Awareness Ranch uses the ideas of permaculture design to grow food and create buildings. Following the adage of “think globally and act locally” they aim to provide a working model of sustainable agriculture and construction which can be replicated or adapted to many settings. By cultivating an awareness of our interconnected world, they believe we … Read more
Emma and Edo were once a hotel stage show dance team, until they quit to live out their dream of rescuing animals (Emma) and farming (Edo) on the island of Tenerife. They bought cheap land and began to transform the rocky, dusty soil into a lush homestead. In the beginning, it was just the two … Read more
Sacramento-based architects Bronwyn Barry, founder of residential design firm Passive House BB, and Andrew Turner, CEO of GoodSpace High Performance Builders, have collaborated to convert an 82-year-old bungalow in Sacramento, CA into a larger living space for the family since they’d outgrown the home, as well as safeguard them from environmental hazards such as heatwaves, … Read more
This lovely home in Maryland has solar and geothermal systems, a ‘green roof’ and materials sourced on the property. The owner, Serge Rousselle, says that the house has a “feeling of strength and resilience” and was “built to last,” like the homes he grew up with in France. Rousselle’s vision was brought to fruition by … Read more
An earth-sheltered home in Carlisle, PA, has a succulent covered roof that has three impervious layers covered with 3 feet of soil and never needs mowing. “Currently, it’s all blooming yellow, and there are thousands of bees on it. You feel like you’re in a meadow,” said the listing real estate agent. The white, foamy … 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