The Groundwork Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating low cost, environmentally sound communities based on the participation of the people who live in them. The Institute has its roots in a series of projects undertaken by a group of architects, builders, and environmental professionals to assist people in developing countries and disadvantaged communities … Read more
85 year old Rod Rylander purchased 10 acres of remote land in New Mexico with the intention of solving America’s housing crisis on a bare-bones budget. Now he is building an off-grid, solar-powered, 1,200-square-foot home with $50,000, calling his creation “the sustainable home.” Once he finishes this he plans to break ground on another one, … Read more
Siblings Ansh and Raghav Kumar started to build this homestay in Rishikesh, India in 2020. They remembered a picture of their childhood––a quaint home nestled among mountains, with a river flowing nearby and the sun smiling upon them. “It was during the pandemic that we began to question our state of living and being. Our … Read more
The tiny community of Coslor Cove in northern Navajo County is just east of the tiny town of Snowflake in Arizona – about a three hour drive to the nearest big city of Phoenix. This 1,300-acre commune wants to remain off the grid, with eventually all 200 of its residents participating in garden-farming toward its goal … Read more
While temperatures above ground fluctuate throughout the year, the ground temperature is stable. “Every building sits on a thermal asset,” said Cameron Best of Brightcore Energy in New York, which deploys geothermal systems. “I really don’t think there’s any more efficient or better way to heat and cool our homes.” The United States’ first networked … Read more
Ross and Kristin Ulibarri live in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Valverde Commons, a senior co-housing community within walking distance of historic Taos Plaza in New Mexico. Its sculpted adobe-style exterior makes it look like a traditional Southwestern dwelling. The house has triple-glazed windows and air-tight insulation, so it rarely needs any heating beyond the … Read more