Carbon-Neutral Home Ups Green Ante

Topping the SieMatic cabinets are ECO by Cosentino countertops in Riverbed. The heat-resistant surface is composed of 75% post-industrial and post-consumer recycled raw material, including salvaged mirrors, window and bottle glass, porcelain from recycled china, tiles, sinks, toilets and decorative items, and crystallized ashes. The material is Greenguard certified for low chemical emissions and LEED certified.

In his desire to bring the natural world indoors, ECO fit Dixon’s ideal. “It has the look and feel of stone, but is actually a lot more durable for everyday use,” he offers.

Against the mesh screen wall, the countertop/cabinet area includes an undermount sink and ProMaster high-arc, pull-down faucet, both from Kohler.

Storage is a primary concern in any kitchen, and this design does not disappoint. Undercounter space is ample, and a walk-in larder for home canned goods is concealed behind a sliding door along the oven wall.

Finishing the space are terrazzo floor tiles and organic mica-encrusted wallcoverings. A custom banquette situated against the screened wall is even covered in fabric fashioned from recycled plastic water bottles.

“Every aspect of the kitchen was carbon neutral – the SieMatic cabinetry, the LEED-certified appliances, the terrazzo floors, the recycled countertops – everything!” stresses Dixon.

Among the other elements that make the GreenHouse carbon neutral are its use of geothermal heating and cooling, low-flow water fixtures, incorporation of LED lighting, reuse and recycling of materials and Smart House technology.

The home features reclaimed wood floors, no- and low-VOC paints and non-toxic finishes. Other green elements include paneling made from 100% recycled wood fiber harvested from responsibly managed forests and Manila hemp wall covering made of natural fibers from rapidly renewable resources.