HOW TO Green-ify your reno

Recycle what you can “It takes a lot of energy, not to mention expense, to build something new,” says Matt Daigle, who founded BuildWithRise.com, a site that helps homeowners live more sustainably. If you are gutting a space, recycle what you can by donating to a charity like Habitat ReStore. “You might not like your kitchen cabinets anymore,” he says, “but someone else might.”

Find efficiencies

Water heating, which makes up 30 to 40 percent of a home’s energy costs, is a good place to improve efficiency. Insulating water pipes costs next to nothing and saves a lot of energy.

Daigle also suggests investing in a water heat recovery system, which

recycles the energy from the hot water that would otherwise just go down the drain.

Pick your shade of green Sometimes there’s no clear winner in terms of which is the greener product to use. For instance, bamboo is highly renewable and relatively inexpensive, but because it’s mainly grown in Asia, a lot of energy is spent getting it here. Hardwoods take a ton of resources to grow and can be expensive, but they’re found locally. The least expensive option is often the most sustainable.

Exposed concrete has terrific thermal properties. And particle board—which is essentially reconstituted wood waste—can be a smart option for countertops. “It all comes down to priorities and doing a bit of research to understand the best option for you,” Daigle says.