. The right amount of insulation in the right places means that your home will be able to heat and cool itself efficiently. When you are ready to insulate your home consult your contractor and make sure you take the time to make the best decision for your home, not just the easiest. And if you want an insulation that is also environmentally friendly, then consider Owens Corning® EcoTouch® Insulation. EcoTouch® insulation is easier to cut, split and install than other fiberglass insulation products. EcoTouch is also designed to completely fill the cavity, eliminating the need for additional handwork. EcoTouch® insulation also has several sustainable qualities to it. It is certified to include a minimum of 58 percent total recycled content, is Greenguard verified to be formaldehyde free and contains more than 99 percent natural ingredients. Model: Read more about Owens Corning® EcoTouch® Insulation |
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Air King® ENERGY STAR® Qualified ECO Humidity Sensing Exhaust Fans If you are going to insulate your home you want to make sure that you have proper ventilation so that the air continues to move. If you want great ENERGY STAR® qualified ventilation fans, look no further than Air King®. Air King® offers several varieties of ENERGY STAR® approved products including exhaust fans, whole-house continuous ventilation and under-cabinet range hoods. All of their products are designed to exceed expectations for style, performance and value while significantly improving indoor air quality. We especially love the Air King® ENERGY STAR® Qualified ECO Humidity Sensing Exhaust Fans because of their built-in humidistat that senses the humidity level in the room and turns on the fan until the humidity level is below a preset amount. Model: See all ENERGY STAR® Qualified Products |
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Heliodyne® Solar Hot Water You can't get greener than using solar energy. But solar energy isn't just used to generate electricity—it can also be used to heat water. Systems from Heliodyne® Solar Hot Water are a great way to help the environment, save on your utility bills, and add value to your home. A solar hot water system can lower a home's electricity and gas heating costs by up to 20 percent and since the energy is clean and renewable you can feel good about knowing that your hot water heater isn't contributing to global warming. Have a pool you need heated? No problem. Heliodyne® offers its Solar Pool Heating Systems as well. Model: Read about the benefits of Heliodyne Solar Hot Water |
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GE reveal® Light Bulbs One of the easiest ways to increase your home's energy efficiency is to use energy-efficient light bulbs. Standard incandescent bulbs can cast a yellow tone on your walls depending on the filament but GE reveal® light bulbs do not. We love GE reveal® Light Bulbs because unlike other bulbs you get efficient LED or CFL technology but with a pure clean light that makes your whites whiter, reds redder, and your patterns pop. With GE reveal® bulbs you can rest assured that the true beauty of your home's furnishings will come to life. And with a variety of bulbs to choose from you can select the ones that best suit your needs with ease. Model: See more GE reveal® Light Bulbs |
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Lennox® XC17 Air Conditioner Just like you want to be able to heat your home effectively you want to make sure that you use an air conditioner that will cool it effectively. That's why we love the Lennox® XC17 Air Conditioner. The SilentComfort™ technology means that you can relax and feel comfortable with quiet energy-efficient cooling all season long. This product was also named one of the Most Efficient ENERGY STAR® Qualified Products in 2014, which means that this product has met stringent EPA standards. As an added bonus, should you decide to go solar in the coming years this unit's SunSource® Solar Ready Option means that you can easily tie this unit into a solar-powered system. Model: See more ENERGY STAR® Qualified Products from Lennox® |
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