by Susan Thurston
St. Petersburg Times

After earning a reputation as the office recycling queen, Nicole Kibert decided it was time to make an even stronger statement. She would build a home using as many environmentally friendly practices as her budget would allow.

Kibert, 31, started construction on her “green” house last March after several months of planning. In November, she and her dog moved in.

A lawyer, Kibert isn’t shy about proselyting the merits of her two-story house . in Tampa. In fact, that’s the whole idea. Get people thinking about ways to make their homes more gentle on the Earth.

Kibert didn’t keep track of the total cost of going green but figures it will pay off over time. She estimates her energy-saving features will save her 35% in electricity costs.

Although Kibert started from scratch with help from developers Ed Turanchik and Teresa Caddick, most of the items can be incorporated into an existing home.

Remodeling this spring? Here are some things to consider.

• Site selection. Support infill development by building in an older neighborhood close to your job and services. New subdivisions in the fall-flung suburbs often gobble wetlands and displace animals.

• Energy-efficient products. Buy Energy Star appliances, double-paned windows, low-flush toilets and compact fluorescent light bulbs.

• Kibert also built her house with an aluminum roof to reflect heat and a programmable thermostat that allows her to adjust the temperature throughout the day. She considered a tankless water heater but went with a natural gas heater because it turned out to be less expensive.

• Spray foam insulation. Seal your attic with foam insulation, making the area part of your home’s air-conditioned space. That will reduce the amount of energy lost when pumping air conditioning through ducts in a heated space.

• Sustainable wood flooring. Select flooring certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which protects forests by managing the amount of wood harvested annually. Kibert chose an engineered wood - fused together wood pieces - over solid planks. She researched bamboo but ruled against it because it takes a lot of water to grow and must be imported from distant places.

• Drought-resistant landscaping. Choose plants native to the area and install a low-water micro irrigation system. With guidance from the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Kibert installed a misting system to establish the plants and eventually will remove it.

• Locally made products. Buy products made less than 250 miles away to reduce transportation costs, as in gas. Kibert, who drives a Toyota Prius hybrid, bought her stone-inlaid kitchen countertops from an Ocala company. She skipped the granite because most of it comes from overseas.

• Nontoxic paint. Use paint that is low in volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, chemicals that evaporate into the atmosphere. Look for Green Seal certified brands.