Green at the Home Show

 Green is everywhere you turn these days, and not just because of St. Patrick’s Day.  With energy bills skyrocketing and water tables getting lower, using resources more efficiently and responsibly has taken center stage. 

      Exhibitors at the Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show have some old standards in green and some new and innovative products in the green arena.  If you’re looking for green products and services for your home, you’ll find plenty of options here at the show.

       The SC Energy Office (Ellison 504) will have information about renewable and alternative energy like solar, biomass, etc. and they can tell you about tax credits for using solar and other renewable energy sources in your home.  Also, stop by the City of Columbia’s Climate Protection Action Campaign (CPAC) booth in the Cantey Building to see what our city is doing to help the environment and how you can get involved.

      The Green Building Council of Greater Columbia will explain the Build Green Greater Columbia program through seminars each day of the show.  Learn how easy it is to build your next home and remodel green.

      Gilmore Consulting Services (Moore 633) can test your current home for air tightness, and use infrared inspection of the thermal envelope to see where your home is leaking. Once you know where energy is seeping out of your home, you can work to make it stop.

Green Building Materials:

     If you’re a builder or a do- it-yourselfer, you may be interested in building materials and products that

      Briggs Air Systems (Moore 612) can tell you about the WaterFurnace Geothermal Heat Pump System.  It uses renewable energy from the sun found in the Earth to heat and cool your home. 

      Insulating your home properly is a big part of saving energy and being green.  Superior Walls by Weaver Precast (Cantey 224) can tell you how precast wall and foundation systems succeed in this area, and Foam Insulation Co. (Cantey 321) can explain the differences in standard insulation and spray foam insulation for your home or business.

      Burgin Roofing (Cantey 113) will display Decra Steel roofing shingles.  Steel shingles keep runoff water cleaner than asphalt shingles so water quality improves, and mold is not an issue with steel shingles.

Water and Water Heating:

      Palmetto Propane (G5) will display Rinnai water heaters at the show.  By heating water on demand, these systems reduce the amount of water used by your home.

Paints and film:

      Keeping heat out of your home in the summer and in your home in the winter is key to reducing energy consumption.  Sun Shades & Graphics (Cantey 116 - 118) has many solutions for keeping the sun’s rays and energy out, like VISTA Window film, Sunesta

awnings and Lutron Electronic Controllable Shades.  As an extra green bonus, all three are made in the Southeast United States, so shipping length is reduced saving on harmful pollution.

      Elasticoat Architectural Coatings (Ellison 436) will show you ARMOREX High Build Architectural Coating, a waterbased, low odor, and low VOC paint that improves the indoor air quality of your home, and other green products. Piedmont Permanent Coatings (Moore 653) will have Rhino Shield Ceramic paint that is said to reflect energy in the summer, thus saving energy in the home.

Green Outdoors:

      According to research by NASA, there are certain plants that significantly reduce formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide from the air.  See those plants and more at Reese’s Plants (Ruff Garden).

      Once your trees are gone, they leave behind unsightly stumps.  Don’t pollute the air or ground by burning them out or using other chemicals, see ASAP Stumpgrinding & Site Svc. (Midway) for an easy and green way of removing tree stumps.

Pest Control: