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Going Green?  Why not recycle your wine corks while your at it?  Here are some wine cork projects that can help you do just that!  Click Here For Photo Ideas
Sustainable Solutions for Valuable Vintages: Greening’ Personal Wine Cellars
Co-authored by Christopher T. Doktor, AIA LEED AP and Amanda Greaves, Interior Designer

Many homeowners make ‘green’ design choices as they embark on new projects.  In this article, Olson Lewis Dioli & Doktor Architects (OLD&D) provides guidelines about selecting sustainable materials for personal wine cellars.

‘Green’ choices can increase the efficiency and sustainability of a wine cellar, as well as preserve the life of the wine stored within it. OLD&D’s recommendations follow the five steps of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) approach to sustainable and effective design:

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Sustainable Site: choose a location which often reclaims and re-purposes household spaces such as a cellar, closet, or pantry area;
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Water Efficiency: use water-reduction plumbing and appliances within the space, if needed;
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Indoor Environmental Quality: improve air quality by managing the temperature and humidity conditions using efficient ventilation and climate control systems;
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Energy and Atmosphere: reduce energy used to maintain the wine room through efficient product and system selections, including proper insulation;
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Materials and Resources: make sustainable choices for the construction materials used to build the space.

When storing wine, remember that humidity, temperature and light are the three most important elements to control. For instance, the recommended temperature of a wine storage area is between 54 -60 degrees (Fahrenheit). To maintain optimum levels, effective insulation and tight construction are key features.

By properly surrounding the walls and ceiling with a vapor barrier and fully insulating the walls, ceiling, and floor, the humidity and climate are easier to control and creates a consistent environment for wine storage. Below are some specific product recommendations:

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Stego Industries has created a durable vapor wrap. It has an almost zero Water Vapor Transmission Rate and minimizes opportunities for humidity and heat to escape or enter the room. It should be incorporated into the walls, ceilings, and floors.

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Regarding insulation, many natural materials are used for insulation and reduce the project’s carbon footprint. For instance, choose a carbon negative insulator such as Hemcrete by Tradical. It fully insulates the wine cellar, but is also sustainable from beginning to end; it’s so ‘green’ it can be used as fertilizer!

To store and display wine, often the soundest choice is a mahogany, redwood, or cedar rack. When possible, using locally harvested wood is preferable.

Overall, keep these principles in mind when installing a wine room.

1. Use sustainable materials that are environmentally-friendly throughout their life cycle.
2. When possible, purchase local materials: grown or manufactured within five hundred miles.
3  Choose ‘green’ materials that improve energy-efficiency.

Going ‘green’ is responsible and improves the value of the home. Ultimately, it’s also good for the vintages preserved and protected in the ‘green’ wine cellar.