"Green" -- the Earth-friendly buzzword that's everywhere these days -- is one of the themes of this year's Home & Garden Show. A living roof and other sustainable ideas will be celebrated in A-Maze-in-Green, a maze that's part of the PG/Bidwell garden on the convention center's first floor.

Of course, the convention center is the biggest green exhibit of all, with lots of glass for natural light and a huge sail-like roof that cools by natural convection.

But the truly environmentally conscious consumer will find the most green in exhibitors' booths. In January, the Post-Gazette published a top 10 list of green products used in home building and remodeling. Let's take a look at which ones on the list will be at the show:

1. Compact fluorescent lights, which use about one-quarter the electricity of incandescents and last much longer. You probably won't see bulbs for sale -- they're available at any big-box or hardware store -- but you might find special lamps and fixtures designed to use them.

2. Latex paints with few or no volatile organic compounds are becoming part of nearly every major brand's line. Talk with painters to find out which ones they recommend.

3. Storm windows or high-performance replacement windows. Several exhibitors will custom-make storms, but if you really need new windows, you can't miss the many displays featuring double and triple-pane windows with argon and other inert gases between the panes and low-e coatings to make them more energy-efficient. Compare U-factors to determine how well they performed in insulation tests. The lower the number, the better.

4. Energy Star appliances. Kitchen and bath exhibitors will have refrigerators and washing machines bearing the EPA's Energy Star logo and a yellow sticker showing how much they cost to operate. Look hard and you might even find low-flow or dual-flush toilets that use less water than older models.

5. Rain barrels, porous pavement and living roofs. No rain barrels here, but you will see a real living roof in the PG/Bidwell Garden on the first floor. For an example of porous pavement, check out R.I. Lampus Co.'s Eco-Tek, a concrete paver with gaps to let water drain through, reducing runoff. Other companies make solid surfacing material that does the same thing.

6. Architectural antiques such as doors, fireplace mantels and other old house parts. Construction Junction will be one of several exhibitors with examples of cool old stuff that will add character to your home and could be better made and cheaper than new stuff.

7. Bamboo, cork and real linoleum flooring are darlings underfoot because they're sustainable and give off less pollution during and after manufacture than vinly. But energy used and pollution created by transporting them makes them only a little greener than flooring made from Pennsylvania-grown hardwoods. You can see samples of every type of flooring at the home show.

8. Radiant floor heat and tankless water heaters save energy and money. Compare the various systems and manufacturers and ask exactly how much they cost to operate. Here's a hint: Electric radiant heat works much quicker but generally uses more energy than natural-gas systems. That's why electric is used more in bathrooms and other small spaces.

9. Icynene insulation and weatherizing. Adding insulation of any kind and sealing up gaps around windows, doors and the foundation will make any home more comfortable and save on heating and air conditioning costs. Icynene is effective but generally more expensive than other types of insulation. Talk to installers and manufacturers about the pros and cons of each type, and don't forget to ask about off-gassing or pollutants created during or after manufacture.

10. Metal or recycled rubber roofing lasts longer than asphalt shingles, create fewer toxins during manufacture and can be recycled. Several types will be on display at the show. Fiber cement siding, meanwhile, comes in almost as many colors as vinyl and is more durable than wood. If you paint, it holds paint better than both of the alternatives. James Hardie Building Products is the best-known manufacturer but other companies are jumping into the market.

If you're serious about going green, you'll find that most environmentally friendly materials and products are more expensive up front than their counterparts. But they often use less energy and save money in the long run. And won't you sleep a little better knowing you're doing right by Mother Earth?