A recent Newsweek article by Cathleen McGuigan discusses the phenomenon of iconic architecture and experimental design that was fostered by the economic boom of the late 90s. Now, as we climb out of the recession, architects seem to have learned the lesson along with the rest of the population: bigger, more extravagant building isn’t always [...]

An Oak Park, Ill., home was recently featured in USA Today’s Green House blog. It’s a beauty: a painstakingly built home that doesn’t seem new. It fits comfortable into its traditional neighborhood, and as Green House notes, “A passerby would be hard-pressed…to pick it out.” Nonetheless, the home is very modern in its energy efficiency: [...]

Creative minds put to the use of good design can make a big difference in the world! Look at the simple act of washing clothes. Clean clothes can be important for health and dignity. But what do you do if you don’t have a washing machine (through choice or economic circumstance) and don’t want to [...]

Teenagers: all they care about is…living green? According to Qualified Remodeler, more and more teenagers are taking a leading role in making their homes greener. As an example, they offer a story of an adult who didn’t get rid of her working dishwasher that didn’t match her other kitchen appliances, despite clearly wanting to. Her [...]

BUILDER Online has a must-read article about how square footage isn’t the number one attribute homer buyers are looking for. We couldn’t agree more! Yes, depending on the situation, there will always be a market for very large houses. but if you have ever read any of Sarah Susanka’s books (she is extensively quoted in [...]

It was recently Earth Day (did you do anything to mark the occasion?) and Treehugger recently spotlighted Michelle Kaufman, an architect, who gave her view on where green building is going. Please read the whole article–it’s fascinating–but here are some of Kaufman’s main points. No more McMansions–they’re expensive and not Earth friendly. Moving from trading [...]

We’re big fans of building green around here. We know lots of you are too, so here’s a little inspiration to start off your week. Home Design Find recently profiled the Cold Spring Green Condos in Massachusetts. What makes these condos green? Let’s count the ways: Geothermal energy! Instead of using electricity to heat and cool, [...]

You may have heard the phrase “Silver Tsunami” in the news lately. It refers to the Baby Boomers aging and the resulting costs that will come along with that. What does that have to do with the building industry? Well, smart builders and remodelers will be paying attention to the idea of universal design. As [...]

Continuing his reporting from the International Builders Show, Lou Manfredini uncovers some of the more innovative products on the show floor. He meets with a representative from Bosch Appliances to learn about their new dishwasher, which operates with a focus on efficient use of energy and water. Lou also gets an introduction to a home [...]