Product Spotlight: Bioshield

Product focus this week is BioShield - http://www.bioshieldpaint.com/

Although we already carry two other types of Zero VOC paints – SafeCoat and MilkPaint – we fell in love with BioShield because of its beautiful colors, rich textures, reasonable cost, and easy application. It is a cousin of American Clay, another wall treatment we represent that is a clay plaster which is troweled on, but BioShield has advantages over American Clay since it can be painted on with a brush and comes premixed.

Bioshield sets itself apart by producing paints, stains, thinners and waxes made primarily from naturally-derived raw materials including citrus peel extracts, essential oils, seed oils, tree resins, inert mineral fillers, tree and bee waxes, lead-free dryers and natural pigments. This combination results in a product with a healthy, mild fragrance rather than the terrible odors of synthetic chemicals most household products exude.

Its colors have a rare depth that really enlivens the painted surface drawing the eye in and enhancing the entire room. We’ve brought in a limited collection of the 50+ pigments they offer, but will do special orders on any of the other colors customers may request.

Bioshield comes in three main categories of products:

1) Waterborne wall finishes and paints that use an extensive collection of 50 pigments, based on earth and ultramarine hues.

2) Natural oils, interior and exterior wood stains, and waxes and finishes for floors and furniture.

3) Cleaners and maintenance products – which have a wonderful fragrance – we haven’t brought these in yet, since we have so many other wonderful cleaners on hand, but this is something we may consider in the future.

BioShield products creates a healthier environment, both inside your home and out. You can feel good about exposing your family to essential oils and bee waxes rather than harsh chemicals. The Earth will also thank you as many of the chemicals used in competitor’s products have devastating effects on the environment and ozone.

BioShield is committed to providing affordably priced products that adhere to high standards of quality, durability, and ecology. We look forward seeing you in the showroom and helping you pick out the right product for your home! In the mean time, please learn more about their website bioshieldpaint.com.

Product Spotlight: Artemis Ceiling Fan

Beautiful Artemis Ceiling Fan in Maple

How to stay cool has become a hot topic as of late, and even though the past day or so have yielded cooler temperatures, we know to never expect a trend. Avoiding the extra energy bill expense of air conditioning and unnecessary burning of fossil fuels makes fans an important part of your summer cooling repertoire. To help, we wanted to tell you more about this ceiling fan.


The Artemis Ceiling Fan by Minka Aire is not only stunning to look at - its cutting edge design with vertical blades is more efficient at circulating air than most other fans.  This fan does a great job at moving air around and instantly makes a room feel cooler.  Designed for optimum efficiency, the controls allow you to reverse the direction of the spinning blades; with the angle of the fan's blades, one direction effectively pushes air down, while the other direction pulls the air up.  Your entire house will be kept more evenly cooled (or heated, come winter) with the power of this fan to appropriately spread temperate air.  There are also 3 speed settings, and a powerful (and dimmable) light under a frosted cover.  


Other positive attributes?  The blades slice through the air making virtually no noise.  This is not your typical clunker of a ceiling fan!  The body design was also sustainably created to produce minimal waste in production - the blades wrap around to form the fan body.  The fan comes with two standard 3.5" and 6" downrods and can be installed in rooms with standard 8' high ceilings, but longer downrods can be purchased for higher ceilings.  If the maple doesn't fit your design tastes,  this fan is also offered in Translucent, Liquid Nickel, Mahogany, Red, Copper Bronze, White and Black.  There are other optional add-ons, such as a remote control to operate it, although they come standard with a control panel you can mount to the wall.  See an installed fan on our projects page.


We agree with the company's chosen quote from John Keats that, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."  At the 'g' showroom in Mashpee we have the Artemis Ceiling Fan in maple installed in a high ceiling on a 5' downrod and it really is stunning - come into the showroom to see it in action (but not hear it!).  Minka Aire also offers several other ceiling fans that we would be happy to share with you - stop in today! 

Saving Energy At Home

Green Design Center has been authorized as a Weatherization Contractor for Cape Light Compact - making our team eligible to carry out implementation of weatherization improvements on your home as detailed in the Compact's energy audit program. 

Call us to find out how you can get a free audit on your home's energy use, and qualify for up to $2000 worth of improvements such as insulation, air sealing, and lighting.  We'll help arrange for your audit and carry out the recommendations permissible under this program. 

For an more in depth assessment of your home, can also bring in professional energy consultants to conduct diagnostic tests, bringing in new technologies and up-to-date materials that will lower your energy use and costs.  For more information call us or visit our website at www.ggreendesign.com/energysavings

Building Energy Efficient Homes...

At 'g' our philosophy is to create beautiful sustainable homes. And while sometimes it may seem that we are stressing the beautiful part we'd like to also focus on the nitty gritty real sustainable home practices. Of course we want to make sure our clients are using green products throughout their home, from their floors to the countertops and even more importantly the energy efficiency products like insulation. We want to stress how important it is to focus on the skeleton of your home where the real difference lies. Building an energy efficient home is the most effective way of making your home sustainable and "green."  And in addition to practicing sustainable living your energy efficient home will save you money, and make your home more attractive in the housing market.  We also can't help noting that if you incorporate efficiency into your retrofits or new building now, you will likely be eligible for some of the energy efficiency tax incentives and rebates (as of now still available through October 2010).  Of course just knowing that you are reducing your carbon footprint should be enough, but for many people the biggest and most obvious benefit from an energy efficient homes is that you can heat, cool and light your house for less. The second biggest benefit is that you will be living in a much healthier environment that is using proper ventilation and non toxic materials so that the air in you home is cleaner and fresher. For people who may suffer from a weak immune system or are highly prone to allergies, seeking sustainable design is necessary to live in a healthier environment that is more forgiving to their ailments.

There are some key elements to look for when building or remodeling a home; for example:

• properly installed floor and attic insulation
• air barrier details (to create tight barriers that will prevent drafts)
• high performance windows
• window reflector shades and tinted glass
• efficient air distribution (this entails creating open spaces that let good natural ventilation throughout the house, and making sure ducts are installed properly with minimum air leakage)
• efficient lighting (fixtures that earn EnergyStar rating) 
• as well as efficient appliances that also earn the EnergyStar rating

If you want to learn more about home energy efficiency, and building green spaces a great book to check out is "Your Green Home" by Alex Wilson. The book is available at the 'g' store and can serve well as a beginners guide for any  homeowner planning a new home while trying to incorporate benefits of energy efficient and green products. This book goes through an entire house and gives tips on how to build sustainably and efficiently in every space, from your kitchen to your garden.  The book has been used in classrooms, lectures, book clubs and a resource for many builders and architects who want to know more about building homes in the 21st century.  Come in and get your copy today!...and ask about products we offer to help you make you home more energy efficient. 

This weekend @ 'g' - Discovery Days and Tax Incentives!

Today, August 13th, is the 3rd in our series of summer Discovery Days - a great opportunity to learn more about creating a   green building showroom in your own community. 

We are a young and vibrant company with the promise of bringing green building materials, energy saving methods and healthy living options to communities across the country.  If you have been curious to find out more about  and are thinking of creating your own showroom, a Discovery Day is the perfect gathering to get the inside information, speak with Founder Nicole Goldman, meet our informed staff and visit our flagship location on beautiful Cape Cod.  For more information or to make an appointment to join us call Paula at 508.477.7988 or email paula@ggreendesign.com

This event is also being sponsored by the Mass Energy Consumers Alliance - making this event a Green Event powered by renewable energy. http://www.massenergy.org/

Also, don't miss out on your opportunity to purchase your retail or building products tomorrow without paying tax, tomorrow Saturday August 14th!  A penny saved is a penny earned!

Spend your Sales Tax Holiday @ 'g'!

Massachusetts has announced a Sales Tax Holiday on Saturday, August 14th.  Enjoy this savings on purchases up to $2500 ordered and paid for that day.

Business is buzzing in anticipation on the Sales Tax holiday this Saturday, August 14^th.  If you have been waiting on special purchases for your home from insulation to counters to flooring, to cabinets and more, we welcome the opportunity to get your quotes ready this week and place your orders this weekend.  Individual items are capped at $2500 and we can work with you to get the most out of this discount day.  Give us a call at 508-477-7988 or email to info@ggreendesign.com to get your order in process.

Note: Special Order Items; Transfer of Possession after Sales Tax Holiday.  Special order items such as furniture are eligible for the sales tax holiday so long as they are ordered and paid in full on the sales tax holiday weekend, and the cost of each item is $2,500 or less, even if delivery is made at a later date.  Generally, a customer pays for an item when the seller receives cash, a credit card number, a debit authorization, a check, or a money order or the buyer and seller enter into financing arrangements with a third party, including an affiliated entity (but excluding seller financing where the seller extends credit to the customer).  A prior special order purchase with a deposit paid before August 14, 2010 will not qualify for the holiday, even if the retail customer pays the entire remaining balance due on August 14 or 15, 2010.

Interview with ACCION USA: A look at Green Business

We recently talked with staff over at ACCION USA about green business and green financing alternatives - check out what they had to say about their resources for green business and their reflections on the growing field!  


'g': What kind of green programs and services do you offer?

A: ACCION USA is a leader in small business microlending. Our green loan programs helps small business owners who aren’t able to obtain traditional bank loans get the capital they need to run eco-friendly businesses. We work with both businesses that are offering green products and services to the community, like green cleaning services or weatherization services; and everyday small businesses looking to save money and energy. In addition to loans, we also offer training on green business practices through online classes and a library of tips and articles.

What kind of financing is currently available to businesses looking to go green?

Financing options for green businesses exist on a spectrum: on one end, you have bank loans with the lowest interest rates; and on the other, you have high-interest rate options like credit cards.

Where does your organization fit in?

Also on the spectrum is ACCION USA, which is a great option for small businesses that aren’t yet ready for bank loans, because they have more affordable interest rates than credit cards. We also understand the challenges that business face in going green, and our loan products and business training resources address that.

From your perspective, how has the demand for green services changed?

Recently, the concept of “going green” has become mainstream—everyone is tapped into the need to improve the environment, if only on a very basic level. This has prompted an increase in demand for green products and services, and increased awareness from consumers on green business practices– as H.L. Mencken said, “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public!” Many of our clients are small businesses wanting to benefit from this rise in green demand.

For example, one of our clients, Cheney Brand, owns a solar energy consulting and installation company. His strong belief in the importance of green energy and the environment prompted him to move to the green sector. He took out a loan with us in order to meet the huge demand for his solar panel design and installation.

A few years ago, solar panels were not considered a viable energy source or worthy of investment. Now, the businesses such as Cheney’s company and 'g' Green Design Center that have grown exponentially in recent years are proof of the increased demand for green products and services!

Why do you think “green” has grown in image and popularity? 

I think that now people are truly realizing the impact that their actions have on the planet. With the advent of globalization, it has become easier to see how one person’s decision can have an impact on the other side of the world. Green house gas emissions and toxins from a small construction company in Massachusetts can affect the rainforest in Brazil. Pesticide use from a local lawn care business can hurt community members. We’re all connected!

Product Spotlight: Centennial Wood

Since receiving samples of Centennial Wood here at 'g', we cannot stop raving. And customers walking through the store keep asking "What is this? It's beautiful!". So we figured we'd shed a little light on our favorite new product.

Centennial Wood is reclaimed wood from Wyoming snow fences. Wyoming is a state with extreme wind and climate and this natural process is the resource used to weatherize the snow fences. Snow fences are generally used to line highways and byways, making travel possible in the winter months. And when boards were taken off the fence frames and replaced by newer ones, the old ones were either burned or thrown in a landfill. So, recognizing the beauty and potential use of these old boards Centennial Wood began rescuing and reusing old boards for retail use - which means they are one hundred percent recycled! They realized these boards make great alternatives to less environmentally friendly building materials that are generally used for both exterior and interior purposes.

These perfectly cured snow fences are unlike other reclaimed materials or barn wood since it does not require any sealant or kiln drying (even exterior application requires no other treatment).  Common uses for this reclaimed wood are: flooring, fascia, siding, trim, soffit, and even tables, countertops, and other wood projects. They are 1"x 6" and come in 4-16ft lengths that can be milled or left in their natural cured state. If you want to consider the wood for flooring, it is possible to to get tongue and groove boards.

Centennial Woods has resourced a truly beautiful sustainable product that is made in the US, used in the US and refurbished in the US. And each year the companies sustainable practices prevent over 9,000 tons of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere. Its the best recycling idea we've heard of recently! So, come in to 'g' and check out are Wyoming Snow Fence samples (there are at least 6 to choose from!)....