Green Florida: Tampa Area Homes Get Eco-Friendly Kitchens

Cabinets
If you’re remodeling and your existing cabinets are still in good shape, consider updating them with water-based, nontoxic paints and finishes. This will divert trash from the landfill, minimize indoor air pollution and save money. 
    You can get a fresh look by switching out old hardware for new handles, pulls and knobs made from natural, renewable or recycled materials such as wood, stone, glass, metal and even bone (a by-product of the food industry). Check out www.natureshardware.com for a look at what’s available these days.
    If you’re installing new cabinetry, consider pieces made from bamboo, reclaimed wood, alternative products such as wheatboard or wood that’s been certified as sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council. 
    Avoid cabinets that have been put together with toxic chemical adhesives and other treatments, which can compromise indoor air quality.
    The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association certifies eco-friendly products and manufacturers through its Environmental Stewardship Program. For a list of cabinet companies and brands that have earned the ESP seal, see www.greencabinetsource.org.

Countertops and Backsplashes
Before you set your heart on the ever-popular granite, take a look at some of the environmentally sound materials on the market these days. You’ll find bamboo, engineered stone and recycled glass as well as recycled paper, banana fibers and hemp.
    A personal favorite: EnviroGLAS countertop slabs, which are manufactured from recycled glass and/or porcelain. Recycled glass countertops are a great choice because they’re stain-resistant, non-porous and nontoxic. Plus, they come in an assortment of colors and they’re gorgeous. 
    Local installers such as Refresh Interiors in Pinellas Park (www.gotgreencountertops.com) can
explain the pros and cons of each choice.

Appliances and Water-Saving Features
Look for the Energy Star label when buying appliances. They’ll use less water and up to 50 percent less energy than standard models. 
    If you have a dishwasher manufactured before 1994 and you replace it with an energy-
efficient alternative, you can save more than $30 a year in utility costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, a sponsor of the Energy Star program. For more information, check www.energystar.gov.
    Remodeling contractor Cathy Byrd of Innovative Restorations in Tampa makes this suggestion for reducing your water usage without compromising water pressure: Attach a low flow-and low-cost aerator to your kitchen faucet.

Flooring
Remember all those years ago, when everyone had linoleum in their kitchens? Turns out it was an environmentally friendly choice and it’s making a comeback. 
    Linoleum is made from natural materials such as linseed oil, rosin and wood flour. It’s also available in plenty of styles and colors and is durable and easy to clean. 
    Other good choices for flooring include materials made from rapidly renewable resources such as cork and bamboo as well as recycled materials.  Cork, which is harvested from the bark of trees, quickly replenishes itself. Bamboo, which is a fast-growing grass, automatically grows a new shoot after being harvested.
    EnviroGLAS, the Texas company that manufactures recycled glass countertops, also crafts stunning terrazzo flooring from recycled bathtubs, sinks and toilets.

Lighting
Swap out your incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs, which can use about 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer. 
    Or consider even more efficient LED lighting, which is fairly new to the market. It’s pricey, but the bulbs offer a brighter light and a longer lifespan. Plus, they’re free of mercury, give off almost no heat and they can be used with dimmer switches.

Food
Buying locally produced food helps support the local economy and minimizes fuel used in transport. Buying organic means you’ll be ingesting food and wine produced without chemical pesticides and herbicides, as well as without antibiotics and hormones. To find sustainable food sources in and around Tampa Bay, check www.organicconsumers.org.

Accessories
Buy products made from natural and renewable materials, salvaged or reclaimed wood and recycled or recyclable content. It’s not as difficult as you might think. 
    You can set your table with organic cotton linens, bamboo placemats and dishes made from recycled glass, which can be used over and over without losing its original quality. 
    Even nonstick cookware has gone eco-friendly. Cuisinart has a line of hard-anodized cookware that’s to be PFOA-free. PFOA is a potentially harmful chemical used to make typical nonstick pans.
    Finally, here are some more simple ways you can green-up your kitchen:

• Instead of tossing scraps into the garbage disposal, compost; your soil and plants 
will thank you.
• Don’t buy disposable dishes made of materials that can’t be recycled and won’t easily break  down in the landfill.
• Wash and reuse plastic storage bags and containers.
• Concoct your own nontoxic cleaning potions, such as a
vinegar-and-water mix for flooring, or buy eco-friendly products.
• Avoid chemical-filled air fresheners.
• For small meals, use a toaster oven or microwave to avoid heating your full-size oven.

Here’s How to Avoid “Greenwashing”
As eco-friendly building has become more popular, a new term has emerged: “greenwashing.”
That’s when companies—builders included—represent themselves as being green strictly as a marketing ploy.
    “I believe this will only get more confusing for the homebuyer, not less,” says Cathy Byrd of Tampa-based Innovative Restorations. “Which organization or company is truly the authority?”
Byrd says to start with your local building department. Which certifiying organizations does it recognize? Some municipalities even have their own green checklists designed specifically for  homeowners and do-it-yourselfers. 
    Following is a brief look at some of the organizations and rating systems you can trust:

The Florida Green Building Coalition
The Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC), a nonprofit organization, offers certification for homes, developments and commercial buildings as well as governmental entities.Homes are scored in categories such as energy, water, site, health, materials and disaster mitigation with minimum scores in each category. A score of 100 or more is needed for certification. Categories for green development certification include resource protection, circulation, utilities, amenities, covenant and deed restrictions and education. A score of 200 or more is needed and no single category can fall below a given threshold. In 2006, FGBC partnered with the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) to promote affordable green building.
www.floridagreenbuilding.org

The National Green Building Program
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has launched a national certification program and offers guidance to builders who want to construct green homes. The voluntary program encompasses not only single-family and multifamily housing but also residential remodeling and site development.To qualify, homes are inspected by local green building experts. Documentation is then reviewed by the NAHB Research Center.
www.nahbgreen.org

The Certified Green Professional
NAHB announced another green initiative during the International Builders Show—the Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation. To achieve the designation, contractors must have a minimum of two years of building industry experience and must take classes that teach green building methods, among other requirements.  
www.nahbgreen.org

Energy Star
Energy Star, which was established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992, is a voluntary labeling program that promotes energy-efficient homes, commercial buildings and products ranging from appliances to computers. The program is less aggressive than most green building programs because it focuses mainly on energy efficiency. To earn the Energy Star label, homes must be at least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20 to 30 percent more efficient than standard homes.
www.energystar.gov.

LEED for Homes
The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes is a voluntary rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes.The residential rating system, which was launched in 2007, uses eight different categories to measure the overall performance of a home. 
    Here’s how it works: Each category contains a specific number of credits and each credit is worth one or more possible points. Homes are given a certification rating based upon the total number of points scored. Basic LEED certification is awarded to homes scoring between 45 and 59 total points. Silver certification is granted to homes scoring between 60 and 74 total points; Gold certification is granted to homes scoring between 75 and 89 total points and Platinum certification is awarded to homes scoring between 90 and 128 total points. 
    So far, more than 540 homes have been LEED certified, including 25 in Florida.  An additional 12,940 have registered under the program and are currently under development. 
    Builders who demonstrate a thorough understanding of green building and the LEED rating system can become a Designated LEED Professional.
www.usgbc.org