HOME AUTOMATION: Automating your home with Crestron “go green” plan

“Heating and cooling systems in the U.S. emit 150 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, and also generate 12% of the nation’s sulfur dioxide and 4% of its nitrogen oxide, the chief ingredients in acid rain,” according to data that accompanies Crestron’s recent “Green Paper” entitled Intelligent Efficiency: Crestron Makes Life Greener.  How can we control the usage of these home systems (heating, AC, lighting, sprinklers, audio/visual) better, and optimize the duration and timing they remain in operation?  Home Automation.   

I had my first exposure to home automation while working with Kaleidescape whole house video/audio systems (not ENERGY STAR rated) some years back, and later working with Siemens.  Home automation systems and controls (like Crestron) can cut down the energy you use in your home.  With a home automation system you can automate the lighting in your home, as well as Heating, AC, computer and audio/visual to only operate during times it is needed, and to shut off automatically.  According to the Crestron paper, the potential savings on energy in your home can be 3% for scheduling and dimming lights, and 4% for automating thermostats — based on a 4,000 square foot home where lighting accounts for 10% of total energy usage and heating/cooling accounts for 31%.

In addition to the green paper, the Crestron team has a ”green” area of their website, www.crestron.com/gogreen.  GetWithGreen.com recommends taking a look at these systems and controls as you do your remodel.   A good time to get them quoted is once your architectural drawings are completed.  Typically you will purchase the systems through an audio/visual specialist in your area.

With their recent announcement, Crestron also published a 7-page “Green Paper”, entitled The paper discusses

Download the Crestron paper.  Note you will need to Name, Email, and State to get access. 

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The Robb Report talks extravagent Green Living in March

In case you didn’t catch it on the newstand, The Robb Report Collection issued a new March Green Living edition. This is the first “green” living edition from The Robb Report since November 2006, and there will be a 2nd part later this year. We thought it would be fun to bring you the home improvement/remodel items they discussed. Some may fit into your remodel budget, and some may not…here we go…

From the wallcovering department, using non-solvent inks, we have the Tyntesfield Collection wallpaper from Anna French ($82 per roll).

Also mentioned were Blonder Home Accents Wallpaper ($42 per roll) which have no VOCs, but we couldn’t find the product on the Blonder Home website so we can’t offer you an image at this time. As soon as they send it to us we will bring it to you!

As far as decorative lighting, The RRC highlighted Cascade decorative pendant lighting from the Lisa Fonanarosa Collection by artist Michelle Brand. Made from recycled plastic this elegant lighting retails for $7,600 for 14 feet. British artist Michelle Brand takes the concept of sustainable design to heart by turning the plastic pop bottle into light catching 3-D fabric. Her fanciful flowers define “green” with a fresh clear beauty. Her product range includes pendant lights, window screens and room dividers. “Once a plastic drinks bottle is empty it is perceived as redundant and then thrown away. I wanted to challenge this wasteful paradigm.” Michelle Brand.

Also in the lighting department there are suspended bamboo lights from leo scarff design out of Dublin. These suspended bamboo lights are available from Clodagh Design for $825.

As far as finishes go, Green Living edition highlighted wall surfaces and plaster by LEED Accredited Orit Yanai. Orit Yani works with a “green” material called American Clay Earth Plaster for her finishes.

Moving on to the bathroom, the RRC showed off this this Moso bamboo sink from Stone Forest ($700). This is one of few wood pieces from Stone Forest out of New Mexico.

The Energy Star Asko D3152XL Dishwasher ($950-1,050) was featured as the single appliance in the mix. Specially designed by Swedish manufacturer to use less water and less energy.

Finally to round things out, The Robb Report Collection Green Living edition highlighted Jaclo showerheads. At $630, this “Kimberly” showerhead is more effiecient when purchased “with a flow regulator”. (sneaky!!!)

Well that rounds it out. If you get a chance (and your budget permits), pick up the latest edition of The Robb Report Collection. There are several homes from renowned architects profiled in addition to the products we’ve highlighted above.  Pricey, but nice…

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SWIMMING POOL: How can you save on your pool system today? TightWatt.

Are you putting in a new pool?  Or, maybe you have an older pool?  Have you done any recent research on how you can further save save energy (and $$’s) annually in the operation of your pool pump, and the entire pool system? 

As pool owners, most of us are aware that in the winter there are fewer contaminants in our pool water due to lowered usage, slower algae growth rates, and other factors.   Because of this, most of us do not need to run our systems for the same duration as in summer to achieve acceptable water quality.    Maybe you know this, but do you change the your pool timer as the seasons change?   

Well, there is a smarter solution out there, and it is called the TightWatt.  TightWatt’s are pool timers that have multiple settings, and automatically adjust for season changes. 

TightWatt timers simply replace your existing timer.  Instructions are included so that you can make the swap yourself.  During the easy set-up process you enter the present time and date.  You then decide if you Read more

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