Here’s the problem. You practically need a glossary of green terms, organization names, and flooring industry products to decode the slough of relevant abbreviations. Terms such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and medium density fiberboard (MDF) can quickly stymie the would-be green remodeler.

And those who do successfully identify the cleanest, most durable, biodegradable materials may decide that the environmental costs -- nonrenewable supply, water consumption to produce the material, energy costs and emissions to transport the material, etc. -- outweigh the personal benefits.

To further complicate the issue, the only way to avoid long-lasting emissions of formaldehyde, arsenic and other irritants, carcinogens and toxins, is to also use natural finishes and adhesives, and possibly a “lockout” sealant to prevent offgassing from products’ backing.

“Green” may be, as DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen owner Curt Trampe says, “the latest buzz word,” but going green often can feel like aiming for a moving target.

The green equation

Products are called “green” for a variety of reasons. Supply side considerations include environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes (non-polluting, recycling-oriented, low water consumption, etc.), use of renewable natural resources and sustainable harvesting methods, and sourcing materials close to consumers, thereby avoiding built-in transportation costs.

On the consumer side, green products have a low environmental impact, a long, durable lifespan, maintain clean indoor air quality, and can be fully recycled to avoid post-consumer waste.

Under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, building projects are evaluated according to sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environment quality, and innovation and design. An evolving protocol in the years since its inception in 1998, LEED has recently introduced a pilot protocol for home use.

Looking at the LEED standards, or any of the other green guides readily available online, it is possible to select materials that are environmentally friendly, long lasting, healthful and comfortable for the homeowner -- and beautiful. Helpful sites include http://GreenHomeGuide.com, the http://greenguide.com, http://greenbuildermag.com, and others.

Choose your priorities

To keep the process in perspective, any step toward a clean, green lifestyle is a good one and helpful changes can be gradual. Start by identifying the most important issues for your values, budget and lifestyle. A short list compiled from the LEED and GreenHomeGuide web sites, and others, includes:

* Price
* Durability
* Indoor air quality (products that will not offgas or harbor molds, dust, mites, etc.)
* Ease in keeping clean and attractive
* Ability to replace damaged portions in sections without redoing the entire job
* Comfort
* Acoustic requirements of the occupants
* Sustainability of the resource
* Recyclability, biodegradability
* Proximity of source to end use
* Non-polluting manufacturing practices
* Efficient use of water

Don’t attempt to do it all at once, but focus on materials that will achieve your most important considerations first.

Homeowners may be well served to consider what the U.S. Green Building Council Web site calls “shades of green,” from light green to deep green, when undertaking home remodeling products. In that case, whatever the material used, one of the easiest ways to make a project green, says Trampe, is to purchase the correct amount for the job. This will ensure that there isn’t a lot of waste to haul away.

That’s a start.

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BREAKOUT:

For a comparison of green floor options and features, visit http://GreenHomeGuide.com, which includes a materials summary as well as a more in-depth look at hardwood, cork, bamboo, linoleum, and others.
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Green from the ground up -- your home’s environmentally friendly floor

By DiANNE CROWN

A homeowner’s choice of flooring is one of the largest and longest-lasting investments in the house. However, while information from both the green movement and the flooring industry agree on what makes a product “green” -- such as sustainability, clean manufacturing processes, recycled materials, no offgassing in the indoor environment, etc. -- there is no one perfect solution for the homeowner who wants to go green in stages at home.

Flooring retailers, contractors and a wholesale supply house take a look at several green flooring options.

Plyboo -- According to Wayne Shephard, owner of Midwest Fabrication Countertops at 2863 Singer Ave. in Springfield, Plyboo is solid recycled bamboo and coconut. It is as hard as any traditional hardwood used in flooring, and is available in many colors and patterns depending on the cut, installation and finish.

Although most of the bamboo supply is in Asia, which necessitates long-distance shipping to the Midwest, Shephard says Plyboo earns the highest LEED -- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design -- designation. Accordingly, when finished, attached and sealed with natural, non petroleum-based products, Plyboo can wear well and look good for years without offgassing toxic chemicals in the home. It also is biodegradable when removed.

Shephard says Plyboo relates in cost to 100 percent furniture grade hardwood such as maple, cherry or walnut.

Carpet -- Mark Lehman, manager of Springfield’s Calhoun Carpet at 1701 S. Dirksen Parkway, offers green wall-to-wall carpets made from recycled plastic soda bottles. They are available in a wide variety of colors, lengths, pile heights, cut pile and level loops, Lehman says.

Lehman is able to help homeowners compare these recycled fibers to conventional nylon carpets for price, softness, stain resistance, durability, and availability of nontoxic backings.

Linoleum -- “Good old traditional linoleum,” as DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen owner Curt Trampe calls it, is making a comeback. Available in a wide variety of colors and patterns, linoleum is considerably less expensive than tile or hardwood, versatile floor finish that works especially well in high traffic areas.

“It comes standard with a swirl design to it,” Trampe says, “but it comes in about 50 different colors, including some nice bold, bright colors, and you can cut in different colors to make patterns and shapes, like a kid’s initials in the floor.”

It is important to purchase a true, natural linseed oil-based sheeting, manufactured in Europe -- not vinyl, which often is referred to generically as “linoleum,” according to the Web site GreenHomeGuide.com (link “Navigating the Flooring Thicket”).

See a sample and ideas for linoleum at Trampe’s showroom, 4823 Rodger St.

Stone and tile -- Kris Daniels, owner of Daniels Tile in Jacksonville, describes several green features of stone and tile. The durable materials “last a lifetime,” says Daniels. They generally only require minimal sweeping and spot cleaning, minimizing water waste and use of chemical cleaners; are useful in moist and high traffic areas; and are virtually unlimited in color, pattern and custom options. In addition, Daniels says, natural stone waste can be tumbled and recycled into new product.

Cost-wise, stone and tile are comparable to wood, he says, but the additional cost of proper tile installation pushes the final price up.

Proper installation is key to avoid breaking and movement, and to achieve the best, longest-lasting results, Daniels says. From bottom to top, he layers: subfloor, thinset Portland cement-based concrete, concrete board underlayment, thinset adhesive, then tile.

“To avoid floor failure, you can’t just nail or screw the concrete board to the subfloor,” Daniels says.

Wool area rugs -- For variety in color and pattern, untreated wool area rugs provide a world of options. Web sites feature handmade rugs from South America, Europe and Asia, and at least one retail rug center offers an impressive collection here in central Illinois.

Mike Myerscough, owner of Springfield’s Persian Rug Center at 2121 S. Ninth St., considers wool rugs an excellent green investment for the home. According to Myerscough, these rugs are not treated with pesticides or fire retardants and, when cleaned professionally, do not harbor dust, molds, mildew, or microscopic insects.

“We send rugs to Murphy Rug and Furniture Cleaner,” Myerscough says. Murphy’s, a division of the Persian Rug Center, paddles the backs of the rugs to shake the dirt loose, washes the rugs thoroughly with soap and water, rinses them with clear water, and hangs them in the drier where they are rapidly blown dry in high heat. “No germs or insects are left inside” after cleaning, Myerscough says.

Printed with permission from the State Journal-Register, where the story and sidebar were originally published.