GREEN SCENE
HOUSE SMART
Outdoor Design Group helps customers daily with design and building their dream pool houses, decks and screen porches. We also help them with items as small as an Ipe bench to sit on while enjoying their garden. Whether it is from "ground up" or simply a renovation, we have the capability to help guide you through the appropriate county building and permits department's labyrinth of requirements.
When a screen porch, three season room, pool house and/or a home addition is designed, it is imperative to think "green". Who doesn't want to save money while saving the environment? Earth friendly design and construction starts when you incorporate the proper type of "energy smart" light bulb or green roof, and has no limit. If you are not doing a project now, you can still think "green" by going to your local electric and power company and ask them for information about their energy efficiency programs and ways to help cut costs while saving the environment.
In Maryland, Potomac Edison has a residential customer energy efficiency program designed to save both ENERGY and MONEY. In the free packet that they send you, are smart power strips, water aerators, energy smart light bulbs, eco-flow showerheads, etc. All of these items are designed to reduce utility costs and help the environment. Outdoor Design Group not only suggests smart energy use, but also practices what it preaches by being a member of this and other programs.
The following are links for House Smart programs and materials:
http://epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html
http://www.energystar.gov/cfls
http://www.styleathome.com/.../green-living/earth-friendly-design/a/29379