Eco Friendly Christmas tree Decorations

This Holiday Season don’t rush out to buy new plastic, glass or metal decorations for your tree.

Instead look around your house and recycle the following items that are sure to make your tree unique with a personal touch! You’ll be good to your wallet and the environment too.


Ten Green Ideas to Decorating with
1. Old costume jewelry (chandelier earrings, sparkly bracelets, necklaces & pearls)
2. Picture frames
3. Old CD’s
4. Fruit such as tangerines, grapes & cranberries
5. Food such as popcorn, cookies, colored pasta & candy
6. Flowers such as roses, poinsettias, baby’s breath, vines and pine cones

7. Old Toys such as stuffed animals, cars, figurines and dolls
8. Christmas cards!
9. Sea shells or pasta used with a little glue to create beautiful ornaments
10. Key chains, skeleton keys, broaches and buttons

Happy Holidays from your friends at 

Green Domain!

Think Green, Be Green and Save Green!

Green Domain Energy Saving Tip of the Week:

This Holiday Season try LED holiday bulbs!!!  

Now available in green, orange, gold, red, white and blue. They're shatterproof, shock resistant, safe to touch and won't burn your children's hands! They also present no fire hazard, save up to 80-90 percent of your energy costs, and are long lasting.  Happy Holidays from your friendly neighborhood energy specialists at Green Domain!

Celebrate a “Green” Halloween by joining us at our upcoming fun packed event!

Upcoming Events!

    4^th Annual Green Community Festival

Liberty Park Peapack Gladstone

Saturday October 30^th (Rain Date Sunday October 31^st)

11:00AM – 4:00PM

Building on the last three years of a hugely successful event, this year’s festival promises to be even better with an exciting list of exhibitors, all aiming to present green alternatives for everyday living and to help us understand the CHOICES we make as citizens of the planet.  Read more here!

Energy Savings Tip of the Week: Air Sealing Saves you $$

Green Domain ENERGY SAVING TIP OF THE WEEK: Did you know that 80% of your home's heat is lost through your attic? Are you too hot in the Summer, too cold in the Winter? You can make your home more comfortable by Air Sealing and adding insulation and you can save up to 30% on your utility bills! Act fast and put an end to this by calling Green Domain today!

GREEN DOMAIN ENERGY SAVING TIP OF THE WEEK:

Denim to the rescue!

Save Energy and feel more comfortable by adding insulation in perimeter walls and ceilings. There are eco-friendly options like recycled denim or cellulose and fiberglass batting w/no added formaldehyde. Call Green Domain to schedule an Energy Audit and to discuss insulation options for your home.

GREEN DOMAIN ENERGY SAVING TIP OF THE WEEK!

Save ENERGY While Cooking!

Use microwave ovens, small electric pans, or toaster ovens for small meals rather than your large stove or oven. A toaster oven, for example, uses a third to half as much energy as a full-sized oven. Call Green Domain to test your combustion appliances during your Home Energy Assessment!

GREEN DOMAIN UPCOMING EVENTS!!!!!!!!!!!

1.       
       

2.    Friday - Sunday - October 1-3 
      Garden State Green Fest

Garden State Exhibit Center Somerset, NJ

10:00AM to 5:00PM

3.    Saturday- October 2nd

National Solar Tour Open House

10 am - 4 pm

Gallagher Solar Thermal @ Greenway Technology of Warwick

585 State Route 94 N.

Warwick, NY 10990

4.    Saturday October 9th

4th Annual Maplewood Green Day

Maplewood Memorial Park - Valley Street across from town hall

11:00AM – 4:00PM

5.    Tuesday October 28th
     GREEN BY DESIGN SEMI-ANNUAL NJ REGIONAL CONFERENCE & WORKSHOP 
     8:00AM-3:30PM
     The Hilton Garden Inn
     375 Mount Hope Avenue
     Rockaway, NJ 07866

       Saturday October 30^th (Rain Date Sunday October 31^st)

4^th Annual Green Community Festival

Liberty Park Peapack Gladstone

11:00AM - 4:00PM

Energy Saving Tip of the Week: Reduce your Carbon Footprint!

ENERGY SAVING TIP(s) OF THE WEEK: Reduce your carbon footprint! Here are 5 easy things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint: 1)Turn lights off when you leave a room; 2)Put computers, monitors, DVD players, & other electronics into sleep mode when you're not using them; 3)Wash only full loads in your washing machine & dishwasher; 4)Switch to low-flow showerheads & toilets; 5)Replace your lightbulbs w/compact fluorescent light bulbs-CFL's.

Green Domain loves NY!

Green Domain just became a certified contractor and partner of NYSERDA (www.nyserda.org) offering New York homeowners comprehensive Home Performance Assessments and assisting our customers with cash rebates/incentives offered by the State and the Federal Government.  Green Domain will cover Rockland, Orange, West Chester and Putnum Counties, hoping to make a “green” difference in the wonderful state of New York.  What state will we conquer next?

Join us Sunday at the Green Fair at the Red Mill Museum in Clinton, NJ!

Come join Green Domain on Saturday 9/18/10 
from 10AM -4PM (Rain date Sunday the 19^th) 

the Red Mill Museum Village (56 Main St) is hosting a Green Fair for the Hunterdon Community in beautiful Clinton, NJ.  

Go Green at the Red Mill 1^st Annual Green Fair! 

Learn everything there is to know about living greener. We have 30 plus green vendors with information and products relating to green building design, green energy, recycling, preservation, organic farming and holistic living. We also have a great schedule of programs--with Lecturers, book signings, children's activities, turn your trash to treasure workshops, and much much more. In the background throughout the day we will have live music by the Swamp Grass Jug Band (using all recycled objects for instruments), Free admission to the public!!!!

Think Green Act Green Festival

Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs (MCOHA) hosted its first annual Think Green Act Green Festival on August 21st at JFK Commons Park, in Dover NJ. The event was organized to educate the community on ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle in order to decrease carbon footprint. Local families, both adults and children, enjoyed a day outdoors where they were provided information on sustainable living. Green Domain supported MCOHA by participating in the event as an exhibitor and conducting a raffle where one lucky family won a free home energy assessment. Green Domain also provided information to the attendees on ways of maintaining energy-efficient homes.

Energy Saving Tip of the Week: You Can Save Energy While Doing Laundry!

Did you know that about 90% of energy used for washing clothes in a conventional top-load washer is for heating the water? Simply by switching the temperature setting of your washer from hot to warm, you can reduce your energy consumption by half. Using warm or cold water is also gentler on your clothes. By washing full loads or using the appropriate water level setting when you have to do a partial load helps save water. Always purchase ENERGY STAR washer and dryers. NJ’s Clean Energy Program offers $50 rebate towards the purchase of select ENERGY STAR clothes washers.

Check out more government sponsored energy saving rebates! >> Click Here!

Energy Saving Tip of the Week: Change Your A/C Filter Regularly!

Replacing old air-conditioning filters is an expense that pays for itself in cooling dollars. A dirty air-conditioning filter restricts air flow and lowers the efficiency of your cooling unit as much as 15% causing it to work harder and use more energy. Especially during hot summer months A/C filters should be replaced at least once every three months and as often as once a month in dusty environments. Clean filters will prevent dust and dirt build-up in the system which may lead to system failure and high maintenance costs.

Another advantage of clean air filters is to reduce the amount of allergens in the air that we breathe thus improving air quality in our home. If your room air-conditioner has a washable filter that looks like sponge rubber wash it with a mixture of mild detergent and water, rinse well, and air-dry it completely before re-installing it.

Energy Saving Tip of the Week: Lower Your Energy Costs With Proper Landscaping!

Did you know that you can reduce your monthly energy costs by up to 25% through careful landscape planning? Properly planted trees, plants, and shrubs can protect your house from afternoon sun in summer and act as a windbreaker during cold winter months. Research has shown that summer daytime temperatures can be 3-6 degrees lower in tree-shaded neighborhoods compared to areas with no trees. Planting dense trees on the west and northwest sides of a house will block summer setting sun. Similarly planting evergreens on the north side will slow down cold winter winds while funneling summer cool breezes into the house. Additionally vines climbing on walls form a foliage cover that insulates the home from summer sun and cold winter winds.

*Landscape Picture above Designed and installed by Garden Associates Landscape Architecture Inc., Licensed Landscape Architects.   

Green-By-Design Open House at WCCC

Warren County Community College in Washington New Jersey hosted their first Green-By-Design Open House on August 4, 2010. Maija Amaro of School of Continuing Education, who organized the event, stated that they plan on hosting similar green events in the future to educate the community on sustainable living.

Sponsored by Hance Construction, GBW Insurance and Milton Terry Associates, Green-By-Design was free to attend for the public. Green Domain was happy to take part in an event geared towards educating local residents on ways of leading an energy efficient and sustainable lifestyle. Energy efficiency specialists of Green Domain gave useful information to visitors on benefits of a home energy assessment. Among other exhibitors were green construction companies, solar energy providers, and green products manufacturers.
Commenced by the keynote speaker, Dr. William Austin of WCCC, the open house featured other speakers who shared their expertise with attendants on various topics on sustainable living such as green construction, solar design considerations, and sustainable strategies in interior space planning.

Links:
http://www.warren.edu/
http://www.hanceconstruction.com/
http://www.gbwinsurance.com/
http://www.miltonterry.com/

Energy Saving Tip of the Week: Don’t Let Air-Conditioning Dollars Go Out the Windows!

Did you know that windows can account for a significant portion of your energy bills? Windows with low-emissivity (low-e) coating cost about 10%-15% more than standard windows but they reduce your energy loss by 30%-50%. Low-e windows have a coating which is a microscopically thin metallic oxide layer applied on one or more panes of glass. There are different kinds of low-E coatings developed for high solar gain, moderate solar gain, and low solar gain depending on the climate you live in and the direction your windows are facing. For example for hot climates and east- and west-facing windows you should choose low-e windows where the coating is applied to the outside pane of the glass as this will keep the sun’s heat out of the house. When you are buying new windows look for ENERGY STAR label. Always work with reputable and knowledgeable installers to make sure your windows are installed and sealed properly to avoid any air leaks.

Energy Saving Tip of the Week: Fire up that Grill!

Using your outdoor grill saves you cooling dollars on hot summer days. Cooking inside in the oven or on stove top will warm up your house making your air conditioner work harder. The microwave is another good alternative for energy efficient cooking. Microwave ovens use around 50% less energy than conventional ones.

NJ Clean Energy Cash Rebate Update

THE NJ CLEAN ENERGY/HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR PROGRAM IS NOW OFFERING CASH REBATES UP TO $3,000.00 IN ADDITION TO FEDERAL TAX CREDITS UP TO $1,500.00 TOWARDS GREEN FIXES AND HOME IMPROVEMENTS! CALL GREEN DOMAIN TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR RESIDENTIAL AND/OR COMMERCIAL ENERGY AUDIT AND BE THE FIRST TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE SAVINGS!!! 

 

CONTACT YOUR GREEN DOMAIN SPECIALIST TO LEARN MORE 908 534 6464 

OR VISIT WWW.GREENDOMAINUSA.COM

 

Recessed Lighting

Recessed lighting can be a key element in both the function and the style of any space. Offering a sleek, streamlined look; increasing the amount of light in a room; highlighting the artwork and other special features of a house are a few of many advantages of recessed lights. There are hundreds of options and products available to create the look you are looking for in recessed lighting.

However if not installed properly, they can certainly make your house less energy efficient. Installed on the second floor of a house recessed lights are holes open into your attic that allow unwanted air flow between conditioned and unconditioned spaces. If there is not proper sealing, they can cause a room to be warmer in summer. Humidity is another problem caused by improper sealing of these fixtures. When the moisture-laden warm air leaks into the ceiling cavity and comes in touch with a cold surface condensation and mold-growth may occur. To make matters worse, when the light is on, the heat from the lamp accelerates the air flow (stack effect) through the fixture, increasing the energy loss.

These potential problems can be avoided if recessed lighting is installed and sealed by certified professionals. You should also use Energy Star qualified lighting fixtures to reduce your energy costs. One of the many advantages of having a home energy audit is to determine whether or not the recessed cans in your house are causing any air leaks. A certified consultant would test the sealing around these fixtures for any leaks that may cause energy loss as well as moisture and mold problems.

Homes With CFL Bulbs Are Cool!

Did you know that Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs produce 75% less heat than standard bulbs thus cutting down home cooling costs? They also use 75% less energy than ordinary bulbs even though they provide the same amount of light. By installing CFLs in your home’s six most frequently used light fixtures you could save $30 or more per year on energy costs. To gain the most financial benefit from your CFL, leave it on for more than 15 minutes at a time. Frequent switching on and off will shorten the bulb’s life. You can buy CFLs at discounted prices at NJ Clean Energy’s online store. At the end of its useful life, dispose them carefully and safely. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that consumers take advantage of local recycling options for disposal of CFLs.

Home Performance with Energy Star®

Home Performance with Energy Star®, a program by New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program, is a comprehensive whole-house approach to improving both energy efficiency and comfort of your home. The program provides cash incentives to NJ residents who reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient.

The first step in taking advantage of these incentives is to get a home energy audit. At the end of your audit, Green Domain’s BPI-certified consultants will prepare a detailed report that advises what Greenfixes need to be implemented. As a result of these Greenfixes, you will receive cash rebates based on your energy savings:

• Projects that will result in 5%-25% savings on monthly energy bills will receive up to $1,300 in cash rebates;
• Projects that will save 25% and higher on monthly energy bills will receive up to $3,000.


Federal tax credits are also available for energy efficient home improvements!

Blower Door Test

Appliance Combustion Test

A home energy audit conducted by our expert consultants is a comprehensive four-hour-long assessment of every aspect of your house from air sealing, windows, and doors to combustion testing of all your appliances. In addition to financial and fiscal benefits, Greenfixes will provide you a healthier and more comfortable home with fewer drafts, consistent temperatures across rooms, and better humidity and ventilation control.

Call Green Domain today to schedule your home energy audit! 908 534 6464.

Energy Saving Tip of the Week: Be a Fan of Ceiling Fans!

Did you know that you could lower your air conditioning costs by up to 14% during the cooling season if you increased your thermostat by two degrees and used your ceiling fan? The blades of a ceiling fan push down the air to create a cool breeze in hot summer days.

Ceiling fans cool only the people and not the rooms, though. So don’t forget to turn it off when you leave the room!

Easy way to Save Energy!

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Week:

Sell that old Refrigerator!

 

Get rid of that older, energy-hogging second refrigerator! One large refrigerator is cheaper to run than two smaller ones. $$$You will save on average $240.00 a year on your utility bills$$$

 

Find us on Facebook for weekly tips on how to save energy! 

What is Air Sealing?

Learn All About Air Sealing and Stack Effect with Green Domain-- Your Friendly Energy Efficiency Specialists.

By John Romansky, LEED AP, Green Domain Field Technician

Air sealing to reduce stack effect, may be terms that are not clearly understood by the average homeowner when compared to say, insulation.

So let me use an analogy:

Insulation can be compared to wearing a fleece. On a cold calm day you would most likely be comfortable just wearing the fleece but add a breeze and the air flow through the material will not hold the trapped heat in. Add a shell or wind breaker over that fleece and you are all comfy again because the air flow is stopped or reduced. Air sealing is like the addition of that shell to your home’s insulation.

Stack effect caused by pressure differences between the inside and outside of your home causes air to flow through it. The air finds its way through holes, cracks, and crevices around wiring, pipes, ducts, vents, flues, wall connections, drop soffits, attic hatches, recessed lights, etc. Although some of the cracks are very small, the cumulative area could be quite large - like leaving a window or door open 24/7. You need a certain amount of air exchange to control the build-up of indoor pollutants, for your water heater, boiler or furnace to work properly and to have a healthy home. But any excess air flow is stealing your heating and cooling dollars. After calculating the volume of your home and performing a blower door test we can measure the amount of excess air flow through your home. Air sealing methods performed by a BPI certified professional are confirmed by a blower door test once again after completion. This can quantify the amount of air flow reduction and energy is no longer wasted.


If you have ever felt drafts in your home on a cold and windy winter's day, you have felt the result of stack effect. If so, please give Green Domain a call to schedule a green analysis today. It will be the best $125 you have ever invested. Call today at (908) 534-6464

>>Click here to: Rate Your Home's Energy Efficiency or Ask your Green Domain associate for more information. 

Green Domain at Green Brook Family Fun Day!

GREEN BROOK, NJ; Monday, June 28, 2010: Green Brook Little League Fields hosted the 2nd Annual Green Brook Family Fun Day on Saturday June 19th.  In addition to entertainment for kids such as train rides, face painting, and dunk tanks; local merchants set up displays in designated areas. Green Domain, as one of the 66 exhibitors who attended the event, distributed CFLs (compact florescent lamp) to families who signed up for a home energy audit.; Conducted by BPI-certified professionals Green Domain’s home energy audit is a three-hour comprehensive assessment where both the inside and outside of your home is inspected for energy efficiency. A $125 energy audit will pay for itself in a few months in savings on energy bills after implementing the fixes that we recommend as a result of your home’s audit. It is your energy. Use it, don’t lose it!

www.GreenDomainUSA.com

Green Domain Wins 2010 CBA Awards of Excellence

New Jersey’s Energy Efficiency Specialists, was presented with two Awards of Excellence from the Community Builders Association of New Jersey on Thursday, June 10^th. The Awards of Excellence Program is designed so that the Community Builders Association of NJ and Builders and Remodelers Association of Northern NJ may have the opportunity to recognize and promote members of the New Jersey Builders Association who have reached high levels of achievement in the fields of new home construction, remodeling, commercial building, sales and marketing.  The company, only a year old, received Best Video Commercial Advertising for the ‘How Green is Your Domain?’ commercial, a spot shown on Comcast Cable Television, and Best Company Brochure, ‘Color Your World Green’. Both categories were judged based upon creativity, concept, and appropriateness for target market.  Green Domain®, still a growing company, could not be more ecstatic.


About the Company: David M. Chewey, LLA, NJLLA #748, founder and principle of Garden Associates Landscape Architecture, inc., launched a sister company, Green Domain® LLC, in May of 2009.  Green Domain® is an innovative green home renovation company that specializes in energy efficiency to assist homeowners in living an environmentally responsible, sustainable lifestyle. Being the only company of its kind in New Jersey, Green Domain® was established to coincide with Garden Associates’ strive to provide clients with the option of having both interior and exterior sustainable solutions for their residence.
Since the launch of Green Domain® practically a year ago the company has nearly tripled in size, growing from a staff of one Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified employee to now six.  To support having such an emerging clientele base with a booking of two months out, the company has initiated a flock of company vehicles the staff likes to call ‘green mobiles’, all hybrids of course, equip with state-of-the-art auditing gear to get the most precise energy readings possible.


The amazing company growth owes most of its success to working in conjunction with the New Jersey Clean Energy Program, which provides homeowners with unbelievable cash rebates for both their comprehensive energy audit to most home improvements and energy fixes. The company offers a wide range of services from innovative project consultation, comprehensive interior / exterior auditing- Green Domain® distinctively calls a GreenAlysis© Report, sustainable landscape design services, solar/geothermal energy solutions, and the construction resources needed to achieve energy saving and green improvement objectives, known as ‘green fixes’

If you would like more information on Green Domain®, or would like to schedule your own home energy audit, visit www.GreenDomainUSA.com or call (908) 534-6464 to speak to your friendly energy efficiency specialist.

{In the photo above from right to left: Glen Lumia, President of Builders & Remodelers Association of Northern NJ, Barry Krinsky, David Chewey President and founder of Green Domain®, Jeff Jacobus, Veliana Baratta, John Romansky, and Robert Bracken, President of Community Builders & Remodelers of NJ)

New Jersey solar energy programs highlighted in Maplewood, New Jersey

Green Domain at Maplewood, NJ Solar Carnival

May 23, 8:43 AMNewark Progressive ExaminerLaura Farrell

Maplewood, NJ hosted a solar carnival yesterday at Memorial Park. The carnival, which included activities for kids, sought to highlight the benefits and tax incentives associated with installing solar panels on residential homes. New Jersey Solar Funding, Green Domain, New Jersey Comfort Partners, Home Depot, and BP Solar all had representatives on hand to answer questions.

New Jersey: the best solar program in the United States
Matt Morra, of New Jersey Solar Funding, said New Jersey has the best combination of federal, state, and utility-company finance incentives for home owners to help them go solar. And residential solar installations in New Jersey have taken off in recent years. In 2008, said Mr. Morra, there were fewer than 50 residential solar permits issued in the state of New Jersey. By 2009, there were 3,400. This year, 10,000 total permits will be issued. This extraordinary growth is the result of a combination of federal and state policies that provide rebates for homeowners, as well as new clean-energy mandates for utility companies.

>>Click here for full article

Keeping Warm, the ins and outs of having a home energy audit

DAVID CHEWEY, owner and CEO of Green Domain in Somerville, explains why considering a home energy audit is a sound investment.

Consider having a home energy audit:

• If your home feels drafty and cold and you're constantly cranking up the temperature.
• If your energy and utility bills are higher then you can afford.
• If you're considering buying or selling a home (an energy audit can point out problems that should be fixed before a sale).
  
• If your home is 12 years old or more (it could be drafty).
• Before you plan any home renovation or addition
• Before installing a solar or renewable energy system.
• If you or family members have health problems related to ventilation.
• If you wish to improve the carbon footprint of the over-all environment.
  

An energy auditor generally will:

• Use special equipment to find where cold air enters your home (winter is the best time for an energy audit because it clearly shows where the cold enters).
• Windows and doors are prime targets; other areas that can cause energy loss include old or inefficient furnaces, vents, seals, appliances, and lighting fixtures.
• Suggest preventive measures to keep healthy and more energy-efficient levels of existing air and new air flow in your home.
  

How to hire a home energy auditor:

• Choose a company that's familiar with rebate programs and financial incentives that New Jersey offers to home owners who invest in energy-saving measures, including rebates on new appliances and fixtures.
• Choose a company that's certified by the Building Performance Institute (www.bpi.org).
• Ask neighbors and friends who may have recently had a home energy audit for suggestions, always check references, and visit The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities website (www.njcleanenergy.com) or call 866-NJSMART for details. 

 Green Domain started as a sustainable landscaping company and subsequently expanded its services to include full-service home energy audits.  It's also available to discuss executing corrective measures, including filing rebate and incentive paperwork.  The company is certified by The Building Performance Institute and is on the list of certified contractors to participate in The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Home Performance Program with Energy Star.  Assessments usually run about $125, but program details are subject to change, so it's important to check with NJBPU for updates.  Green Domain, www.GreenDomainUSA.com, 908-534-6464. 

Article by  Lisa Rackley, New Jersey's Home & Design Magazine, February /March 2010 Issue