Why go green? Thanks to more efficient heating and cooling, you'll enjoy lower utility bills now and higher resale values later. And who doesn't want a safer, more comfortable environment and a pain-free way to conserve natural resources?

Earth Friendly and Resource Efficient.
Once seen as extreme or eccentric, environmentally friendly living spaces are going mainstream. You don't have to strain your budget or your sense of style to choose a healthy home -- these days, it's easy being green. Here's what's new in environmentally friendly products and materials for the home.

Recycled products are filling the market faster than aluminum cans at a sporting event. Look for rubber and polymer roofing that imitates slate to reduce weight and maintenance. (http://www.certainteed.com/CertainTeed/Building-Responsibly.htm)

Lumber choices may seem confusing. Avoid products produced from old growth timber or endangered tropical hardwoods. Seek out certified and managed forests, recycled or reclaimed wood (salvaged from riverbeds or old buildings), or composites such as hardwood-veneered MDF (medium-density fiberboard) for doors and cabinets. An early green favorite with architects, fast-growing bamboo makes beautiful, durable flooring. Teragren sells bamboo in random lengths, wide planks, and a new "floating" (non-glued) product.

Outdoor products have evolved, too. Treated lumber eliminated arsenic for less toxic preservatives. Formed from ground wood fibers and resin, composite decking and railing won't rot or need painting. (http://www.trex.com/whytrex/environmentallyfriendly.aspx/)

High-performance windows, especially with low-emissivity (low-E) glazings, are among the best-known ways to save energy for heating and cooling. (http://www.andersenwindows.com/)

Structural Insulated Panels are gaining acceptance for use in walls, floors, and roofs. Panels sandwich a rigid foam core (usually expanded polystyrene) between OSB, or oriented strand board. OSB mixes wood strands made from fast-growing trees with wax and a binder to form mats. These mats are layered across each other for strength, then heat-pressed into panels that makers say save time and energy over stick-built construction.

Choosing environmentally friendly building materials doesn't have to be the expensive and risky choice. The green building supplies movement has come a long way since its early days and made great gains in lowering costs and raising performance.

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