Von Löwen Designs

Focused on providing outstanding design, exceptional quality and sustainability, award winning Neoteric Home continues to be an excellent choice when it comes to stylish, environmentally friendly, all weather furniture. Handcrafted using only the finest high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fibers, recycled aluminum, stainless steel and reclaimed teak; Neoteric furniture has been specially engineered to reliably withstand nature – whilst maintaining their commitment to preserving it.

Viro and Rehau are superior quality 100% recycled HDPE, made without heavy metal plasticizers and toxic residue associated with other plastics, keeping off gassing to an absolute zero. The unique process used to create these synthetics ensures a fiber that mimics the look and feel of natural rattan, abaca, etc., but is entirely washable and virtually maintenance free. Stringent accelerated weather testing in accordance to ISO and the ASTM standards show these materials to be completely fade resistant and impervious to temperature variations between -94 degrees to +176 degrees Fahrenheit, promising a lengthy life cycle for Neoteric’s products.

With a catalog filled with a plethora of goods including: daybeds, chaise lounges, various seating, chairs, benches, tables and accessories; and Neoteric’s ability to custom produce fiber colours based on any Pantone or RAL System colour, it would seem that even the most discriminating should have little trouble discovering ways to indulge themselves in the comfort they so deserve, for a more gratifying and personalized outdoor experience.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so before you leave be sure to visit Von Löwen Designs to view an assortment of refreshing examples in kitchen and bath design concepts, refined palette and interior finishes, and sustainable yet chic, green remodeling ideas that may encourage and inspire your next remodel or home improvement project.

There’s nothing mysterious about green remodeling – it’s really just applied common sense. To move forward with greening your remodeling project, it is helpful to think of green remodeling as quality design and construction achieved through the convergence of four fundamental objectives:

· Conserve natural resources
· Use energy wisely
· Improve indoor air quality
· Make communities more livable

Conserve natural resources.

Residential remodeling activities consume large quantities of wood, water, metals, fossil fuels and other resources. Even though the majority of the materials used to remodel a home are put to good use, vast quantities of resources are wasted. In fact, each year close to nine million tons of construction and demolition debris is disposed of in California landfills alone, accounting for 22% of the entire state’s waste stream.

Much of this waste is avoidable. Careful management of the construction process makes a big difference. There are also so many well-established remodeling practices that help natural resources. If you are building an addition to an existing home, for example, advanced framing techniques can substantially reduce lumber requirements without compromising structural integrity. Using engineered lumber and wood products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council can help ensure the long-term health of forests.

Many effective remodeling strategies not only conserve natural resources, but also provide additional benefits such as saving money. These include products such as roofing materials with 40- or 50- year warranties, and specifying recycled-content products that divert waste from landfills. Recycled-content decking, reclaimed lumber and other products put waste to good use, while providing quality and durability that often exceed conventional materials. For example, decking materials made of recycled plastic mixed with wood waste fibers can last up to five times longer than wood decking, and never needs to be treated or painted.

Water is another critical resource. California residences use 5.6 million acre-feet of applied water annually. Our prosperity and ability to meet the needs of our growing population hinge on having adequate supplies of clean fresh water. Homes remodeled and landscaped to use water wisely make a tremendous contribution to protecting our shared resources and reducing the pressure on municipal water systems and supplies. An added benefit is lower water and sewer bills for the homeowner. Today’s building professionals and homeowners can take advantage of a new generation of cost-effective, high efficiency appliances and landscape water management systems, as well as a variety of proven landscaping strategies that reduce water use.

Use energy wisely.

Using fossil fuel-based energy is a major contributor to air pollution and global climate change. With California homes accounting for roughly 31% of the electricity consumed in the state, it is clear that homeowners and remodeling professionals have a significant role to play in helping our society address energy-related concerns now and in the coming decades.

Energy efficiency is the cornerstone of every green home. Whether you are remodeling a 30-year old suburban ranch house or a 120-year old inner city Victorian, you can improve its energy performance. Improving energy efficiency and using renewable energy sources are effective ways to reduce the potential of energy supply interruption, improve air quality, moderate the impacts of global warming, and slow the rte at which we need to build our new power plants.

Energy efficiency also makes good sense for homeowners: an energy-efficient house saves money by reducing utility bills year after year, and provides other valuable benefits. Better insulation, for example, reduces uncomfortable drafts, and double pane windows make for a quieter home. Homeowners who have already made their homes as energy efficient as possible may choose to go a step further and install renewable energy systems such as solar water heating and photovoltaic panels.

Improve indoor air quality.

On average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, yet the air inside or homes can be ten times more polluted than outdoor air, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Children are particularly vulnerable when it comes to air pollution. A report in the New England Journal of Medicine states that 40% of children will develop respiratory disease, in part due to the chemicals in their homes.

A common source of indoor air pollution is volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a large class of chemicals that offgas from many building materials. Exposure to VOCs may cause a range of symptoms, fro eye irritation and headaches to more severe effects. Many paints, floor finishes, adhesives and sealants emit unhealthy VOCs. Kitchen cabinets, countertops, shelving and furniture may be made from particleboard or medium density fiberboard. These pressed-wood products are typically made with adhesives that release urea formaldehyde – a known human carcinogen – into the home for years after installation.

Fortunately, the building products industry is responding to these indoor pollution problems by developing safer products, including low-VOC paints, cleaners and adhesives. These products are now commonly available through most major supplies at costs comparable to congenital products.

Poor indoor air quality is also often caused by biological contaminants, such as mold that grows as a result of moisture infiltration due to inadequate ventilation, poor design and maintenance and other factors. Dust, another major source of air pollution inside homes, ca e reduced by making sure the entryways have easy to clean flooring materials such as natural linoleum, bamboo or wood, and by offering a bench and shoe storage to encourage people to remove shoes before entering the home.

Make communities more livable.

Where you are updating the kitchen or adding a bedroom, it’s natural to think of a remodeling project as a private affair. But it is important to remember that the remodeling decisions we make, don’ just effect our own lives. Our choices can also have an impact on other people’s lives for decades to come. A home that is remodeled without taking energy efficiency into account will waste energy year after year, resulting in air pollution and global warming that affects all of us. A home remodeled using poor quality materials may put an unnecessary burden on landfills a few years down the line, if those materials have to be torn out and replaced. Landscaping that send rainwater directly to the sewer rather than allowing it to sink into the soil strains our aging wastewater treatment systems.

Green remodeling offers remodeling professionals, community leaders and California residents’ sensible solutions that both improve an individual home’s performance and provide broad-based community benefits. These benefits range from cleaner air to reduced global warming impacts, from healthier landscapes to long-lasting buildings.

Clearly, green building cannot solve all the social, economic or environmental challenges facing communities. Still, green remodeling offers a valuable set of strategies for meeting our expectations for livable, healthy, sustainable communities.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so before you leave be sure to visit Von Löwen Designs to view an assortment of refreshing examples in kitchen and bath design concepts, refined palette and interior finishes, and sustainable yet chic, green remodeling ideas that may encourage and inspire your next remodel or home improvement project.