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Bulthaup: Monoblock
Monoblock counters are made in various dimensions to
custom specifications. Use them as a kitchen island (no
visible seams between the back, sides, and top) or
against the wall. Base units can integrate burners or
plumbing, and the doors are stainless and handle-free
for the most monolithic look or wood, aluminum, or
lacquer for contrast. Website: www.bulthaup.com.
Monoblock counters are made in various dimensions to
custom specifications. Use them as a kitchen island (no
visible seams between the back, sides, and top) or
against the wall. Base units can integrate burners or
plumbing, and the doors are stainless and handle-free
for the most monolithic look or wood, aluminum, or
lacquer for contrast. Website: www.bulthaup.com.
Helmstown Cabinetmakers: Coffee Caddy
Jimmy Helms' cozy Vaniture collection Coffee Caddy can be built in
sizes that accommodate coffee-making systems (including a
cup-warming drawer) from various manufacturers.
Helms envisions his unique freestanding furniture in offices,
breakfast rooms, master baths, or kitchens. Website:
www.helmstown.com.
Jimmy Helms' cozy Vaniture collection Coffee Caddy can be built in
sizes that accommodate coffee-making systems (including a
cup-warming drawer) from various manufacturers.
Helms envisions his unique freestanding furniture in offices,
breakfast rooms, master baths, or kitchens. Website:
www.helmstown.com.
Left: What is it? Art? Click to discover more!
Above: Palecek Woodland, Scandinavian furnishings. Looks
familiar? Back to the 70's. Clean, simple, nice lines and affordable!
Above: Palecek Woodland, Scandinavian furnishings. Looks
familiar? Back to the 70's. Clean, simple, nice lines and affordable!
 |
Universal Design Click HGTVPro.com for Articles --Baby Boomers Coming of Age --Planning For the Future --Removing Fears of Universal Design --Sensor Activated Faucets --Making Accessibility Stylish |
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Volatile Organic Compounds--
by The Sierra Club
Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are one of the main sources of air pollution in our homes. VOCs are
a huge class of carbon-based chemicals that share a common trait: they are volatile at room temperature,
meaning they readily release gases into the air we breathe.
We’re all familiar with the names–and often the smell–of many VOCs. Formaldehyde, propane, butane, toluene,
acetone–the list goes on and on. Our homes contain hundreds of products that release minute quantities of
these gases: paints, adhesives, carpet, many plastics, cleaning products, and personal care products, to name
a few. Sometimes your nose will detect VOCs, for instance, when you walk into a freshly painted room or open a
bottle of rubbing alcohol. Other times it’s not so obvious. For example, cabinets made with conventional
plywood, medium-density fiberboard, or particle board can emit low levels of carcinogenic formaldehyde for
years after they were first made.
The federal government and some states regulate VOC emissions from certain products. But what these
regulations are concerned with is outdoor air quality–primarily how certain VOCs react with sunlight and other
chemicals in the atmosphere to create smog. While reducing smog is laudable, these regulations do little to
ensure we’re breathing clean air in our homes. In fact, studies have found that levels of many VOCs are
commonly as much as ten times higher inside our homes than outside.
The list of health effects from VOC exposure is enough to scare the daylights out of anyone: nausea; cancer;
memory loss; eye, nose, and throat irritation; kidney, liver, and central nervous system damage. Will you
experience any of these effects due to VOCs in your home? No one knows. (The EPA puts it less bluntly: “At
present, not much is known about what health effects occur from the levels of organics usually found in
homes.”) A lot depends on the level and length of exposure. Also, people react differently: some are very
sensitive to very low levels of chemicals, while others may not notice any ill effects at high levels.
Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to reduce VOC exposure. This list will get you started.
At home
--Ban smoking in your house. Tobacco smoke contains benzene, a VOC linked to leukemia.
When using paints, solvents, and cleaning supplies, ventilate. Open windows to get fresh air, even if it means
wasting some heating or cooling energy.
--Make sure opened containers of paints, solvents, and other harsh chemicals are tightly sealed. If possible,
store them away from your home in a detached garage or shed.
--If your garage is attached to the house, don’t run the car’s engine in the garage. Also make sure the door
between the house and garage is tightly sealed, and seal or caulk any cracks or gaps in the garage walls or
ceiling that could let polluted air escape into the home.
When shopping
--Choose carpet that’s Green Label Plus certified or skip wall-to-wall carpet entirely.
--Choose formaldehyde-free cabinets, furniture, and other composite-wood products.
--Choose zero- or very low-VOC paints, sealants and adhesives.
--Look for products that are certified for low emissions by GreenGuard or Scientific Certification Systems (SCS).
--Choose formaldehyde-free sheets and other textiles.
--Choose low-toxic cleaning products.
--Buy clothes that don’t need dry cleaning or use a green dry cleaner. Conventional dry cleaners use toxic
perchloroethylene, which can pollute your air. If you can’t avoid conventional dry cleaning, air newly cleaned
clothes outside before bringing them inside.
--Avoid or minimize your exposure to products containing methylene chloride, a particularly toxic VOC. It’s found
in spray paints and solvents like paint stripper and adhesive removers.
by The Sierra Club
Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are one of the main sources of air pollution in our homes. VOCs are
a huge class of carbon-based chemicals that share a common trait: they are volatile at room temperature,
meaning they readily release gases into the air we breathe.
We’re all familiar with the names–and often the smell–of many VOCs. Formaldehyde, propane, butane, toluene,
acetone–the list goes on and on. Our homes contain hundreds of products that release minute quantities of
these gases: paints, adhesives, carpet, many plastics, cleaning products, and personal care products, to name
a few. Sometimes your nose will detect VOCs, for instance, when you walk into a freshly painted room or open a
bottle of rubbing alcohol. Other times it’s not so obvious. For example, cabinets made with conventional
plywood, medium-density fiberboard, or particle board can emit low levels of carcinogenic formaldehyde for
years after they were first made.
The federal government and some states regulate VOC emissions from certain products. But what these
regulations are concerned with is outdoor air quality–primarily how certain VOCs react with sunlight and other
chemicals in the atmosphere to create smog. While reducing smog is laudable, these regulations do little to
ensure we’re breathing clean air in our homes. In fact, studies have found that levels of many VOCs are
commonly as much as ten times higher inside our homes than outside.
The list of health effects from VOC exposure is enough to scare the daylights out of anyone: nausea; cancer;
memory loss; eye, nose, and throat irritation; kidney, liver, and central nervous system damage. Will you
experience any of these effects due to VOCs in your home? No one knows. (The EPA puts it less bluntly: “At
present, not much is known about what health effects occur from the levels of organics usually found in
homes.”) A lot depends on the level and length of exposure. Also, people react differently: some are very
sensitive to very low levels of chemicals, while others may not notice any ill effects at high levels.
Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to reduce VOC exposure. This list will get you started.
At home
--Ban smoking in your house. Tobacco smoke contains benzene, a VOC linked to leukemia.
When using paints, solvents, and cleaning supplies, ventilate. Open windows to get fresh air, even if it means
wasting some heating or cooling energy.
--Make sure opened containers of paints, solvents, and other harsh chemicals are tightly sealed. If possible,
store them away from your home in a detached garage or shed.
--If your garage is attached to the house, don’t run the car’s engine in the garage. Also make sure the door
between the house and garage is tightly sealed, and seal or caulk any cracks or gaps in the garage walls or
ceiling that could let polluted air escape into the home.
When shopping
--Choose carpet that’s Green Label Plus certified or skip wall-to-wall carpet entirely.
--Choose formaldehyde-free cabinets, furniture, and other composite-wood products.
--Choose zero- or very low-VOC paints, sealants and adhesives.
--Look for products that are certified for low emissions by GreenGuard or Scientific Certification Systems (SCS).
--Choose formaldehyde-free sheets and other textiles.
--Choose low-toxic cleaning products.
--Buy clothes that don’t need dry cleaning or use a green dry cleaner. Conventional dry cleaners use toxic
perchloroethylene, which can pollute your air. If you can’t avoid conventional dry cleaning, air newly cleaned
clothes outside before bringing them inside.
--Avoid or minimize your exposure to products containing methylene chloride, a particularly toxic VOC. It’s found
in spray paints and solvents like paint stripper and adhesive removers.
Going Solar: What’s in It for You
by The Sierra Club
Residential solar energy systems fall into two categories: solar electric systems
and solar hot water systems.
Solar hot water systems, also called solar thermal systems because they capture
heat, can provide hot water for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry, and other household
uses. They can also be used to heat homes, pools, and hot tubs. Solar electric
systems, also called photovoltaic (PV) systems, convert the sun’s energy into
electricity that can power buildings. Not every household can benefit from a PV or
solar hot water system. If your electricity or water heating costs are extremely low,
or if you have too much shade on your roof or property, a solar energy system
may not make sense.
But for many people, the energy savings from a PV or solar hot water system will
eventually save money, after you’ve recouped the system’s initial cost. In addition,
the system can lock in your energy costs, giving you a hedge against future
energy price increases.
Although most solar homes still use some fossil-fuel energy, it is possible to meet
your home’s entire energy needs with solar electric and solar hot water systems.
And as plug-in hybrids and electric cars become more available, someday you may
be able to run your car on the sun’s energy.
Solar energy systems may even increase the value of your home. According to the
U.S. Department of Energy, a solar energy system may add $10 to $20 to your
home’s worth for every dollar in energy costs saved in one year. For example, a
system that reduces energy costs by $500 per year might add $5,000 to $10,000
to the home’s value. An added bonus: solar panels can help extend your roof’s life
by protecting it from ultraviolet rays and weather.
by The Sierra Club
Residential solar energy systems fall into two categories: solar electric systems
and solar hot water systems.
Solar hot water systems, also called solar thermal systems because they capture
heat, can provide hot water for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry, and other household
uses. They can also be used to heat homes, pools, and hot tubs. Solar electric
systems, also called photovoltaic (PV) systems, convert the sun’s energy into
electricity that can power buildings. Not every household can benefit from a PV or
solar hot water system. If your electricity or water heating costs are extremely low,
or if you have too much shade on your roof or property, a solar energy system
may not make sense.
But for many people, the energy savings from a PV or solar hot water system will
eventually save money, after you’ve recouped the system’s initial cost. In addition,
the system can lock in your energy costs, giving you a hedge against future
energy price increases.
Although most solar homes still use some fossil-fuel energy, it is possible to meet
your home’s entire energy needs with solar electric and solar hot water systems.
And as plug-in hybrids and electric cars become more available, someday you may
be able to run your car on the sun’s energy.
Solar energy systems may even increase the value of your home. According to the
U.S. Department of Energy, a solar energy system may add $10 to $20 to your
home’s worth for every dollar in energy costs saved in one year. For example, a
system that reduces energy costs by $500 per year might add $5,000 to $10,000
to the home’s value. An added bonus: solar panels can help extend your roof’s life
by protecting it from ultraviolet rays and weather.
