New and Old Sustainable Building Materials

The manufacture of concrete, steel, and glass uses vast amounts of raw materials and water and emits copious amounts of greenhouse gases per year. A staggering 8% of total global carbon dioxide emissions come from cement manufacture alone. Moreover, embodied carbon, which is carbon released over the entire life cycle of a building, including end-of-life … Read more

Pros and Cons of Container Homes

Minimalist housing, like tiny homes, van living, and container homes, has taken off in the past decade, in part due to the skyrocketing costs of home ownership that make traditional houses inaccessible to many people. Part of the appeal of container homes is that they are a chance to recycle old shipping containers, giving them … Read more

Fun Contemporary Passive Solar, Earth-bermed Home

Blending passive solar design with a contemporary flair, this four-bedroom home in Connecticut has earth sheltering, radiant floors and solar panels. It was designed by Charles Woods, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, and was featured on the cover of Popular Science Magazine in 1988. Charles has written 4 books including, Natural Architecture , The Complete … Read more