Ideas for sustainable, or green

[Mike(VA)]

Some posts back, Paul mentioned a few items that Ned could have used to suggest to his client for a bathroom remodel he lost.

Dual flush water saver toilet.
Water saver faucets.
Recyled products tops or mention your stone top is locally made (if true)
Low VOC paint
Fan
Low voltage lights, LED if you can make that work.
Marmoleum floor

What other way can we learn to present sustainable or green ideas to our customers to show that we practice everyday what they want? What other items are out there that could help us? I have had only a few potential clients who wanted 'green' but they could define it well.

[naptownCr]

Recycling old fixtures either by recycling the metals or donating to organizations like habitat etc.

Definately any materials that contain recycled materials.

Sustainable materials such as bamboo flooring. icestone which is a recycled material. There are counter tops made entirely out of reccycled materials such as plastics, paper and glass.

Use Locally made products. A product made out of recycled material bur=t manufactured and shipped 3000 miles may be less green than the non recycled product that is made 10 miles away.

[SLS-Construction]

Consider your systems & methods and ways that may equate to the Green principle

Instead of materials all being thrown in the dumpster, metals are put off to the side, sinks or cabinets do what Naptown stated, gypsum, wood, glass, cardboard, etc... see if there are recycling centers near you that take them

Do you have systems in place to prevent the 3 a day tips to the hardware store? How about minimizing waste, should you use 8' or 12' drywall sheets - in a regular bath generally 8's let you use the bulk of a sheet while minimizing seams - if your building an addition - is it built using the system of 2's? (Most materials are sold in even widths & lengths

[ChrWright]

Some of the things we've all been doing for years can be emphasized for their green benefit:

Proper envelopes and insulation. This is a HUGE payoff when renovating older houses--most of which have ZERO insulation
Good window selection and installation practices.
Use of dimmers
Use of high efficiency furnaces and heat pumps
Timed thermostats for HVAC and radiant heat floors