Retirement community begins energy-efficient overhaul

Two new buildings at a North Carolina retirement community are installing eco-friendly temperature controls, among other features, in an effort to go green. According to the Winston-Salem Journal, the buildings will feature geothermal heating and cooling systems.

It certainly is not a small task, as the builders are digging 132 wells that are 400 feet deep over a two-acre area.

"What's unique about a geothermal system is that it's using the groundwater that's at a pretty constant temperature of about 55 degrees," Rodney Cheek, the project's senior manager told the news source.

Although the focus of the project is on the heating and cooling system, there are other green features as well. Flooring will be made from low volatility compounds and rooms will be replete with energy efficient windows.

Hanging woven bamboo shades can be a great way for homeowners to incorporate green design elements into their own house. Not only do woven bamboo shades offer an attractive appearance to any room, their production treads lightly on the earth as harvesting the material does not kill the bamboo plants because it is able to grow very quickly.