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Community Corner

Green Up Your Next Home Improvement Project

Eco-Mom BJ Marshall tests eco-friendly paint and talks to local experts about "green" building projects in Lemont.

If you’re contemplating a home improvement project this spring, chances are you’re reviewing the budget, combing through glossy idea magazines and researching tips on how to get the most out of your efforts.

Be sure to put one more item on your planning checklist: making “green” choices whenever feasible.

As I learned during a recent effort to spiff up a couple of spaces in my home, even small changes toward eco-friendliness can save you money and support the environment.

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Seeking Greener Paths

When I decided to repaint a small bathroom, I was determined to buy paint that had virtually no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) — that’s the stuff that gives a room the “new paint smell.” Knowing that VOCs aren’t good for our health or the environment, I had the best of intentions.

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At the paint store, the clerk snickered at me and steered me to a small area with the most eco-friendly product in the store. It took a little while to get over the sticker-shock, but I decided to stick to my principles and get the “good stuff.” The results would be worth it, I told myself.

I was wrong.

Though the no-VOC paint had very little odor, its coverage stunk. And after the paint had dried, we could scratch it off with a fingernail. Not the best characteristic for the walls of a room my kids use all the time. We ended up putting a glaze over the new color — with full-strength VOCs, of course. So much for that idea.

I wasn’t giving up that easily, though. I also wanted to jazz up another room with an accent color on the wall. Non-VOC paint was out of the question, but the low-VOC paint I had initially thumbed my nose at was looking pretty good.

I picked up a gallon of Benjamin Moore’s Aura paint and prepared to be disappointed again. Even with the very dark color I had chosen, the coverage was terrific. There was very little odor, and the room looked fantastic.

To complete the room’s transformation, we repurposed some furniture from other rooms (the ultimate in green home improvement!) and snagged a few items from . A few hours later, we had a totally new look and a clear conscience about the environmental impact of the project.

 Big Projects Can Make a Big Difference

If you’re tackling a bigger project this spring, Lemont makes it easy to build green.

In 2008, the village adopted the International Building Code (IBC) in setting standards for construction, which means many of the code requirements will make your project greener than it would have been just a few years ago. The code, which generally calls for good insulation, energy-efficient windows, better-insulated foundations and energy-efficient water heaters and furnaces, will save you money in the long run and reduce energy consumption for years to come.

"What we’re building now, with the codes that have been adopted by the village in the last few years, is definitely ‘green,’” said Ed Mansell of E.T. Mansell Construction in Lemont. “Building green can add substantial costs to a project, but over time there’s a substantial savings as well.”

Of course, homeowners can go well beyond the minimum code requirements. In fact, the village zoning code now allows solar and wind panels (check with the building department for the detailed requirements), though none of the area building pros I spoke with were aware of any that are currently installed.

“As we update the Comprehensive Plan, we are looking to be even more eco-friendly,” said Jim Brown, director of planning and economic development for the village.

Brown points to the new building as a great example of green building in Lemont.

“I’d like for us to take a stronger look at greener, more sustainable ways to do our storm-water management like we did at the police station with the parking lot design and the use of native plants, which increases biodiversity and reduces runoff,” he said.

Brown encourages homeowners to consider the use of native plants, too. He’s a strong proponent of the benefits of planting the flora that grow naturally in this region, and is on a steering committee for Will County that is investigating the benefits of native plant life on a broader scale.

With spring in the air, my thoughts are turning to the outside of the house, and native plants could definitely factor into those plans. After successes with the low-VOC paint and repurposed furnishings, adding some native plants to the garden seems like any easy way to continue my quest to go green — literally.

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