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Home show exhibitors hear 'eco'

ANN S

— By . KIM

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Jill Brady/Staff Photographer: Chris Daudelin, left, of Scarborough discusses patio designs with David Kane of K2 Landscape and Design at the The Maine Home, Remodeling & Garden Show at the Cumberland County Civic Center Sunday, February 7, 2010.

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Jill Brady/Staff Photographer: Caroline Daudelin, 2, of Scarborough has some fun with a fountain display while visiting K2 Landscape and Design with her parents, Janet and Chris Daudelin, who were looking for patio and fire pit ideas at the Maine Home, Remodeling & Garden Show at the Cumberland County Civic Center Sunday, February 7, 2010.

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Staff Writer

PORTLAND — Eco-friendliness was a dominant theme of the 20th annual Maine Home, Remodeling and Garden show ove the weekend.

Exhibitors showed off products ranging from foam insulation to front-loading washers to wind generators to energy-efficient windows.

David Morrill was gathering information for a new home in Gorham. A super-insulated house and solar system whose excess daylight power can be sold to Central Maine Power are part of the plan.

The goal is to enjoy a net energy bill of zero after a year and to recoup the investment costs in 10 to 15 years.

''I blow $5,000 a year in oil and that doesn't go anywhere but overseas,'' he said after visiting the booth of Solar Design and Construction, a business with offices in Windham and Raymond.

The owners of that business say they are seeing growing interest in their specialty: super-insulated passive-solar homes.

''No one was listening until the energy prices went up,'' said Tom Peterson, one of the owners. ''Now everybody's listening.''

The two-day show at the Cumberland County Civic Center included a wide range of exhibitors and activities.

Artisans, food business and gadget purveyors lined the concourse. Businesses selling landscaping services, cabinets, hot tubs, overhead doors, lighting and other elements of remodeling occupied the main floor.

Cooking demonstrations and seminars took place in other areas.

While the show isn't a green expo, it reflects that a growing number of businesses have energy efficient or eco-friendly elements to them, said Cynthia Dickson, a co-producer of the show.

''There are smaller things you can do in your everyday life that are eco-friendly, energy efficient,'' she said. ''I think, in general, a lot of businesses are looking at their businesses and their products to see what is more efficient for the consumer.''

The prettiness of a window treatment might first catch an attendee's eye, but a federal tax credit is inspiring some to take a second look at honeycomb cell window blinds, said Sandi Gomez, a designer with Budget Blinds in South Portland. The spun polyester blinds have been available for years and have always been energy efficient.

''It's always been the case, but it seems to have been forgotten,'' she said.

Many people are interested in staples like fencing, but the wind generators at The Home Depot display are also getting a lot of attention, said Rob Chermak, a consultant with the Biddeford store.

''The energy's awesome today,'' he said of the crowd. ''I love it.''

It wasn't immediately clear how many people attended the show, which wrapped up Sunday. Dickson expected attendance to exceed last year's event, which drew more than 6,000 people.

Staff Writer Ann S. Kim can be

contacted at 791-6383 or at:

akim@pressherald.com