Eco-responsible Kitchen Tips
Eco-responsible Kitchen Tips
Renovating a kitchen can be costly, but it’s a great way to add financial value and an eco-responsibility factor to your home. It’s important to plan these renovations very carefully, and above all to take advantage of your investment to make your kitchen healthier and more efficient. Now is your opportunity to make the best choices for cupboards, counters and floor covering, to protect resources and forests as well as your family’s health. The kitchen is also a crucial area where you can take action to reduce the quantity of waste that goes into landfill. And of course, renovating the kitchen gives you the chance to make enlightened, effective choices for appliances, controls and lighting, to save energy and water.
Tips & Tricks
The market now offers lighting fixtures that are more efficient than those that use incandescent bulbs and a single switch. These new fixtures save energy, reduce resource use and decrease the amount of waste going into landfills. Kitchens need functional lighting in certain places and ambient lighting for the entire room. You can make choices to meet these different needs in the most eco-responsible way possible.
Our recommendations :
ENERGY STAR® rated light fixtures consume 66% less energy on average and minimize heat release, which cuts down on air-conditioning needs in summer.
Compact fluorescent bulbs last about 10 times longer than ordinary incandescents and consume four or five times less energy. Some compact fluorescents can be installed with a dimmer, for greater control over ambient lighting. Because these bulbs contain a small amount of mercury, they cannot be simply thrown away but must be taken to dedicated recovery sites. In the event of breakage, use a piece of cardboard to collect the pieces, place them in a sealed container and dispose of at a recovery centre.
LEDs (light emitting diodes) are becoming more and more affordable, they’re well suited to residential lighting needs (better colour rendering), and they have the potential to consume less energy than compact fluorescent bulbs. Interestingly, LEDs have a very long lifespan – 5 to 10 times longer than compact fluorescents, which means 50 to 100 times longer than incandescent bulbs. They can also be adapted to different configurations – bulbs, strips and panels – to provide ambient or functional lighting. LEDs are not very heat resistant, however, which reduces their efficiency. Unlike compact fluorescents, LEDs contain no mercury or noxious gases.
Dimmer switches adjust the intensity of the light, which increases eye comfort and decreases energy consumption: depending on the decrease in intensity, a zero-resistance dimmer can save from 5% to 50% in energy costs.
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The most effective way to reduce energy consumption in the house is not to heat when you don’t need to. Replacing your mechanical thermostats with electronic thermostats allows you to manage your heat demands by programming in a lower temperature at times when you don’t need the heat.
Our recommendations :
Electronic thermostats produce a steadier temperature: a variation of 2°C is needed to activate an ordinary thermostat but just 0.5°C is enough for an electronic model. This rapid reaction to temperature fluctuations can generate up to 9% in energy savings (Office of Energy Efficiency).
Programming options allow you to adjust the temperature to the family’s needs and avoid raising and lowering the temperature too often. For example, reducing the temperature by 3°C at night or during an eight-hour absence can lead to energy savings of 10% (Office of Energy Efficiency).
Models equipped with occupant presence detectors don’t require any programming. The heating is activated and deactivated based on the presence of people in the rooms, leading to significant energy savings.
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Did you know ?
In Canada, it is the Office of Energy Efficiency that administers the ENERGY STAR® program.
Opportunities to change your plumbing don’t come along very often, so seize the opportunity if you get it. Copper plumbing pipes conduct heat and, as hot water passes through them, they absorb part of the energy provided by the water heater. You can save a lot of energy, reduce your GHG emissions and protect your health by optimizing the plumbing in your home. If you’re planning to redo your plumbing, reduce the length of hot water pipes and avoid putting them in outside walls. This will cut both heat loss and the risk of mould related to condensation on pipe surfaces.
Without changing your plumbing as such, you can insulate accessible hot water pipes to save energy. Insulating the pipes keeps the water hot longer, so the waiting time before you get hot water in the faucet is shorter, which also saves water.
Our recommendations :
If you’re planning to redo your plumbing, reduce the length of hot water pipes and avoid putting them in outside walls. This will cut both heat loss and the risk of mould related to condensation on pipe surfaces.
Without changing your plumbing as such, you can insulate accessible hot water pipes to save energy. Insulating the pipes keeps the water hot longer, so the waiting time before you get hot water in the faucet is shorter, which also saves water.
Installing an insulating cover on older hot water heaters also reduces energy loss and saves about 10% of energy.
Adjust the temperature of the water heater. The temperature is usually set at 60°C. Lowering it to 55°C generates energy savings of 3% to 5%. To avoid bacterial contamination, the water temperature should never be set below 52°C.
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Wood is the best material to choose, especially since of all interior fittings, cupboards benefit the most from wood’s advantages. Choosing wood products from certified forests encourages sustainable forestry. The doors, cabinets, stains, paints and adhesives should all meet low emissions standards for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other toxins.
Our recommendations :
Consider the possibility of replacing only the decorative panels and doors, and keeping the existing cabinets. This is an effective choice regularly offered by professionals: it saves time and money, and reduces resource use.
Many manufacturers offer cupboards made of wood from certified forests, which guarantees that the wood is from forests that are responsibly managed for the environment and for local communities.
For cabinets made of bonded panels, make sure the panels contain recycled materials, and use low-VOC products (for your health).
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Counters made of long-lasting materials will withstand the test of time, since counters are subject to so many stresses (use, heat, humidity, etc.). The best eco-responsible choices should come from renewable resources, consume little water and energy in their production, and generate few greenhouse gases in their production and transportation.
Volatile organic compounds are greenhouse gases that have a direct negative effect on human health. Their volatility allows them to spread relatively far from the site of emission, so they can have both direct and indirect effects on health. It’s best to choose counters that meet the low emissions standards for volatile organic compounds and other toxins.
Our recommendations :
Natural stone counters, such as marble, granite, quartz, slate and steatite are healthy choices that respect the environment, especially if they are produced in the region where they are installed, cutting down on the energy and GHGs involved in their transportation.
Wood from certified forests, which encourages sustainable forestry, and FSC-certified bamboo, a rapidly renewable resource, are two of the more interesting options, but they need to be regularly maintained with solvent-free linseed or tung tree oil.
If you go with a stratified counter, choose a model with the core made of 100% urea-formaldehyde-free recycled fibres. Urea formaldehyde is used as a binder in many kinds of materials and is one of the most common air pollutants inside homes.
Ceramic with recycled content, mosaics with recycled glass and recycled glass counters (with a concrete or resin base) are healthy, long-lasting choices. The concrete must be covered with a sealant every year to maintain its water-resistance, and the joints in ceramics and mosaics can be complicated to maintain.
Metal counters (recycled stainless steel and recycled aluminum) are hygienic, easy to clean, emissions free and recyclable at end of life. The energy required for their production and transportation generates GHGs that should be amortized over the long term by choosing a high-quality product and maintaining it well.
Concrete counters with recycled glass or supplementary cementing materials are resistant, VOC-free and recyclable at the end of life, but they require more energy to produce and transport than most other choices. Also, because concrete is porous, these counters need to be sealed to prevent stains from becoming embedded and to make them easier to maintain.
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Did you know ?
Ceramic, concrete and glass products are now available with recycled content.
Some floor coverings are more wear and moisture resistant than others. Installing a durable product will help you steer clear of premature replacement, reducing resource use and waste production. Flooring should meet the low emissions standards for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other toxic substances, in order to reduce the impact on human health. They should also be mildew resistant, since mould and mildew are among the highest risks to indoor air quality.
Our recommendations :
Wood floors from certified forests are one of the most eco-responsible floor covering choices. Certification ensures that the wood comes from a forest that is managed to protect the ecosystem.
A natural stone floor, such as marble, granite and slate, is a healthy choice that respects the environment, especially if it is mined and shaped in the region where it will be used, reducing the impact of transportation and the related GHG emissions.
Linoleum is another good choice from an environmental point of view, because it is produced using renewable resources (hemp, linseed oil and wood or cork dust) and it is both recyclable and biodegradable. Linoleum is modular, available in a wide variety of colours and easy to install. Besides being wear resistant and waterproof, linoleum has bactericidal and hypoallergenic properties.
Bamboo is a rapidly renewable plant (matures in less than 10 years), but in some countries its intensive cultivation contributes to deforestation. When choosing bamboo, always make sure the product is FSC certified. Also, since binders are required to make bamboo boards, choose products with low emissions of volatile organic compounds.
Ceramic tiles that contain recycled content are another good option. They’re durable, water and stain resistant, and easy to maintain. Try to choose an anti-slip model. Tiles with recycled content help reduce the impact on resources and decrease waste production.
Use low emissions or VOC-free wood finishes, tile adhesive and ceramic grout. The market now offers many ecological products that reduce the impact on your health.
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Water is a basic and incalculably valuable resource. There are many economical ways to reduce water consumption at home and take an eco-responsible stance by reducing your impact on this important resource.
Water consumption diagram for the average household (Environment Canada)
Our recommendations :
The flow from high-efficiency taps must be less than or equal to 5.7 litres per minute, according to the Watersense standard. Because of the way water is used in the kitchen, low flow taps are not always recommended in the kitchen sink, but it is still a good eco-responsible choice.
Installing aerators reduces the flow at a low cost, without reducing water pressure. Installing an aerator on a standard faucet can reduce a flow of 13.5 litres per minute to just 6.5 litres per minute.
Flow control disks are now available that can be installed on standard or low flow taps to reduce flow to 5.5 litres per minute, compared to 13.5 per minute for a standard tap.
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As houses become increasingly airtight for the sake of energy efficiency, they also accumulate pollutants and humidity indoors, which increases the need for mechanical ventilation systems to reduce major health impacts. But mechanical ventilation that brings in cool air and evacuates hot air will generate a net energy loss during heating season. The solution is to install a high efficiency system that can recover that energy and produce fewer GHGs.
Our recommendations :
Install an effective vent hood to evacuate excess humidity and odours from the home and improve the air quality. Your best bet is to choose an ENERGY STAR® model, as these are much quieter and consume up to 65% less energy than regular models. There is no need to choose a vent hood with a capacity of more than 300 cubic feet a minute (150 L/s).
The air outlet for the vent hood should always be outside the home, so the humidity, gas and other contaminants are completely evacuated from the living area. If this option is not possible, choose a vent hood with a HEPA filter and follow the manufacturer’s maintenance and filter replacement instructions.
Unless you follow certain recommendations, the air quality inside your home may be worse than the air outside. Now that homes are becoming increasingly airtight, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other noxious substances can build up in the air and pose a health risk for the occupants. Some paints and finishing products contain different volatile chemicals that you should avoid for the sake of your health.
Our recommendations :
Use paints and primers labelled “VOC-free” or “low emissions” to protect your health. Although alkyd paints (oil-based) last longer and create a shinier finish, they contain a solvent thinner and are not usually as good a choice as latex (water-based) paint in terms of health. Read labels carefully or select products with an EcoLogo™ or Green Seal™ label.
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Recycling is a meaningful ecological action that reduces the flow of waste to landfill and supports the development of the recycled product market, reducing resource use.
Our recommendations :
Design a space in the cupboards to hold recyclables before they are emptied into the municipal recycling bin. Some garbage cans now have two sections – one for garbage and one for recyclables.
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Did you know ?
85% of household waste could be reused, recycled, composted or recovered. (Environment Canada)
Transforming organic waste into compost can reduce your household garbage by 30% and reduce the GHG production related to transporting organic waste and disposing of it in landfills. Compost is also a great resource for flower and kitchen gardens. Composting harnesses the natural decaying process to turn organic waste into humus, a natural fertilizer. Leaves, garden waste and some kitchen scraps can be used. Well managed compost is odour-free and made up of 2/3 dry materials (leaves, grass cuttings or straw) and 1/3 kitchen scraps.
Our recommendations :
Design a space in the cupboards to hold compostables until they are emptied into a backyard or municipal compost bin. Some garbage cans are now available with three sections – one for garbage, one for recyclables and one for compostables. If you’re planning to compost or vermicompost (indoor composting using earthworms called “red wigglers”), set up a container in or near the kitchen to collect table scraps.
Composters trump garburators. Garburators use a lot of water and energy to send food garbage into the sewers, adding to water that requires treatment. The oil, grease and other materials suspended in the water make waste-water treatment more complicated, which adds to the operating costs of the municipal water treatment facilities.
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