Our annual selection of eco-friendly products emphasizes incremental improvements.

Defining a green product may seem daunting, but in selecting our annual list of 50 outstanding products, we apply some fairly simple criteria. In fact, although abstract terms such as sustainability, eco-friendliness and so on seem to be everywhere, we’re mostly using the same yardstick of quality that we might have 30 years ago: How well-made is a product? How long will it last? How often does it need maintenance? Now, however, we must include two other important questions: 1. How efficiently does the product process resources (for example: How much water does a faucet use?), and 2. Has the product been crafted in a renewable and sustainable manner? Take a look at this year’s favorites, and let us know if there are other products you think we should consider next time around. –Editor

Air Sealing and Water Management

Heating, Cooling, and Ventilation

Plumbing Accessories

Insulation Systems

Adhesive Sound Proofing

Interior Walls

Roofing and Accessories

Door and Window

Lighting and Accessories

Deck Systems

Siding-Specialty Coating

Outdoor Living

Home Automation

On-Site Energy Production

Other

See Hot 50 Picks from 2012 and 2011