This is our annual issue dedicated to sustainable residential design. When covering this topic, we're inevitably pushed into making a devil's bargain. We won't sacrifice our notion of good design just to show something “green.” We'll always select a house Read more
Dedicated green designers struggle mightily to keep up with changes in eco-building products. But they have a valuable resource in the Read more
At just 308 square feet, Marianne Cusato's Katrina Cottage is a tiny thing, but it made a big impression at its recent International Builders' Show debut in Orlando, Fla. Read more
In the workaday world, creative architects are limited by such prosaic matters as clients' tastes and budgets. Read more
Small, versatile, and sustainable with strong indoor-outdoor ties. These were the goals Tom Lenchek, AIA, had in mind for his own vacation home in the Cascade Mountains. The lone bathroom in this 1,400-square-foot cabin is a microcosm of those ambitions. Read more
Brad Burke wants to lead by example, so he designed his home with sustainability firmly in mind. Located on a three-acre site outside San Diego, the house produces more energy than it consumes, and it has as much outdoor living space as interior room. Read more
Designing for sustainability can be one of the most important and challenging architectural tasks. Through modern engineering, architects have been able to produce reasonably comfortable interior conditions in almost any climate. Read more
Everyone agrees that environmentally sound building materials and methods are quickly drifting toward the architectural mainstream. Google the term “green building,” and a long list of trade shows and directories pops up. But while items such as flyash co Read more
Today Jones Studio employs 11 people who work on jobs as varied as houses, schools, performing arts centers, and office buildings. “Everyone does everything,” says Rob Viergutz, an architect at the firm. “That's part of the appeal of working here.” Their Read more
product picks from the pros Read more
The fireplace has long been an iconic symbol in American culture. “It takes us back to grandmother's house,” says Carbondale, Colo.-based architect Doug Graybeal, AIA, “and it's better than television.” But, setting aside our affinity for nostalgia, grand Read more
Owners of pellet stoves like Quadra-Fire's Santa Fe can control the intensity of their fires with the flick of a switch. Read more
Artequa's patented “Digital Living Lights Process” is endearingly schizophrenic: One minute it's a fire, the next it's a mirror. Read more
The Aqueon's fuel core fits into nearly any décor and can be placed wherever a proper electrical hookup exists. Read more
The EcoFire Super-Grate's heated air jets burn wood nearly 800 degrees hotter than the average fire, which increases radiant heat and produces less smoke, says the maker. Read more
The Sydney, Australia-based manufacturer's EcoSmart product line consists of flueless freestanding and portable fire fixtures that can be positioned almost anywhere in the home. Read more
Desert dwellers live with extremes. Summer heat easily escalates to triple digits and nighttime temperatures slide precipitously into sweater weather. It's a tough assignment to conserve energy under these harsh conditions. Read more
Some architects approach sustainability from an energy-efficiency point of view, making houses that require as little power as possible. Others concentrate on materials, trying to source as many green elements as they can. Read more
It's an undeniable fact that home building consumes resources and disturbs nature. The goal of a responsible architect, then, is to design a house that blunts the blow to its delicate surroundings. Read more