Build a Greener Home with These Labels

by Lauren Busser Direct from the Designers™’ Editorial Director

It’s Energy Awareness Month and as you work on your next building project you may be thinking about ways to help preserve our environment, as well as money. There are a number of tips you can use to save money and electricity and when you begin to shop for appliances and fixtures for your home you may find certain energy-efficient names and other programs on the labels that you have never encountered before. Here are a few of the names to look for that will help you build a greener home.

ENERGY STAR®

ENERGY STAR® is a federally backed initiative who's goal is to provide consumers with energy-efficient products that don’t compromise on performance. ENERGY STAR® aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants that are caused by inefficient energy consumption and make it easy for customers to identify and purchase energy-efficient products that offer significant savings on their energy bills.

ENERGY STAR® products can be found everywhere and if you want to do some research on brands or compare products you can search through their catalogue of products which all wear the ENERGY STAR® label.

For energy-efficient windows trust the ENERGY STAR® rated All Ultrex Glider Windows from Integrity® by Marvin® Windows and Doors. And the glider windows aren’t the only ENERGY STAR® product that Integrity® carries. All standard Integrity products meet or exceed ENERGY STAR® standards. Read more about their dedication to energy efficiency here.

WaterSense®

WaterSense® is an EPA partnership program that helps consumers choose products that will help them conserve water effectively and without compromise. When you see a WaterSense® label on a fixture, it ensures that it is independently certified to help you save water, energy, and money as well as support new innovations in manufacturing.

A product with a WaterSense® label means that it will perform as well or better than its less efficient competition, saving 20 percent more water than average products in that category, and realize water savings on a national level.

You can find many WaterSense® labeled products at the WaterSense® website.

Cradle to Cradle

If you see the words Cradle to Cradle^CM on a product or website that means that the product has gone through a rigorous testing process that ensures it is safe, healthy and endlessly reusable. The Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute aims to bring about a large scale transformation in the way that things are made.

They have five levels of certification starting with Basic. Manufacturers can start at the Basic level and move through Bronze, Silver and Gold until they reach the ideal level, Platinum. Certification looks at five areas: material health, material reutilization, renewable energy use, water stewardship, and social fairness. There are already many organizations that bear the Cradle to Cradle^CM certification ranging from cleaning products to clothing and building supplies. Find more products here and see how you can build a greener home.

Shopping for products with these certifications means that you will not only save money but you will also help the environment. With everything from energy efficient faucets to beautiful surfaces made in a sustainable way, your new home can be green and still very fashionable at the same time.