Tubs of Copper

Give your bathroom a decidedly country cottage look, and help the environment as well, with a copper tub from Native Trails, a California-based producer of handmade copper sinks and tubs. The company recently introduced the Aspen, a double-walled oval tub made from 100 percent recycled copper, ...

The Replacements

There are few places where the green movement affects us more personally than in the construction of our homes, in the building materials we choose to literally frame our everyday lives. Greenbuilding products and materials can lessen our impact on the environment and result in homes that are safer,...

NextGen 08

When the 2008 version of the NextGen Home debuts early in January 2008, it will add another layer to its status as an icon in the residential construction industry. In previous years, the NextGen Home, a demonstration house displayed annually at major home industry shows, has sh...

Warming Up to Direct Vent

There’s nothing like a warm fire on a cold day. The ambiance can’t be beat — but unfortunately, as you’re sitting in front of that cozy wood-burning fireplace, it’s greedily consuming your energy dollars. According to the Department of Energy, tradit...

Windows That Work Harder

Today’s windows do more than just let in the light, or provide homeowners with nice views into the backyard. More and more, they’re designed to make homes more energy efficient, reducing the amount of energy required for heating and cooling. In addition, new, more durable windows ar...

Smart Resolutions for 2008

Now that our whole world seems to be turning green, you may be asking yourself what you can do in 2008 to become more responsible, lower your energy and water bills, and help make your home a healthier place for your family to live. There’s a plethora of information out there, so sorting ...

Fome the Editor: Fire and Water

As we were putting together this issue of Smart HomeOwner, two environmental stories, on either side of the country, were taking place and making headlines –– the water shortage in northern Georgia and eastern Alabama, and the devastating fires in Southern California. Both events ha...

Innovative Homes 2008

Residential building has entered a new era. No longer content to build homes using the same techniques and materials that have been common for decades, if not centuries, builders, architects, remodelers and homeowners are now specifying and constructing homes that incorporate cutting-edge techn...

Going Green at the Beach

Dave and Anna Porter are taking green living to a new level. After Dave exchanged his large luxury car for a new Toyota Prius hybrid a few years ago, he and Anna looked at each other and wondered what else they could do. “Getting rid of the car represented the realization t...

Open Fire

Call it a hot conversation piece. The EcoSmart Fire, from Sydney, Australia-based The Fire Company, is an open fireplace that does not require a flue, utility connection or fuel supply line, so it can be installed in just about any area of a home, apartment or office.The EcoSmart Fire o...

Snow Be Gone

Readers who live in Southern or Western states might want to skip this article and move on to the next one, but if you live in the northern snowbelt, you might find this information beneficial, especially if you’re tired of shoveling snow.The SnowClear radiant-heat snow and ice re...

Germany Shines at Solar Decathlon

A team from Germany’s Technische Universität Darmstadt (University of Technology in Darmstadt) took top honors for the 2007 edition of the Solar Decathlon, held in October on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Decathlon, which takes place every other year, is a competition in ...

The Mainstream GreenHome

The Mainstream GreenHome should be listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the residence with the most environmentally friendly features and products. Located on a one-third-acre lot in a conventional, established neighborhood in Raleigh, N.C., the home has the appearance of a tradition...