Green Home Renovation: Getting Techie

Green Flooring Options:
Linoleum is traditionally made from materials like linseed oil (where the "lin" comes from; it's also known as flax seed oil), cork or wood powder, and a burlap or canvas backing. As such, it can be a very eco-friendly flooring material, but beware: polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is often used these days and the product is still called "linoleum." Be sure to steer clear of the PVC version -- remember, PVC is a toxic material to both produce and use in your home. The only knock against linoleum: it takes a lot of energy to "bake" it; learn more about linoleum manufacturing from TreeHugger.

Marmoleum is similar to linoleum -- it often uses materials like limestone and jute instead of burlap and canvas -- but is hypoallergenic (it has earned the British Allergy Foundation's Seal of Approval) and also a good choice for eco-friendly flooring.

Cork is another good option, especially for kitchens and baths. It is water resistant, sound and vibration dampening, and great for high traffic areas. Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak, which can be sustainably harvested from the living trees about every nine years.

When wood flooring is your material of choice, opt for character grade or common grade of wood, rather than "clear grade." Character grade wood uses both heart and sapwood, using more parts of the tree, and thus creating less waste in manufacturing. And, of course, look for the Forest Stewardship Council certification with anything you choose.

Wallcoverings
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are carbon-based molecules that vaporize (or "volatilize") at room temperate, where they combine with other airborne compounds to form ozone, which isn't good to breathe. VOCs are often present in paint pigment, and are one of the leading causes of the dizzying odor in fresh paint.

Low-VOC latex paints must have fewer than 250 grams of VOCs per liter (380 grams/liter for alkyd paints).

No-VOC paints must have fewer than 5 grams of VOCs per liter. However, adding pigment typically adds VOCs, and, since testing is typically completed before color is added, VOC levels can vary widely from these parameters. Learn more about VOCs from TreeHugger's Green Basics column.

Natural clay or "earth plaster" is made from pure clays and aggregates with coloring agents that come from natural, non-toxic oxides and mineral pigments, so they won't off-gas anything you don't want to breathe. Be sure to get a demonstration (companies like American Clay often offer classes) on how to properly apply the stuff to the walls; it isn't quite as simple as paint.

REGREEN is a set of guidelines for green home and interior renovation. The joint program between the American Society of Interior Designers and the U.S. Green Building Council is designed to give homeowners and interior design and buildings professionals the background and resources to evaluate green products and energy systems in the systems-based context of how an entire home operates. The online document (pdf) includes the guidelines and 10 case studies covering different project types, from kitchen, bathroom, and finished basement remodels to gut rehabs and more.

Tax credits are often available for energy-efficiency upgrades and other green building initiatives. Be sure to check with Energy Star before purchasing windows, appliances, or other green home renovation products.