Forget Small Scale Sustainability, Panasonic is Building an Entire Power Generating Smart Town
In an unprecedented move, Panasonic has extended itself into private construction in order to rebuild post-varied-disaster Japan into a model of sustainability and smarts. The company, working in conjunction with…
The British ModCell is Taking Prefab Homes to a Whole New Level with Straw Bale Construction
Straw buildings have come a long way from the days when all it took was a huff and puff to blow them right down. 21St century straw homes are not…
The Low/Rise House – a Flexible, Low-Impact Counter Proposal to the Suburban McMansion?
Dan Spiegel sees your McMansion and raises you the energy-efficient “Low/Rise House.” Dan’s parents, both professors at Stanford, were looking to economize their living situation and move into a rancher-style…
How the Spechts Got a Super Tight Passive House for the Price of Conventional Construction
Stephanie and Jason Specht knew that they wanted a home that was energy efficient, practical, and attractive, but finding a contractor to share their dream was proving difficult. The push…
Going all Out: Karuna Passive House Achieves Triple Certification and Claims a Prize for Style and Elegance
Located on the southern slope of a mountain overlooking the Willamette Valley’s gorgeous wine region (Newberg, Oregon), the Karuna House Karuna Passive house is a construction venture challenging the three…
Unorthodox Urban Luxury or an Insane McMansion Built from 31 Shipping Containers
Talk about a place worthy of Guinness Book of Records and you might as well add a 6000 square foot house in Graceville, Australia that was built out thirty one…
The New Compressed-Earth-Blocks are Earthquake Resistant, Energy Efficient and Cheap, but Will they Pass the Longevity Test?
In our quest for a greater sustainable living we have looked to the future for the clean, green technologies to provide us with the requirements of an ever-expanding human population.…
Robinson Crusoe’ing in New Zealand: Great Barrier Island Community Lives Completely Off-the-Grid and Feels More Connected than Ever
Imagine being completely self-sufficient for your food, power and water supply. Many people all over the world do not have to imagine this because they are already doing it –…
Crabill Modern – Award-Winning, Fascinating Home Combines Creativity with Comfort (Inspired by a Simple Acorn)
Believe it or not but the Crabill Modern, the environmentally-friendly home whose design earned N.C. State architecture professor Vincent Petrarca the Faculty Design Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools…
The Costanzas Take on the Sustainability Challenge by Building a Home of the Future Using Technology of the Past
Juggling the inevitable growing housing needs against the need to respect the environment is a real challenge. A responsible architect, builder or a new home owner will ask themselves –…