Design Options Explored

• Hot Water Tank < 20f from the sink...check.

• Energy Efficient Appliances...check.

• Sustainable & Recycled materials...check.

• Insulation & Energy Efficiencies Maximized...check.

So...the kitchen layout is complete...now what?  Time to find the supplier(s).   Here is a snap shot of my past week...Ottawa Builders...RONA...Home Depot...Lowes...back to RONA...Emerald Tile...Back to Lowes...by now my purse weighs a ton after collecting many a sample.  :)

The decision to implement a green kitchen did not come without homework that's for sure.  Although many retailers are happy to endorse green products, few can speak to the benefits or composition of such.  As an emerging market trend, going green is a widely accepted principle yet when inquiring among retailers, few could speak to the benefits or identify the products I was looking for.  So...after hours of searching for the perfect color, style and sustainable option, I am deciding between eco by Cosentino's Luna quartz or an Antique Pearl granite mined in Northern Ontario.

Tips to Consider:

Selecting an indigenous material, such as the locally mined granite, drastically reduces the total impact your selection has on the environment by eliminating the transportation otherwise required to import exotic granite selections.  However, you must also take into consideration the total manufacturing process including pre and post material usage and waste.

Therefore, my second choice encompasses a durable surface made of 75% recycled content, known as ECO™ - available at Lowe's.

About ECO™ by Cosentino

SOURCE:  http://usa.ecobycosentino.com/index.cfm

What is ECO by Cosentino?

ECO™ by Cosentino is a durable surface made of 75% recycled content composed of post-industrial or post-consumer materials and is bound by an environmentally friendly resin which comes in part from corn oil. ECO by Cosentino is also an ideal substitute for natural or engineered stone.

The Green Collection

The Green Collection is composed of colors containing 75% post-industrial recycled raw materials.
Polar Cap, Crystal Ash and Starlight are made mainly from recycled mirror. While the colors Luna and Crystal Sand are composed mainly from recycled glass and porcelain. The color Black Forest is composed mostly of recycled glass and quarried stone.

The Revive Collection

The Revive Collection is composed of 75% post-consumer recycled raw materials.
The colors Terra, Riverbed and Iron Ore are mainly composed of from recycled glass, mirrors and industrial furnace residuals and White Diamond is mainly composed of recycled glass.