Have you heard of the NFRC? The National Fenestration Rating Council is an independent, non-profit organization that administers a rating system for windows, doors, and skylights, aimed to provide a fair comparison of fenestration energy performance. To certify a product, manufacturers must adhere to the strict NFRC standards.  If you’re in the market for a window or slider, you can search through the entire selection of NFRC-certified products here.  And always look for the NFRC sticker on window products.

In the summer, an ideal window would let in visible light, but prevent heat from entering your home.  Unfortunately, under our current sun, the two often come together.  Reflective or tinted glass reduces heat gain and visible light, often resulting in higher costs for electrical lighting.  On the NFRC label, the amount of visible light that enters through the window is measured as visible transmittance. Visible transmittance ranges from 0 to 1, with 1 allowing the full range of visible light to enter through the glazing.  The solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) declares the glass’ ability to resist heat from direct solar radiation.

In the winter, instead of preventing heat gain, it is more important to prevent heat loss.  A low thermal transmittance (U-factor) shows that a product prevents heat from escaping through conductivity.  The number is affected by conductivity of the frames, airflow around the window, and the emissivity of the glass.  Double glazing, two sheets of glass separated by a narrow air space, cuts the rate of heat loss dramatically.  Low-e (low emissivity) coatings, now available in dual pane and insulated glass windows, help to prevent unwanted energy from being absorbed and radiated into or out of the home.

Want to know which windows LivingHomes uses?  In the first LivingHome, we used aluminum Fleetwood windows and doors.  Fleetwood windows incorporate recycled aluminum and glass and are VOC-free.  In our most recent home, the Kohler LivingHome, we used Andersen Series 100 windows and doors.  Andersen window frames are made of Fibrex, a composite material with pre-consumer recycled content.  Andersen windows also contain reclaimed glass, qualify as SCS Indoor Advantage Gold, and are certified by Green Seal.  With U-factors between 0.29 and 0.46 and SHGC between 0.22 and 0.34, all these windows help maintain indoor comfort in your LivingHome and lower your energy usage and costs.

Sources:

• http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=windows_doors.pr_crit_windows
• http://www.andersenwindows.com/100-Series/index.html
• http://fleetwoodusa.com/

Also, we’ve uploaded even more shots of the Kohler LivingHome from the TED Conference in Long Beach, CA.  Go to gallery.

Each LivingHome uses innovative, eco-friendly surfaces for your kitchen and bathroom counters. For a product to meet our strict sustainability requirements, they must contribute to our Z6 goals.  Countertops can be made of recycled materials that are both durable and beautiful, contributing to Zero Waste by reducing the demand for raw materials and/or for Zero Carbon when there is less or no energy requirement to create or transport the materials.  When the resins and glues that hold these aggregates together are low-emitting, they also contribute to Zero Emissions.

These are some of the products we’ve used in LivingHomes.

PaperStone

Made from 100% post-consumer recycled cardboard or paper, a non-petroleum resin made partially from cashew shell oils, and dyed with organic pigments, PaperStone has a low impact on the environment and contributes to the healthy air inside your LivingHome.  PaperStone is highly abrasion-resistant and absorbs very little water.

The PaperStone Certified line is Smartwood-certified by the Rainforest Alliance to FSC standards.  Additionally, PaperStone publishes its Environmental Impact Statistics here, so that we know exactly how sustainable it is.  In 2006, PaperStone was named a Top Ten Green Building Product by Building Green.

IceStone

IceStone countertops contain 100% recycled glass mixed with concrete.  They are VOC-free, non-toxic, and contain no petroleum-derived material.  The company follows a “Triple Bottom Line” policy that takes financial outcomes and environmental and social performance into account.  IceStone operates manufacturing and office facilities that aim for carbon-neutrality, water conservation, and waste reduction.  IceStone monitors the life cycle of its products by ensuring they can be recycled and encouraging suppliers to improve their own levels of sustainability.  Their mission statement addresses corporate ethics and social responsibility.

A Cradle to Cradle Gold certification ensures that the IceStone uses safe and healthy materials designed for reuse and recycling, efficiently uses energy and water during production, and institutes strategies for social responsibility.  IceStone Countertops won the 2009 Green Log Home Awards

Caesarstone

CaesarStone quartz surfaces utilize post-production recycled quartz reclaimed from the fabrication process and post-consumer recycled glass and mirrors. Quartz, the main component of the countertops, is a plentiful natural resource used to create durable, non-porous, non-toxic surfaces. CaesarStone’s environmental agenda includes a commitment to ecologically responsible production practices, the use of recycled materials, and the implementation of recognized sustainable industry standards.  The company works to reduce their ecological footprint by saving water and energy, re-using post-production industrial materials, using recyclable packaging, and reducing soil pollution and CO2 emissions.

CaesarStone surfaces are designed to comply with international environmental protection standards.  CaesarStone surfaces are GREENGUARD-certified, so they reduce indoor air emissions.

Eco-Cem

Coverings ETC produces a line of Future Friendly ECOverings for glass slabs, concrete slabs, porcelain tiles, and terrazzo tiles and slabs that utilize reclaimed, recycled, recyclable, and naturally occurring materials.  Eco-Cem slabs are a mix of flyash embedded concrete and wood pulp.  Made with post-consumer and pre-consumer content, Eco-Cem saves trees, reduces landfills, and lessen greenhouse gas emissions.  Eco-Cem is also non-toxic and formaldehyde-free.

Coverings ETC’s social responsibility statement includes sustainable practices in their offices and facilities, the production of sustainable products, implementation of green initiatives, and participation in education and charitable programs.

DuPont Zodiaq

The DuPont Zodiaq Terra collection consists of durable, non-porous, GREENGUARD-certified quartz countertops.  These surfaces contain 25-50% post-consumer and pre-consumer recycled content.

DuPont strives to achieve zero emissions and zero waste generation at the source.  A set of 2015 sustainability goals guide DuPont’s efforts to sell products that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, use more non-depletable resources, and help make people safer globally.  DuPont commits itself to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air carcinogens, improving water conservation, and introducing fuel efficent fleet vehicles.  The company also shows its social responsibility through community outreach and education.  DuPont publishes reports of its performance on its website; their 2008 Sustainability Progress Report can be downloaded from here.

All these products play a role in LEED certification for a LivingHome.

We’re always interested in new materials that meet the demands of our environmental program. That is, they must contribute to our Z6 goals: Zero Water, Zero Energy, Zero Waste, Zero Emissions, Zero Carbon, and Zero Ignorance. We look for materials that are produced from recycled or reclaimed materials, are manufactured with sustainable practices that reduce the building’s energy, water, or carbon consumption, and that are durable, recyclable, and beautiful.

These are some of the products we’ve used in LivingHomes.

Plyboo

Bamboo flooring is more sustainable than ordinary wood floors because it is harvested from a fast growing grass instead of slow-growing, old-growth trees. Thus, it takes only 1/10 of the time to grow to harvestable size. And It is durable and resistant to insects and moisture.

In 2008, Plyboo was selected as a “Top 10 Green Building Product” by Building Green. It is the first non wood-based material to achieve FSC certification. PlybooPure is made of FSC-certified bamboo and is now completely Urea and Formaldehyde-free.

Durapalm

Durapalm is a hardwood timber harvested from palm trees. It is produced on plantations, offering an alternative to rainforest hardwoods.

Coconut palms bear fruit until they are 70 years old, so aged trees are felled to make way for young ones on coconut plantations. Historically, this wood has been wasted, but it is a great source of underutilized wood that can be made into flooring, structural lumber, and furniture. Additionally, palm trees lack the imperfections of ordinary wood, like growth rings and branches, and is Urea-Formaldehyde-free.

Durodesign Floating Clic Cork

Cork is harvested from the bark of living cork oak trees, so it is completely renewable. Durodesign’s manufacturing process adds no PVCs or formaldehydes to the cork tiles. Cork also has excellent acoustical and thermal properties, so it dampens sound and is always warm— perfect for bedrooms! It is naturally hypoallergenic, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal.

Sealed Concrete

Originally Uploaded by twinsparc

LivingHomes adds fly ash content to our sealed concrete floors. Fly ash is an industrial byproduct from coal power plants. Fly ash is an abundant, cost-effective material, and it makes concrete stronger, easier to work with, and more resource-efficient! Fly ash enables concrete to flow better in its formwork, so it can reduce water in the concrete mix by 10%. A chemical reaction with the lime in the concrete mix makes concrete with fly ash stronger over time. Fly ash replaces some of the cement used in the mix, and the less cement that is used allows less cement to be produced.

All these products contribute points to LEED certification for a project.