By Gunnar Baldwin and Lenora Campos, Ph.D.
Remodeling the bathroom is a good starting place to make a home more sustainable for aging in place. AARP research shows that more than half (52%) of American homeowners age 45 and older are interested in remaining in their homes as they get older. Green remodeling reduces monthly utility bills while universal design elements increase comfort and improve lifestyle, and all people — no matter their age — appreciate additional comfort and safety. Today, advances in technology make it possible to improve both convenience and performance.
Additional features that are popular for the enlarged spa master bath:
- Exercise equipment such as stationary bicycle, and treadmill;
- Separate tub with features such as warm air injected through tubing that creates a massage and aroma therapy experience accompanied by music systems integrated into the tub itself and chromatherapy lights to induce that relaxed mood;
- A separate shower without entry barriers in case the homeowners ever need to wheel in. One way to achieve this is to have the floor gently slope toward a perimeter drain at the far side.
Click Here To Continue Reading »
Originally posted: 11/13/08 by AIPatHome Staff
By Robert Nielson
Are you aware that over 100 million rolls of toilet paper are consumed every single day throughout the world? The United States alone uses over 3.2 million tons of toilet paper per year. In fact, 54 million trees are cut down every year just to produce toilet paper for the US 
market. In addition, the production process itself is very destructive and wasteful of resources. Each roll produced consumes:
- 1.5 pounds of wood
- 37 gallons of water
- 1.3 KWH of electricity
- Harmful chlorine, sulfur, and calcium carbonate
Having a modern toilet bidet in your home will reduce toilet paper consumption from 50 to 100% via the effective cleansing of the warm water wash and optional warm air dryer. In addition, a toilet bidet only uses an average 5-7 cents of electricity per day – even less when its power saving features are activated. The use of a toilet bidet supports both a green lifestyle and aging in place.
A toilet bidet eliminates the need for abrasive toilet paper when using the toilet. The warm water jet and warm air dryer clean and dry the user, providing great relief from symptoms such as tenderness and irritation. Whereas sufferers with traditional toilets often dread going to the bathroom and try to wait as long as possible (causing further complications), toilet bidet owners may actually look forward to using the toilet because it has become a pleasant, soothing experience.
Click Here To Continue Reading »
Originally posted: 09/26/08 by AIPatHome Staff
By Al Zan
Energy and cost efficiency are two perks of building using green architecture and design. At first the cost of building green may seem steep compared to a standard home, but the savings on utility bills can compensate handsomely. In green house design, electricity is used more efficiently.
Alternative energy sources can be used to actually save money. Using wind turbines can be one way to create electricity in green homes. Solar panels are an additional way to power electricity in a green house. With the cost of gas and coal powered utilities soaring, an investment in green technologies is likely to offset or even eliminate dependency on these limited resources for those building a green house. Installation and materials are the only aspects of solar and wind power that cost the builder anything. Both abundant and constantly renewable, the resources of sunlight and wind are free! Building green houses with wind turbines and solar panels can be both environmentally friend and economical as sources of power.
Another design concept that can be used is the gray water system. Gray water systems are more efficient because they use water from one area of household and recycle it elsewhere in the dwelling. For instance, using a gray water system could allow green home residents to collect water used while showering for watering a garden or flushing toilets! Unnecessary water waste is decreased in recycling water throughout the home from day to day. Reducing the carbon footprint of a home and saving money on water utilities are two benefits afforded by using state of the art gray water system technologies.
Click Here To Continue Reading »
Originally posted: 08/21/08 by AIPatHome Staff
