Downtown Dwelling Goes Green
As green products gather cachet among this demographic, suppliers are meeting demand with increasingly affordable, scaleable and often modular products designed for small-space and urban living.
Nadine Sullivan, owner of Spokane's Eco Depot, a green building supply store that recently moved to a new location downtown, is one such innovator helping to set the pace for sustainable construction and design materials in the region.
Sullivan has been in business since 1994, when she started WOW Energy Systems in Spokane Valley. The company was renamed Eco Depot in 2003 to reflect a shift toward supplying a larger variety of sustainable building products. She says the company's emphasis on green materials was prompted by customer demand.
"We work with architects and engineers who were starting to want these kinds of things," Sullivan says. "We were already in the alternative energy business, so we thought why not diversify a bit."
Sullivan says she is seeing an increase in urban dwellers among her customer base – though not necessarily among Spokanites.
"We've noticed, in Seattle especially, the EcoSmart Fireplace has been a good seller for us," Sullivan says. "And in Boise, too."
Sleek and modern, the EcoSmart is an environmentally - friendly open fireplace ideal for apartment and city living. It is flue-less, requires no built-in fuel supply, and uses a modern renewable energy source.
"The nice thing about them is that you can put them anyplace you want," Sullivan says. "They come in different sizes, and you're not limited to one wall."
Sullivan says the fireplace can be used to divide an open living space or for other architectural purposes.
"You can build it into an existing fireplace, or into a bookcase," she says.
Green flooring products are another area of the sustainable building industry that is growing with demand. Eco Depot features several stylish flooring options, including Marmoleum, a linoleum-like product made from linseed oil, wood flour, pine rosin, jute and limestone.
Marmoleum is a naturally hygienic flooring material that is anti-static and biodegradable. Hardwearing and easy to clean, it comes in 100 colors with a variety of borders, corner accents and patterns.
Although many urban lofts and condos feature beautiful wood, tile and concrete floors, carpet is often required to reduce noise and add warmth. Eco Depot offers modular carpeting that includes a cushioned backing made from recycled polyvinyl butyral film used in laminated safety glass.
Recycled paint is another product aimed at the green consumer. Metro Paint uses recycled latex to provide a high quality, environmentally safe and low-cost product that comes in 15 basic colors that can be blended using a manufacturer's color guide.