The green product resource for your home remodel.

Home audio manufacturer Klipsch, just announced their very high-end Palladium P-39F floorstanding speaker set.   While this speaker qualifies for the high-end remodeler budget ($20,000/pair), we wanted to bring it our audience because we like what Klipsch did with the wood paneling on this product — and we know their are homeowners out there that will purchase these! 

The company moved away from the use of zebrawoodveneer (considered a threatened species), often desired by high-end homeowner’s with home theaters, and replaced it with woods from government controlled harvests.  The team over at ecoustics.com discusses the move in detail, backed up by the recent Klipsch press release.   

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“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. 

Because you are putting them in your new kitchens, GetWithGreen.com reported to you months ago that the ENERGY STAR team was working on new energy usage requirements for TVs that are powered “ON”. 

As you may know if you read our review of 50″ plasmas, the ONLY thing ENERGY STAR offers today for is a review of the power TVs use when they are turned “OFF”. 

Today, ENERGY STAR announced that on November 1, 2008 TVs will be required to use 30% less power in the ON mode - if they want to claim Energy Star compliance!  The requirement for televisions over 50 inches would be 318 Watts when turned ON.  In our recent review you will see that today’s ENERGY STAR televisions do not meet the standards, so we are in for some improvements!!

Here is what ENERGY STAR had to say:

(Washington, D.C. - Feb. 5, 2008) Today EPA is announcing a revised Energy Star specification for televisions. Effective Nov. 1, 2008, TVs that carry the Energy Star label will be up to 30 percent more efficient than conventional models and will save energy while they are on and when they are off. The new modifications are expected to prevent greenhouse gas emissions while offering U.S. consumers the very best in terms of feature-rich, high-quality TVs.

“Energy Star’s new specifications for televisions are turning the channel on energy guzzling sets – making them go the way of rabbit-ears and the black and white TV,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.

After the new specification goes into effect, if all TVs sold in the United States meet the Energy Star requirements, the savings in energy costs will grow to about This post continues… �

In the category of home audio and video, the team at ZVOX Audo has just made their first contribution to Energy Star compliant products. 

The new ZVOX 415 single-cabinet home theater system is the company’s first Energy Star Qualified product, which uses a highly-efficient (over 88% efficiency) Energy Star Qualified external power supply.

The ZVOX 415 is a true single-cabinet surround sound system. Unlike many similar systems and “soundbars,” the 415 doesn’t require anything else – no control console, no separate subwoofer cabinet, no other speakers, no speaker wires. Because it’s all in one slim cabinet, the 415 is visually a perfect match for flat-panel TVs. With only one connecting cord and a one-page owner’s manual, it is truly “plug and play.”

The 415 is only This post continues… �

It isn’t our intention to bombard you with information on televisions all at once, but we just found this article written by Rebecca Smith, and thought it was insightful and helpful as you make your project decisions…

Bigger TVs can use up to twice the electricity

By REBECCA SMITH
The Wall Street Journal

Prices for big-screen television sets are dropping, but the cost of home entertainment may still be headed up. That’s because the fancy screens shoppers are lugging home this holiday season consume far more electricity than their old-school predecessors.

Consider that a 42-inch plasma set can consume more electricity than a full-size refrigerator — even when that TV is used only a few hours a day. Powering a fancy TV and full-on entertainment system — with set-top boxes, game consoles, speakers, DVDs and digital video recorders — can add nearly $200 to a family’s annual energy This post continues… �

With After Christmas Sales, and the Super Bowl coming up, it’s time to talk TV’s and power consumption — again.

This time we look specifically at the power consumption of 50″ Plasmas. A 50″ plasma is likely too large to put on your kitchen wall during your remodel, but I’m sure you will be thinking about one for your new media room!

Just like we started our review of 37″ LCDs a couple months back, let’s review the term “power consumption.” There are two parts of power consumption when talking televisions. The first is Standyby Power Consumption (when your TV is turned OFF), and the second is On Mode Power Consumption (when you TV is turned ON)

Standby Power Consumption is what ENERGY STAR uses to rate TVs today. This is the energy your TV uses while it is just sitting there during the day. It is the lowest power consumption mode that cannot be switched OFF by a homeowner. To qualify for ENERGY STAR a television must This post continues… �

At GetWithGreen.com we are fans of LG Electronics, and their work toward ENERGY STAR compliance.  We wanted to share this opportunity with you, because we felt it was an opportunity for you to tell a green eco-friendly story to the world. 

LG has teamed up with YouTube for a video contest.   To enter you create a 15 to 30-second video (recommended timing) from your own footage, photos, real-life situations or one staged and shot specifically for this contest.  Each video should complete the thought, “Life’s Good When…” 

The Top 20 Finalists which will be chosen by a special panel will each be awarded the new LG chocolate phone, and will then move onto the final round where the YouTube audience will decide the Grand, second and third place winners.  By submitting your video you will have a chance to win some of the $30,000 in prizes being offered.

The contest started on September 10, 2007 and ends on November 10, 2007.  Voting on YouTube opens November 14, 2007.  The only restrictions are the contest rules and regulations. The only limit is your imagination. You can view the rules at: Contest Rules.  For a complete list of prizes and general infromation go to:  LG Video Contest

Below is one of the eco-friendly submissions.  Where is yours?  If you submit one, send it to us at GetWithGreen.com, and we will feature it here as well!

Time to talk TV’s, and their power consumption. Today we will look specifically at the power consumption of 37″ LCDs. This is a typical television that many of us hang on the wall in our kitchen as part of the home remodel project.

Before we get to the TVs, let’s discuss power consumption for a moment. There are two parts of power consumption when talking televisions. The first is Standyby Power Consumption (when your TV is turned OFF), and the second is On Mode Power Consumption (when you TV is turned ON)

Standby Power Consumption is what ENERGY STAR uses to rate TVs today. This is the energy your TV uses while it is just sitting there during the day. It is the lowest power consumption mode that cannot be switched OFF by a homeowner. To qualify for ENERGY STAR a television must This post continues… �