Note: The Healthy Home at Downsview has been disassembled, however, most of the products are still available – except for anything from Sears which has also closed.

I wrote a post about the Healthy Home a few days ago. But really, there’s SO MUCH information on the home to cover that I couldn’t capture it all in one post (well, I could, but your eyes would glaze over after awhile).

To recap, the Healthy Home is an example of how using smarter materials doesn’t have to look different. All of the products used in this home are easily obtainable in Toronto. In fact, what was surprising to me was how many products were supplied by Sears. I’ll be honest — I have never thought of Sears as a supplier of green materials — shows you what I know.

I thought for this post I’d focus on the kitchen, because, well, it’s my blog, and I love the kitchen! (I’m in one for most of the day — it feels like anyway — so functional and pretty kitchens are important to me).

A few of the features of the Healthy Home’s kitchen:

Cabinets were manufactured by Heritage Finishes: Cabinets are made from low-VOC Composite wood board (Uniboard NuGreen low VOC wood composite panels), Richelieu Hardware supplied Greenguard veneers, and Allstyle cabinet doors supplied low-VOC cabinet doors. There is very little, if any, “off-gassing” of harmful chemicals from these cabinets. Low-VOC glues, adhesives and paints were also used in the making of these cabinets.

(Note: Greenguard is a third party certification organization that focuses on helping companies improve the indoor air quality of their products.)

Countertops: Provided by Dixie Marble and Granite. CaesarStone is made with up to 93% quartz and a polymer resin. Quartz is the second hardest substance and is excellent for kitchens. The surface is non-porous, durable, won’t scratch or stain.

Backsplash: Provided by Antica Tile and Stone. Onix Moonglass in Pearl. Mosaic tiles are made from 98% recycled glass.

Wall paint: provided by Homestead House, which is a local Toronto company, and the only Canadian company to produce a milk paint. The paint has a higher pigment concentration for fuller colour intensity, and is zero VOC.

Lighting: The kitchen chandalier is provided by Led-Linear, and uses linear LED lighting strips in a creative way for a central light. Undermount lighting for kitchen cabinetry was provided by Hafele.

Appliances all supplied by Sears:

• Refigerator: Kenmore Elite. Energy Star. Annual energy cost: $47. Internal icemaker, external water dispenser.
• Dishwasher: Kenmore Elite. Energy Star. Saves up to 42% water and 31% energy cost. Includes HE function, automatically measuring time water and energy for maximum efficiency. Annual energy cost: $30.
• Cooktop: Kenmore Elite Induction Cooktop: cooks in half the time of gas or electric cooktops. Annual electricity cost of $23.
• Wall oven: Kenmore Elite Self-Cleaning oven. Annual electricity costs $24.
• Water filtration system: Kenmore MD Central Water filtration system. The system filters chlorine and other unpleasant tasting odours from water. Filter never needs changing as it’s self-cleaning.

The Healthy Home is on display at Downsview Park until December, 2011. Open to the public, Monday-Friday 6-9pm, Saturday and Sunday 12-3pm.

[mappress]