Lean and Green Blog: Sustainable products highlights from IBS 2012

As the building world concludes another International Builders’ Show, the sentiment shared by many of the attendees was one of hope for a better year. Many builders showed the promise of a better year as January orders seemed to be up among many of the smaller, regional builders. 

In light of that, there seems to be more room among the standard feature sheets for improvements in specifications, especially as it pertains to more sustainable products. Here are a couple of highlights from that show that seemed to take a top honor in my book for a sustainable future.

When it comes to water, AquaSana has got your covered.  Many consumers wish that better water quality were an easy addition to their home.  At prices that range from around $100 for a countertop system to less than $1,000 for a whole house configuration, this water treatment system will help reduce your usage of bottled water, as well as overall costs for water.  Where a case of water will run you about $3 at the grocery store, this filtered water costs less than 1¢ per gallon and eliminates the waste associated with bottled water.  This would be a great addition to any model home to reduce waste & operating costs and to feature a new option for consumers.

Trends in flooring continue to move more firmly towards sustainable results.  Mohawk Industries, one of the largest manufacturers in the world, has a great lineup of carpet, tile, wood, and vinyl to meet every consumers needs for flooring.  Unlike much of the builder flooring of the past, flooring is designed to last longer and be less of a disposable product.  With SmartStrand technology, the new carpet lines from Mohawk are softer, more resistant to stains and virtually indestructible, even when put to the “Rhino” test. Fewer replacements means less waste and more satisfied customers into the future.

These are just two of my favorites from the show.  What were some of your favorites?