What is good for you is good for all of us!

Protecting the environment and our limited natural resources is on everyone's mind these days. Opting out of creating a green footprint or using sustainable and recycled alternatives can no longer be a choice in the face of global warming. You truly have the power to do something to reduce your impact on the environment.  

Congratulations!  You are probably visiting our web site because you are thinking of remodeling or building a new home for your family, and you want to make conscious decisions each step of the way throughout the design process and in the selection of the materials you put in your home.  We will help to guide you through eco-friendly choices and have some fun exploring options along the way!

But, do we know what "Being Green" really means or even how or where to start? "Being Green" in your home is easy when you break down your choices. Are you planning to remodel or expand your existing home?  Will you build a new home for your family within the next year or two? How can you best invest in designing your home to be energy efficient and healthy?

At Green By Design, our passion is to help create a well designed home and to provide products for your home that are eco-friendly, healthy and durable.  It is only natural that we take good care of our customers - we want to create a home you can love.  

Select materials for your home that are good for you and good for the planet.  Be an active participant in the solution to climate change and the impacts we all leave.  Lighten your footprint and let our talented, experienced and professional green team help you GO GREEN!

Green By Design is a one-stop-shop for green building with the highest quality products and services offered in the Bay Area.  We are an alliance of companies who are passionate about energy efficient and healthy homes.  It is our goal to encourage the design of innovative and sustainable buildings that contribute to your well being and the health of our planet.

What does a green home look like?

It may be cutting edge design or it may be traditional.  A green house may produce its own energy with solar panels.  It should be built with numerous recycled materials, including insulation, concrete, countertops, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified lumber, and it might reuse rainwater to irrigate landscaping.  It will have trees to provide shade in the summer and allow sunlight in during the winter.  A home, its inhabitants, and its relationship to the piece of ground it sits on are one integrated entity.  Your home may be an example that engages environmentally conscious design but it does not have to be expensive, difficult, or compromise excellent design.

Colleen Mahoney founded Green By Design in 2007. Colleen and her talented team of architects and interior designers have focused on award-winning design for over 22 years.  But Colleen doesn't think that is enough.  We are leaving a legacy to the next generation.  Inspired by her own young children, Colleen is dedicated to making a difference in design.  Will you join us?

Homes should be beautiful, responsive to the desires of each homeowner, but also energy efficient and healthy.  Mahoney Architects & Interiors designed the Bay Area Dream House over a dozen years ago.  The Bay Area Dream House, a high energy efficiency home, was selected to be a PG&E showcase home for energy efficiency and great design.  At that time the home exceeded California's strict energy requirements (Title 24) by 50% showcasing the firm's ability in energy efficient design.

USGBC established high-energy efficient standards for home

In 2008 the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) established high-energy efficient standards for homes.  These new standards follow strict requirements following the USGBC guidelines titled LEED for Homes (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).  Throughout the state of California, local agencies are adopting mandatory guidelines for homeowners, architects and builders to follow.  These guidelines have been established by Build It Green and endorsed by the National Association of Home Builders.  Building departments will be requiring that each set of plans submitted for a permit will meet certain criteria or green points.  Verification of adhering to this green point system is handled by an independent and certified third party Green Point Rater.  Colleen Mahoney is a credentialed Green Point Rater and will certify projects for architects, designers, builders and homeowners.

The four fundamental objectives in Green Point Rating are to:

  1. Conserve natural resources
  2. Reduce energy consumption
  3. Improve indoor air quality
  4. Make communities more livable.  

Mahoney Architects & Interiors has fully embraced the goals of the USGBC, Energy Star, and Green Point Rating.  Each member of the Mahoney Architects & Interiors staff is credentialed as a Certified Green Building Professional.  Leading her firm, Colleen Mahoney is also a Green Point Rater and has gone through advanced training courses in energy efficient design for new homes and remodeling.  

The firm is currently completing a Marin County home showcasing energy efficiency and eco-friendly products.  The home incorporates the following 'green' measures:

The firm is currently completing a Marin County home showcasing energy efficiency and eco-friendly products.  The home incorporates the following green measures:

  • Roof mounted photovoltaics so the home will be "off the grid" generating its own electricity designed and installed by Green By Design alliance member, Sun First!
  • A solar hot water system produces hot water for cooking, bathing and laundry needs as well as for heating the pool and spa.
  • A durable roof with a 100-year/lifetime product warranty.
  • Energy efficient windows and exterior doors throughout with stainless steel glides and hardware for durability.
  • Exterior siding is FSC cedar finished with low VOC stain.
  • The interior and exterior are painted with low VOC paint made by Benjamin Moore.  Benjamin Moore's premium coatings deliver best-in-class performance while meeting or exceeding the most stringent environmental regulations.
  • This home exceeds California energy requirements (Title 24) by over 40%.
  • Exterior walls and ceiling are insulated with soy-based foam blown in to fill all voids.
  • Interior walls are insulated with recycled blue jean/denim material - UltraTouch.
  • Cabinetry and hardwood flooring is constructed with FSC wood, low VOC finishes, and no added use of urea-formaldehyde.
  • Countertops are made of recycled glass and concrete by CaesarStone.
  • Cisterns hold over 16,000 gallons of rainwater collected from winter and spring rain to irrigate the landscaping in the summer.
  • High-tech computer operated wiring systems allow the owner to turn off all power to the house when away, leaving only the minimum electrical demands running (refrigerator and security system).  A fully integrated system installed and designed by SoundVision.
  • The HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system was tested by a HERS inspector

So much energy!

Power plants are responsible for more than a third of our greenhouse gas emissions in the US. Supporting renewable energy is more important than ever before.  One of the most common suggestions you will hear is to swap out your incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescents (CLF).  They use a fourth the amount of energy for the same amount of light and last 10 times as long. Stop by our showroom and we will be happy to see you leave with a few CFLs!

Replace old appliances (refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, washer & dryer) with Energy Star appliances.  In addition to making appliances more energy efficient many manufacturers have crossed the line to environmentally friendly.  Some no longer contain substances such as lead, mercury or cadmium.  Make sure that when disposing of your previous appliances, you are environmentally friendly and use the correct haul-away services.  Consider upgrading your clothes washer and dryer to front-load machines.  Many washers use up to 65% less energy and 60% less water.  You will save over 24 gallons of water per load! 

Speaking of saving water...

...replace those old toilets too.  You can update your old toilet that uses 5-6 gallons of water per flush with new WaterSmart high-efficiency fixtures using as little as 1.3 gallons of water per flush.  Some water districts provide rebates for high efficiency toilets! We sell the Caroma dual flush toilet - please give us a call and we will order one for you or stop by our showroom to see this eco-friendly fixture. The Caroma is on the MMWD list qualifying for a generous rebate.

Insulate and save!

Insulate your roof, walls and floors.  Insulate your pipes.  Install one demand hot water in your primary bath.  Save heat, save energy, save water, save our precious resources!

An alliance of experience, talent and dedication

  • Visit our showroom in Mill Valley.
  • Meet our talented and knowledgeable designers.
  • Work with our alliance of dedicated and experienced businesses providing green building services.

Green By Design's manager Deborah Crosby is a talented designer who can help you design green, buy green products and refer you to a green-minded contractor.   Dreaming of a custom kitchen?  Look no further.  We collaborate with independent cabinetmakers - all green.  The cabinets are made of sustainable woods certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).  We have unlimited choices of gorgeous wood including maple, cherry and poplar or bamboo.  And cabinets are not just for your kitchen; they are for your bathrooms, bookcases and home theater built-ins as well.

Green countertops

We carry several countertop materials and many are made from recycled products.   Each is unique and a great alternative to importing expensive granite.  These materials can be used for kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, beautifl shower surrounds and bathtubs or tabletops, and fireplaces.  They come in high polish or honed finish. They are available in a variety of shades, ranging from soft, earth-toned neutrals to rich saturated colors.

 

PaperStone is one of the "greenest" architectural surface on the market today.   You can choose PaperStone products which are FSC certified and made from 100% post-consumer waster paper or the original series which is made from 50% post-consumer waste.  The line comes in a sophisticated color palette.   

We also showcase CeasarStone which is comprised of 93% natural quartz, one of nature's most abundant materials, and is nonporous and stain resistant. These factors eliminate the need for chemical sealers.  

IceStone is made with 75% post-consumer recycled glass.  Color tints for its cement matrix are acquired as post-industrial waste from the steel industry.  IceStone durable surfaces are UV resistant and will not yellow or fade.  It contains no formaldehyde, petrochemicals, or polyester resins.  It will not emit VOC gases.  It is easily maintained using low pH cleaners and water-based sealers.   The range of colors is just gorgeous and you must see samples to fully appreciate all of the great options. This is a certified cradle to cradle product. This means that the product is designed for material reutilization.

Green pizzazz for your bathroom and kitchen

In addition to countertops adding pizzazz to any kitchen or bath – don't forget the "jewelry" on your cabinets, the decorative pulls and knobs.  Ours are made by Spectra decor, a Seattle based company.  Spectra Decor pulls and knobs are made from 100 percent recycled glass and lead-free pewter.  The line comes in a wonderful selection of colors, sizes and styles.

For your kitchen backsplash or master bath shower, we feature several lines of beautiful tile. Our talented design staff will be happy to guide you in your choices of materials and colors to suit your taste and style.  From a contemporary spa feel to a rustic Tuscan villa - we have options for you and they are all eco-friendly!

Sustainable and beautiful

Our Debris Series are beautiful handmade tiles with over 50% recycled content.  The Debris Series also comes in unglazed tile with a natural warm red-brown terra cotta hue.  The Debris Series was developed to use the waste of a local gravel, asphalt and cement producer who is the largest supplier in the San Francisco Bay Area.  (Clay-based tiles give you an alternative to the look of recycled glass tile.)  Glazed tiles are available in 160 standard colors - all stunning!  We have colors ranging from subtle neutral colors to rich greens and blues to gold and red tones. 

Glass tile is truly a knockout product.  Oceanside Glasstile has basic ingredients of silica sand, which is a renewable resource and recycled bottle glass.  Many Oceanside Glasstile products consist of post-consumer recycled bottle content ranging from 25% to 85% by volume.  Oceanside reuses ALL post-industrial waste.  (Zero waste in manufacturing.)  Oceanside has been using recycled bottle glass for over 14 years.  Glass tile requires no sealant and it can be recycled again and again.

Terra Green's tile combines incomparable elegance with exquisite craftsmanship.  Terra Classic and Terra Traffic are SCS Certified 55% recyled glass and made in the USA.  They come with a complete line of trim for floor, wall or counter-top applications.

EcoCycle is a porcelain stone product.  The recyled content of all EcoCycle products has been verified by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) an independent certifier of environmental claims.  The EcoCycle series products have a recycled content of 40%.  Pre-consumer recyled material is defined as a material diverted from the waste stream during or from the manufacturing process. 

EuroStone's tiles and slabs are made of quartz and designed and imported from Italy.  Quartz is one of the hardest materials, second only to diamond.  The Quartz is crushed and mixed with 6-7% polyester resin providing beauty and durability.  The material does not need resealing each year.  It is heat, scratch and chip resistant.  It is non-porous, therefore it resists absorbing anything that can stain and will not harbor bacteria. 

90% recycled copper

Metaphor Bronze tile is truly unique.  Metaphor tiles are made from 90-95% recycled copper.  They are made in the USA, they are recyclable and they are certainly durable - they will last forever!  Metaphor Bronze uses casting and patina processes that date back to the Renaissance.  Patterns are pressed in sand and molten metal is poured into the molds.  These beautiful metal tiles come in a wide and luxurious color palette.  The patinas are sealed with a custom blend of waxes, including Canuba, one of the hardest waxes nature provides.

What about flooring in your home?

We have many sustainable products for you to consider.  One of our favorites is Cork.  Beautiful, durable and renewable.  Have you seen the subtle stain and pattern alternatives?  Cork is quiet and easy to stand on and a great fit for family rooms and kitchens.  Commercial grade finishes are guaranteed up to 25 years!  Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak tree, which grows in the forests of Mediterranean countries.  Because of its density and incredible number of cells per inch, cork naturally inhibits the conduction of temperature and sound  (perfect for sneaking into the kitchen for a midnight snack!). Cork is resilient and provides a comfortable cushion underfoot.  Cork is naturally resistant to mold and mildew and does not absorb dust and consequently does not cause allergies.  Cork is a great product to use over radiant heat. A well maintained cork floor will last for decades.

For your exercise room or laundry room we like Marmoleum.  Marmoleum is made with renewable materials, comes in a slew of patterns along with a 25-year warranty.  Many styles are subtle and neutral while some are very bold.  Have fun with this eco-friendly alternative to vinyl.  The main ingredient is natural linseed oil produced by pressing the seeds from the flax plant.  The flax plant, the source of linen, is an easy-to-cultivate plant whose supply is abundant.  Pine rosins are mixed with the linseed oil to produce a flexible binder.  When it comes to colors, only ecologically friendly pigments are used.

Would you consider a leather floor in your home office or library?  Wow.  And use a recyled product to boot!  EcoDomo Recycled Leather Tiles present exceptional beauty, character and resilience.  Like all leather tiles they will develop a patina over time and reflect the uses of the space they are in.  This unique flooring option is made from 65% post-industrial recycled leather, 20% renewable natural rubber and natural fillers and binding agents made from Acacia tree bark.  

The carpet industry has made tremendous efforts to clean up their act.  But lets face it . . . any man-made fiber requires petroleum and harmful chemical wastes.  And even if certain plastics are kept out of landfill and made into carpet . . . isn't there a good chance that very carpet will end up in a landfill the next time around? We would rather you didn't install carpets made from plastic.

What could be more natural than the wool shorn from sheep?  Pure, natural, good old fashioned wool . . . humanely sheared, right from the sheep, and released out into the pasture to grow another coat!  Each sheep can produce about 40 pounds of wool a year. Wools of New Zealand, representing the world's largest exporter of wool for carpets, take environmental responsibility seriously.  No internationally banned pesticides are used for animal welfare and protection in the New Zealand sheep industry.  Do you know that wool is non-allergenic, wool carpet fibers are not a food source for dust mites, and wool is completely biodegradable in the soil.   

Soft woven flooring products will always remain popular in our homes.  Merida is committed to using all natural, sustainable and renewable fibers.  Merida's natural fibers are selected from trusted overseas partners who produce the finest materials available.  Abaca, part of the banana family, is considered the strongest of all natural fibers.  The dramatic range of natural colors makes abaca uncommonly beautiful as a woven floor covering.  There are no dyes used in our abaca products and no backing materials.  Merida's abaca rugs are 100% natural.

Hemp is a fiber similar to flax, jute and ramie.  Hemp is a long, strong and durable fiber.  Because it does not attract pests, hemp does not require the use of pesticides, making it a very environmentally friendly crop.

Jute is a soft, flexible and hardwearing fiber that is well suited to a floor covering.  Merida's Meridian's distinctive 100% jute products are woven in India. Jute fiber is considered an eco-friendly material that is 100% biodegradable and recyclable.  Merida's jute yarns are not dyed.

Seagrass can be found around the world and is known for retaining its fresh, grassy scent long after it has left the field.  Just come visit Green By Design and experience the sensation of walking into a field of grass.  When seagrass is woven into a rug, the result is a highly spill-resistant, durable, resilient floor covering that is comfortable underfoot and retains the fresh look of the outdoors. 

Sisal fiber is obtained from the agave plant, and Merida Meridian sources the world's highest quality sisal.  Sisal flooring is naturally sound absorbing, antistatic, and extremely durable.  Sisal is a sustainable and renewable source of woven floor covering material.  No pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used in sisal production, and most weeding is done by hand rather than through the use of herbicides. 

Nothing can beat the natural beauty, the depth of color or the unifying quality of hardwood flooring throughout a home.  Eco Timber FSC certified wood flooring and Bamboo flooring:  EcoTimber brings change to the way forest ecosystems are managed worldwide by offering wood products that only come from the highest standards of sustainable forest management.  EcoTimber is also committed to providing high-quality, beautiful, and healthy products that are free from toxic materials.  When you buy from EcoTimber, you're not just buying the finest wood products available.  You're casting a dollar vote for sustainable forestry, and helping conserve forests through responsible wood use.  EcoTimber offers a wide range of gorgeous domestic and exotic hardwood and bamboo flooring, including prefinished engineered and floating floors.  Purchasing eco-friendly wood products does not mean sacrificing beauty, durability, or ease of installation.

We are also promoting the use of reclaimed wood

We are also promoting the use of reclaimed wood.  We have flooring manufacturers who scour the country to salvage beautiful woods from buildings scheduled for demolition.  Terra Mai provides distinctive, one-of-a-kind reclaimed wood products.  TerraMai travel the globe in search of the most beautiful and unique reclaimed woods.  Antique railway ties, tropical pole houses, nineteenth-century barns - these are just a few of the sources of reclaimed wood for flooring.  Reclaimed tropical hardwoods are made from the hardest, most durable woods on the planet. 

These woods have survived some of the most punishing conditions nature can dish up- and only improved with age.  Looks, personality, and performance - these floors have it all.

Stop by to see our samples and to meet with our flooring experts Janis Hannigan and Sean Hannigan owners of Haute Flooring and represented in Green By Design.

Green By Design wood flooring products are FSC or reclaimed.  We can be proud in America that we can use a product that is produced following a standard that promotes sustainable forest management, including wildlife species at risk.  To measure the sustainability level of wood two main attributes are evaluated: harvesting and chain of custody. 

The harvesting process is evaluated based on how trees are planted, grown, cut down and renewed to ensure the long-term health and existence of a forest.  Chain of custody tracks exactly who or which company touched a piece of wood, tracing it back to the company that employed the person or machine that cut down the tree.

Not only do we encourage you to use FSC wood in your cabinet and flooring choices, we encourage you to use it for all of the lumber in your home including wall studs, roof framing and siding.  Lumber certification alleviates concerns about mismanaged forests that contribute to soil erosion, loss of wildlife, and the clear cutting of old-growth forests. 

How about doors?

Do you want a unique entry door?  What about interior doors for your bedrooms, bathrooms, closets, family room?  You will certainly want to work with Liberty Valley Doors.  All wood is FSC or reclaimed depending on your preference.  Master craftsmen detail custom doors with exacting shop drawings.  Each door is unique and handcrafted by this company completely dedicated to sustainable practices.  Liberty Valley Doors has created beautiful entry doors with Mahoney Architects & Interiors on spectacular homes throughout the Bay Area.  Lets see what we can create for you!

What about paint?

You will absolutely want to go with eco-friendly paint that does not 'off gas' toxins.  Most top quality paint manufacturers now carry no VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) paints.  For the health of your home you want no VOC products.  Our painting contractor MB Jessee will help guide you through choices in painting your home inside or out.  

If you want to consider an alternative to paint just look at our Tobias Stucco product.  Love the look of Venetian plaster?  Come by Green By Design to see this beautiful product!  Developed by Randall and Roz in Sonoma County, this finish is something you will truly love.  Instead of the flat look of paint Tobias Stucco has dimension.  As Randall says - it breathes life into the pigment on your walls and ceiling.  This natural product is applied like paint in two coats but finished with a trowel similar to plaster.  It is preferable to use a professional to install this product.  Tobias Stucco is a low VOC product and healthy for your home. It is not only beautiful, it is also highly durable.

Think we have covered all the bases?

Whoa, not yet!  We haven't even talked about the design of your home. 

Award winning architect Colleen Mahoney, AIA leads Mahoney Architects & Interiors as well as the green team as co-owner and founder of Green By Design. Colleen is a Certified Green Building Professional (CGBP) and a Green Point Rater.  Fully dedicated to sustainable design, every member of Mahoney Architects & Interiors is a CGBP.   Colleen believes in the legacy of her firm's work.

Interior Designer Laura Leo is an Allied Member of the ASID as well as a Certified Green Building Professional.  Laura leads the interior design work of Mahoney Architects & Interiors as well as being a co-owner of Green By Design. Laura lends her substantial talent to all projects with guidance in cabinet design, fixture, finish and color selections as well as final furnishing choices.  Laura has earned a fantastic reputation for guiding each homeowner through the hundreds of decisions made for each home.  She makes it appear easy and guides each customer with a gentle but firm hand - a true gift to anyone embarking on a remodel or new home design.

Deborah Crosby who brings years of experience as a talented designer manages Green By Design.  Deborah is the incoming President of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).  She has marvelous 'green' credentials including LEED  AP from the US Green Building Council.  Enjoy visiting our showroom, pull up a 'green' chair at our beautiful reclaimed wood conference table.  Let our team discuss your home plans to look at all of your options and to assist you in any way.  We are focused on customer service and we want to help you fulfill your dreams for a healthy, durable and well designed home. 

Your garden

The design of your home does not stop at the walls.  Most Californians want homes that seamlessly flow to an outdoor dining terrace and barbeque area, to a beautiful garden and perhaps a pool and spa.  For a fully integrated home the collaboration of the architect and Landscape Architect is crucial.  Enter Pete Pedersen, ASLA.  Pete and his team design spectacular gardens and outdoor spaces.  Pete has a master's touch when it comes to garden design.  Familiar with all California native plants, hydro zoned planting for efficient irrigation to the use of permeable paving materials, Pete just waves his magic wand and voila - a garden to love and enjoy every day.  Supporting Pete's wizardry we work with Siteworks for our landscape installation.  No one wants to waste money on callbacks for irrigation systems that fail and leak, fountains that don't work, plants that don't survive and flourish.  Siteworks install magnificent estate gardens as well as updating smaller urban gardens.   Be sure to include a weather tracking system in with your new garden irrigation system so that you don't waste watering your yard on a rainy day.  A well-designed and installed garden is sustainable. 

Lasting Impressions will sculpt your pool area, patio, terraces, walkways and outdoor kitchen with decorative concrete.  Eco-conscious, Lasting Impressions use fly ash in their concrete mix to minimize their carbon footprint. Enjoy your outdoor living Lasting Impressions!

Irrigate your landscape with rainwater!

Yes, that's right.  Collect the rainwater running off of your roof and down your downspouts into our storm drain system.  You will need to have room on your property for the holding tanks.  Depending on your landscape needs or for the purpose of keeping a pool or spa topped off you will need sizable water holding tanks or cisterns.  Feel free to talk to our landscape architect and rainwater-harvesting expert Bobby Markowitz.

You need a great builder

Finally you need a great builder.  We are proud to work with some of the best in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Green By Design is allied with contractors who are committed to building green and to full collaboration as a team in the interest of creating a beautiful and healthy home.  From smaller kitchen remodels to a full home makeover, from overseeing a new pool and landscape installation to building a new home, each builder is dedicated to helping you make your home truly green. 

Father and son team Deny and Pete Kasten are taking their company green.  Denny has built numerous homes throughout the Bay Area.  With over 35 years of experience, Denny's knowledge, experience and passion for working with people are credit to his long-term success.  Pete Kasten is a Certified Green Building Professional.  Together Peter and Denny bring a family-oriented approach to the building process.

Caletti Jungsten has integrated green building techniques into every construction project. John Caletti and Jeff Jungsten have been fully committed to green building for many years.  Together they bring all of the experience and resources you will need to build a unique well crafted home. Smart design and construction translates to resource conservation, lower home operating costs and a higher level of durability.