Please - do not use a lot of carpet. Use it very sparingly. Some of us who would like to enter the sweepstakes have allergies - and carpets are worse for us.

And say no to bamboo. Yes, it is sustainably harvested, but at what cost - farmers are tearing down estqablished trees and plants, to plant fast growing bamboo - easy and quicker profit. That does not help the environment.

Can't wait to see more of the house - only live about 2 hours away, and I so miss living near the coast. Could get some awesome storm shots coming off the Atlantic! Not to mention we have family and friends over there. It's a win/win. :)

I live in Florida too. I think it is a mistake to put carpeting , no matter how truely "green" it maybe, in any home in FL because of the never ending, daily chore of vacuuming. It takes more than a simple vacuum job to clean out ALL grains of sand, sand fleas, and pollutants from the carpet. It takes four(4)different passes per carpeted room:2 in a cross hatch pattern(top-bottom & side-side)and 2 in an X pattern(ie:SE-NW,and NE-SW). Even then, you most likely won't get the flea eggs secured at the carpet fiber base and backing. Fleas hatch in 3 days ready to mate and lay more eggs. Sand tears carpet fiber two ways: 1) as it is grounded in from the bottoms of footware and 2) as it is sucked up with a vacuum. It doesn't matter what materials were "recycled" to make the fibers in the carpet; sand still tears them up. Florida is a state comprised of sandy soil. Nylon fibers designed to "trap and hold in place" air toxins will still release them back into the air with every step taken across the carpet. Those pollutants are imbeded throughout the entire fiber, not just the surface layer. It still takes a minimum of 4 passes to rid your carpet of toxins.
Carpet manufacturers and salespeople will say anything-even lie through omission- to convince buyers to purchase carpeting. They have a vested financial interest in trading carpet for your money.

"Carpets Make Good Green Sense" can only mean one thing..try and make it as eco friendly as possible, pass it off to the public as such, in order to make lots of "green"$$$$.
Not everyone remembers to remove their shoes upon entering a home. When that happens they are tracking in all sorts of allergens, chemicals, filth etc.
Shaw is a wonderful company and it's great they are a sponsor, but I have to agree with the others, that hardwood floors, cork, etc. would be much more appropriate for the Green Home. If you feel you absolutely need carpet in there, then use eco friendly area rugs.
Here are some articles that discuss the best Green floor options.
The second article says it best: "While carpets and rugs can be responsibly purchased and installed, the most eco-friendly flooring option is often avoiding them altogether."
http://www.hgtvpro.com/hpro/bp_interior_finishes/article/0,,hpro_20148_3463293,00.html
http://www.coopamerica.org/pubs/realmoney/articles/flooring.cfm

Please don't put carpets in the house. People with allergies can be near carpets. I think eventhough sponsors are important if carpets have been demonstrated to attract allergens and thrive mold spores, if you want to have a green eco friendly home the quality of air inside the house has to be a Priority.
The vacuum theory is not going to sink into the viewers minds.
"Green" crashes with carpets.

I agree with the comments about the carpet,in my reasearch of the area it would make better sense to use porcelain ceramic tile floors.The make them to look like stone but are easy to care for.Please don't use bamboo or a lot of carpet.

Please no carpets!!!Living in Florida and having allergies carpets are the worst thing, And living near the beach you have everyone entering the house, And like the other blogger said not everyone is going to be wiping their feet. Please use flooring. Pleaseeee.

I live near Dalton, GA, ("Carpet Capital of the World"). I don't see how on earth anyone could call carpet, or the manufacturing of it "green" in any way. It takes zillions of gallons of water to produce it and the byproduct waste is astounding, and an enormous problem of which to dispose. And, lots of our area natural hardwood forests are destroyed and replanted, like the bamboo, with pine forests. Not that I'm against progress, nor do I live with blinders on, I just don't want people to keep falling for anything and everything labeled "green".

Please don't put carpet in the Green house. I'm allergic to carpet,and alot of other people are.Like others have said it holds so much dirt and sand fleas. If I won the house I would have to remove it.Please think twice about. I think wood floors and tile would be better.

I'm going to differ with many of the comments. I do have allergies and still like the feel of the carpet underfoot when getting up in the morning.

And...there are some good vacs that do a GREAT job with the allergens.

Guess some people haven't been reading up on the GREEN carpets. ??? Glad this blog is getting the idea out there.

I have mixed feelings about this issue. I've vacationed in Florida many, many times on the beach in carpeted rooms with tile in the entry, kitchen and bathrooms. I know we must have dragged in sand fleas but never thought about it, maybe because I don't have allergies, and our stay was only two or three weeks. But now, just as I have always encouraged HGTV to build homes with universal design, I urge HGTV to please consider the people with allergies. I know the GREEN TEAM will come up with something any lucky winner will be able to enjoy.

I would be interested in hearing more about the "Green " carpeting. I had not heard that the more "eco" friendly carpet was really "green". I have a friend who is a local Shaw dealer, he did not have a lot of paper work suppliing info on the "eco" carpeting. Shaw is wonderful to be a sponsor, but there best product is there hardwood flooring. Hardwood last for 30-50 years, (I'd call that eco friendly) and only increases the homes value. Carpets are not healthy for children, and really suck up excess electricity with all that vacuuming.

Carpets? HMMMMM. As a midwesterner we have some carpeting in our home for the purpose of keeping the cement slabs warmer. As an allergy and asthmatic sufferer it's a chore to keep clean, especially with a cat and dog; even though our dog is hypo-allergenic. She's a wire haired mix of Irish Terrier and Fox Terrier. My vote is tile with washable rugs. Keep up with the active lifestyles of today and think of a slogan like, "If it's Green, it's easy to clean!"

My family is mixed, some with allergies, some no allergies. My preference is hardwood and ceramic tile. They are both beautiful and easy to care for. Throw rugs that can be machine washed are best as they're soft underfoot and so easy to clean. Our landfills are full of horrible padding and carpeting that became useless very quickly and weren't even recyclable. So, if this home is to be green, then why are we going to put a very non-green item into it? Please reconsider HGTV and as for Shaw and other manufacturers of carpeting, ease your way out of carpet production and focus on areas that are good for us now and in our childrens' future. There is some great product out there which we need to keep focused on. Thanks for listening...Good luck everyone...

In addition to my last posting, I mean't to add that Foyer entrances and laundry rooms should always be tile or other hard material as hardwood gets scratched too easily for that kind of foot traffic. Also in addition to ceramic tile, there are other floor surface materials like: flagstone, other stones, porcelain, granite, laminate, marble, slate and travertine. So much to choose from and will last probably many lifetimes. Now that is green! Our landfills would be saved so much. No matter who wins the homes each year, we all need to make sure that our homes are becoming greener and save this beautiful world for our children and theirs.
Ok HGTV show us all how green you are. Best wishes to all...........

I live in Maine. Our family has been working hard on removing carpets and laying laminate flooring with area rugs placed on top. While I love the feel of carpeting beneath my feet, I am in agreement that for those of us with allergies, carpeting in the past has not been kind to those of us with allergies. I too would love to learn more about allergy free, green carpeting! I also trust your judgement, as you are the experts in green living.

Please if you are going to put the carpet please put it in the rooms only. Thank you. I like tiles in the kitchen and hard floor in the living room and the hallway. Thank You. Can wait to see the green house. The plan looks very good. I love the plan of the green home. Thank You

Please rethink the carpeting. If you have ever replaced the carpet and see what is underneath--it's a very scary different world under there.

Carpets present allergy and asthma problems--I know first hand and I live near the ocean where there is cleaner air. My carpets were causing health problems. Wood floors are much easier to clean and take care of.

How can a carpet be "green" when to keep it clean and nice looking you have to change the carpet out every few years? It has to be treated with chemicals to clean. A wood floor is easily cleaned with a damp-almost dry floor mop. Where does the old carpet end up? Where as wood floors properly treated and cared for will almost last the life time of the house. So I am wondering how many carpets have to be changed out in a lifetime of a house versus a one-time-wood floor installation. Seems to me wood is "greener" than carpet.

Can't wait to see the house finished. The whole process of watching the house grow into a fantastic home is totally amazing. Good luck on the building project.

Thus far, most comments center around the issues of carpet + allergies. By the way, there are many high quality natural pure wool carpets on the market today that have NOT been chemically treated, are more durable BUT cost a lot more... I know, because I have Asthma and had a wonderful wool capet installed in my previous home, although now I only have wood and tile. Forget the dirt + sand fleas for a moment and concentrate on what "green" really means, because it's not just about sustainability... A truly green home should be build only with materials that DO NO emit VOCs !!! What are VOCs you ask? VOCs are highly toxic volatile organic compounds that are present in most building materials, and off-gas VOCs for many years to come - which make us ill by inhaling them. They are known to cause not only allergies - but also cancer and much more... For example, laminate flooring in particular off-gases toxic formaldehyde and you wouldn't do yourself or your family a favor by replacing carpet with IT! As you can see, there is much more to a house - green or not - than just carpets! So, please do some research into building materials before you embark on any house project and shout "no carpets"!

Whom ever you have been consulting with is giving you bad advise. I have been an environmental building specialist and the first thing I tell clients is to get the carpet out. It traps critters, dust, mold, toxins that vacuuming just does not get. It is not environmentally safe to have carpet. Rugs can be rolled up and vacuumed on both sides. They look great and do the job that carpet just can't do. If money is the problem put in composition tile and a nice rug. But please no carpeting!

I have to ask WHY are you using carpet? I think carpet is nice in edrooms but in the daily living spaces I prefer laminate/wood floors! There is so many colors for these floors and the care is much easier. Also I would consider allergies where alot people are allergic to house dust which you never get rid of in carpet.

In my home, we have converted to laminate, vinyl, and concrete flooring. I have one room left to rip out the carpeting that has been in place for 18 years. I can assure you that there is nothing eco friendly about this carpeting. Not only does it trap toxins, the odor after years of dirty feet, children, and pets is too much to bear.
The instant carpeting is removed from a house the air quality improves. Try it and you will know what I mean.
The reason for the change or the lack of is d/t the cost of replacing a whole house full of carpeting. The laminate and vinyl materials were considerably less and something that we could install ourselves w/o renting equipment to stretch the carpet or having it installed.

I am enjoying the ECO kick everyone is finally getting involved in. It is fabulous to see people caring about their environment beyond their personal borders.
Keep up the good work and give us more budget friendly ECO tips!

Carpet is eco-friendly for dust mites. Especially ones that live in a humid area such as Florida where the humidity is an average of 60% or more and mold likes to grow. Mostly tile would be my first choice.

If it's green, it should be allergy free also, so what kind of carpet is being install? My husband is really senative to new carpets.....

This house is in Florida, so it will have a lot of heat from sun. Tile,stone, slate, marbel or cement floors will be much more likely to keep the temp. down. We really don't have that much cold weather here. Carperts help keep the place warm in winter. Don't have that much winter here. YEA!

Just a personal preference, but tile, stone, slate, marbel or cement floors are cooler, easier to clean and last forever or almost. Isn't that what green is about? Easy to clean, earth friendly, usually low cost and sustainable?

I am concerned that the rug might attract the alergens & dust mites that are so hard on asthmatics. Bamboo it a renewable grass that makes a durable floor covering, which is easily cleaned, looks good & does not leave a hiding place for germs & pollen or dust mites.

I'm "Green" Consultant and love reading all the information and blogs regarding this home. Detail is everywhere regarding the better choices with the focus of the impact on the environment without compromise. Great way to go.
My three wishes? Win, Win, Win!! It is 33 degrees here in Dutchess County, New York. Winter be gone!!
Cherie

I'm "Green" Consultant and love reading all the information and blogs regarding this home. Detail is everywhere regarding the better choices with the focus of the impact on the environment without compromise. Great way to go.
My three wishes? Win, Win, Win!! It is 33 degrees here in Dutchess County, New York. Winter be gone!!
Cherie

I can't imagine a gorgeous "dreamhome" like this WITHOUT some carpet! I like to go barefoot in warm weather (like in Florida!) and nothing feels better on bare feet than carpeting. A good vacuum picks up dirt quicker and easier than sweeping and scrubbing, so what's the problem? I've had allergies my entire life too! Of course nothing is better than ceramic tile in the kitchen.... When can I move in?

Another Floridian here chiming in for "Tile with washable rugs, PLEASE." Although some carpet may indeed be greener than others, carpet in NO WAY "makes sense" in Florida and detracts from the "green" quality of this house.

Personally I like carpet....Also, love hard wood floors, why not Just an area carpet? Easy to clean and can be removed if needed. Recently I watched a show were the carpets are made of recycled products. The only one I didn't like was the shag made of plastic. Found one in a store recently...the feel of the product is softer then imagined....still not my style. What comes from the earth...Should be able to go back into the earth....NOW THATS GREEN!

Love The Floor Plan and Can Hardly Wait To See More of The Green Home Progress.

I was very surprised and equally disappointed to learn that carpeting was in the plans for this lovely house. Carpet's eco friendly status is extremely questionable when considering the manufacturing process and the amount of energy required in attempts to maintain it. During the summer months the humidity in this area ranges from a low to high 90%. Combine this with all the filth that carpeting collects and it becomes quite aromatic along with all the allergens it harbors. One just does not expect to find carpeting in a higher end house for a number of reasons. I hope the designers reconsider their decision on its use.

I also am surprised that you would include carpeting in this green home. Area rugs would be a better option. They could be removed and washed to get rid of dust mites that so many of us are allergic too.

Please reconsider this option.

I disagree. My husband just returned from service and he is so excited to be around carpet again! It's so comfortable and safer for small children and elderly people. I worry about my 3 year old falling on hardwood. I do have allergies so I make sure I vacuum reguarly. Carpet is made out of a petroleum-based fiber (can you tell my dad owned a carpet store?) so I do think it's possible to make carpet greener by using recycled stuff in it and recycling it. I like carpet but it's just my opinion!

I have laminate wood in my living room, porcelin tile in the kitchen,1 bath and entry and travertine in the master bath, but my bedrooms are "green" carpet. I love the carpet and other floors, however at 73 the hard surfaces kill my legs and back but for practical purposes I have the hard floors in the living area. I wouldn't trade the carpet in the bedrooms.

A quality carpet will not produce allergens, carpet will trap allergens. Wood , cork and laminate will not this is true. Do not blame carpet for putting allergens in your home, blame your lacking housekeeping skills, at least with carpet the allergens are trapped in the fibers not floating in the air for you to breathe. Pets are amoung the most notorious allergen producers, so by this logic, you should rid yourself of all indoor pets, right? I mean you do want to be allergen free. Keep a clean house , vacuum once a week for every person residing in the house, rid yourself of pets, ban indoor smoking, and you can greatly reduce the number of allergens without villafying the carpet industry.

Cork would be more eco friendly, it is also insulative, anti-microbio, renewable and easy to keep clean. Or, why not just leave the concrete floors with some beautiful area rugs that can be vacumned from both sides or "swatted" clean.

Tile would also be a better alternative.

Carpet is just dirty no matter which way you look at it. Even if people don't wear shoes in the house, they are shedding skin cells which collect in the carpet and which dust mites love to feed off of. All of that is before you factor in the sand, and the sand fleas and whatever other critters decide to call the carpeting and padding home. Additionally, all that vacumning uses a lot of electricity. What since that does that make in a green home?

I must say I agree that there should be NO CARPETING in a 'green' house. I and my children all have various allergies, between us we are allergic almost every environmental allergen. Tile and wood #recycled# flooring would be much better. Someone else raised the subject of VOCs, I didn't know about them 7 years ago when I moved into my newly painted townhouse. I was very sick with headaches almost every day and increased earaches for about the first 4 years and have only recently gone back to my usual allergy patterns. Since VOCs can be emitted for up to 7 years from paint, now I know what the problem has been and all painting is now done with no/low VOC paint. I hope that the issue of VOCs will be addressed with carpeting as well as paint, furnishings, ect... Remmeber, any time you smell something that gives off that "new" smell, it's really VOC/poisons being released into our air and lungs. All that being said, I really like the floor plan and can't wait for more pics.

Are you kidding me. Carpeting is the absolute worst floor covering ever. It has contributed to allergies and asthma in children over 70% in 20 years. You cannot possibly clean carpeting I don't care what you use vacuum wise it will not clean. To top it off once you do vacuum the airborne aerosols are floating for 4 - 8 hrs after wards for every one to inhale. It doesn't matter what the carpeting is made of. I have a bridge for sale if you believe that crap.

Carpet is absolutley the best way to go. Carpet like anything else has changed. If you truly want a green carpet that is also a Best of NeoCon winner for design you should go with Bentley Prince Street. They are definately leading their industry in sustainable development. They have received several recognitions for strong environmental performance beyond current requirements and implementation of high-quality environmental management systems. The carpet is MANUFACTURED USING 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY! Made possible with onsite solar panels and purchase of certified carbon offset credits. The credits purchased offset carbon emmissions for the lifespan of the product. Bentley Prince Street is the only option for "green" carpet. Beautiful carpet also!