Many of use have embraced the idea of green living in an effort to protect our environment. Is it possible to  “Go Green” when doing a kitchen remodel? Of course! We just have to keep in mind the three elements of a green home:

  1. energy efficiency
  2. eco-friendly materials that conserve our valuable natural resources
  3. avoiding toxins in the environment
Basically, to go ‘green,’ your kitchen remodel should strive to use products and practices that are not harmful to the environment (both inside our home and outside in the world as a whole). Let’s break these three elements down to more specifics. We’ll begin with how energy efficiency can be incorporated into a kitchen remodel. ENERGY EFFICIENCY  includes efforts at water and energy conservation in our homes.

Having plenty of natural light streaming into your kitchen can cut down on the hours your family needs to use artificial lighting. Consider adding a skylight as part of your custom kitchen cabinet remodel. Replacing old windows with more energy-efficient ones can help minimize your heating, cooling, and lighting costs.  Dual pane windows are especially helpful at energy conservation. Even so, West facing windows can get a lot of sun in California, so consider reflective glass low-e coatings for those windows.

Compact fluorescent and LED lights direct most of their energy consumption to making light. Conversely, an incandescent bulb wastes 90% of the energy that it uses, actually using only 10% energy to create light. Using fluorescent lighting rather than incandescent can cut your energy usage and cost in half.

If you family has a tendency to leave the lights on, consider installing timers or motion-sensor lights as part of your kitchen remodel. Dimmers are another way to save energy in lighting. Also visit Energy.gov for a wide range of information on lighting and conservation.

When purchasing new appliances for your kitchen remodel, be sure to keep in mind energy consumption.  Look for an Energy Star label to show that an appliance has met strict energy-efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Choosing low-flow faucets or installing water-saving aerators on your existing faucets which could save hundreds of gallons of water per year. The EPA’s WaterSense program can help consumers save water and money. Check the WaterSense Rebate Finder to see if there is a program in your area.

Call Cabinet Wholesalers of Anaheim at 1-714-693-1111 to request your free no-obligation 30-minute kitchen cabinet estimate. We can assist in making your new kitchen energy efficient and help your protect our environment.