Karuna Passive House designed by Holst Architecture and built by Hammer & Hand. This high performance home meets the world's most demanding green building certifications. Photo by Jeremy Bittermann.

Holland Photography
Enclosed kitchen - transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen idea in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and quartzite countertops

Photo: Karen Melvin
Living room - contemporary living room idea in Minneapolis with a stone fireplace

Andrea Calo
Mid-sized 1960s galley brown floor open concept kitchen photo in Austin with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, quartz countertops and orange countertops

We needed a bridge to cross the dry creek bed, so I designed a version of a Japanese yatsuhashi, or zig zag, bridge. It is clad in concrete backer board. I wanted to simulate a granite mountain plateau with a boulder peak. The client purchased the concrete lantern which perfectly complements the entrance to this woodland garden. Photo by Jay Sifford

Turquoise gives lift to the gray palette. Pearson velvet sofa. Ralph Lauren lamps. Floor lamp from West Elm. Garden stools from Gumps. Slipper chair reupholstered in Stroheim fabric. Roman shades in hand-blocked Galbraith & Paul fabric. Clarence House Chinoiserie throw pillows. Purple printed throw pillows in C&C Milano fabric. Client's old Chinese-frame chair lacquered in turquoise to match sofa. End tables by Lexington. Art from Susan Calloway Fine Art in Washington, DC. Photo by Erik Kvalsvik

Photo Credits: Gillian Crane Photography
Example of a 1960s open concept dark wood floor family room design in Orange County with white walls, a standard fireplace and a projector screen

Atlantic Archives, Richard Leo Johnson
Example of a classic kitchen design in Jacksonville with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets and stainless steel appliances

This Boulder, Colorado remodel by fuentesdesign demonstrates the possibility of renewal in American suburbs, and Passive House design principles. Once an inefficient single story 1,000 square-foot ranch house with a forced air furnace, has been transformed into a two-story, solar powered 2500 square-foot three bedroom home ready for the next generation. The new design for the home is modern with a sustainable theme, incorporating a palette of natural materials including; reclaimed wood finishes, FSC-certified pine Zola windows and doors, and natural earth and lime plasters that soften the interior and crisp contemporary exterior with a flavor of the west. A Ninety-percent efficient energy recovery fresh air ventilation system provides constant filtered fresh air to every room. The existing interior brick was removed and replaced with insulation. The remaining heating and cooling loads are easily met with the highest degree of comfort via a mini-split heat pump, the peak heat load has been cut by a factor of 4, despite the house doubling in size. During the coldest part of the Colorado winter, a wood stove for ambiance and low carbon back up heat creates a special place in both the living and kitchen area, and upstairs loft. This ultra energy efficient home relies on extremely high levels of insulation, air-tight detailing and construction, and the implementation of high performance, custom made European windows and doors by Zola Windows. Zola’s ThermoPlus Clad line, which boasts R-11 triple glazing and is thermally broken with a layer of patented German Purenit®, was selected for the project. These windows also provide a seamless indoor/outdoor connection, with 9′ wide folding doors from the dining area and a matching 9′ wide custom countertop folding window that opens the kitchen up to a grassy court where mature trees provide shade and extend the living space during the summer months. With air-tight construction, this home meets the Passive House Retrofit (EnerPHit) air-tightness standard of

This Boulder, Colorado remodel by fuentesdesign demonstrates the possibility of renewal in American suburbs, and Passive House design principles. Once an inefficient single story 1,000 square-foot ranch house with a forced air furnace, has been transformed into a two-story, solar powered 2500 square-foot three bedroom home ready for the next generation. The new design for the home is modern with a sustainable theme, incorporating a palette of natural materials including; reclaimed wood finishes, FSC-certified pine Zola windows and doors, and natural earth and lime plasters that soften the interior and crisp contemporary exterior with a flavor of the west. A Ninety-percent efficient energy recovery fresh air ventilation system provides constant filtered fresh air to every room. The existing interior brick was removed and replaced with insulation. The remaining heating and cooling loads are easily met with the highest degree of comfort via a mini-split heat pump, the peak heat load has been cut by a factor of 4, despite the house doubling in size. During the coldest part of the Colorado winter, a wood stove for ambiance and low carbon back up heat creates a special place in both the living and kitchen area, and upstairs loft. This ultra energy efficient home relies on extremely high levels of insulation, air-tight detailing and construction, and the implementation of high performance, custom made European windows and doors by Zola Windows. Zola’s ThermoPlus Clad line, which boasts R-11 triple glazing and is thermally broken with a layer of patented German Purenit®, was selected for the project. These windows also provide a seamless indoor/outdoor connection, with 9′ wide folding doors from the dining area and a matching 9′ wide custom countertop folding window that opens the kitchen up to a grassy court where mature trees provide shade and extend the living space during the summer months. With air-tight construction, this home meets the Passive House Retrofit (EnerPHit) air-tightness standard of

Photo by Mary Costa
Example of a mid-sized trendy open concept porcelain tile living room design in Los Angeles with white walls, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace and a media wall

This project won in the 2013 Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh Housing Excellence Award for Best Urban Renewal Renovation Project. The glass bowl was made in the glass studio owned by the owner which is adjacent to the residence. The mirror is a repurposed window. The door is repurposed from a boarding house. George Mendel

Beautiful Spanish style Mediterranean estate in Denver's upscale Buell Mansion neighborhood. Beautiful formal but comfortable family room with stone fireplace and handscraped wood floors. Wood ceilings and beams with wrought iron details. Gourmet kitchen in the background. Mix of traditional & contemporary.

Lincoln Farmhouse LEED-H Platinum, Net-Positive Energy OVERVIEW. This LEED Platinum certified modern farmhouse ties into the cultural landscape of Lincoln, Massachusetts - a town known for its rich history, farming traditions, conservation efforts, and visionary architecture. The goal was to design and build a new single family home on 1.8 acres that respects the neighborhood’s agrarian roots, produces more energy than it consumes, and provides the family with flexible spaces to live-play-work-entertain. The resulting 2,800 SF home is proof that families do not need to compromise on style, space or comfort in a highly energy-efficient and healthy home. CONNECTION TO NATURE. The attached garage is ubiquitous in new construction in New England’s cold climate. This home’s barn-inspired garage is intentionally detached from the main dwelling. A covered walkway connects the two structures, creating an intentional connection with the outdoors between auto and home. FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY. With a modest footprint, each space must serve a specific use, but also be flexible for atypical scenarios. The Mudroom serves everyday use for the couple and their children, but is also easy to tidy up to receive guests, eliminating the need for two entries found in most homes. A workspace is conveniently located off the mudroom; it looks out on to the back yard to supervise the children and can be closed off with a sliding door when not in use. The Away Room opens up to the Living Room for everyday use; it can be closed off with its oversized pocket door for secondary use as a guest bedroom with en suite bath. NET POSITIVE ENERGY. The all-electric home consumes 70% less energy than a code-built house, and with measured energy data produces 48% more energy annually than it consumes, making it a 'net positive' home. Thick walls and roofs lack thermal bridging, windows are high performance, triple-glazed, and a continuous air barrier yields minimal leakage (0.27ACH50) making the home among the tightest in the US. Systems include an air source heat pump, an energy recovery ventilator, and a 13.1kW photovoltaic system to offset consumption and support future electric cars. ACTUAL PERFORMANCE. -6.3 kBtu/sf/yr Energy Use Intensity (Actual monitored project data reported for the firm’s 2016 AIA 2030 Commitment. Average single family home is 52.0 kBtu/sf/yr.) o 10,900 kwh total consumption (8.5 kbtu/ft2 EUI) o 16,200 kwh total production o 5,300 kwh net surplus, equivalent to 15,000-25,000 electric car miles per year. 48% net positive. WATER EFFICIENCY. Plumbing fixtures and water closets consume a mere 60% of the federal standard, while high efficiency appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes washer also reduce consumption rates. FOOD PRODUCTION. After clearing all invasive species, apple, pear, peach and cherry trees were planted. Future plans include blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes, along with raised beds for vegetable gardening. The house also offers a below ground root cellar, built outside the home's thermal envelope, to gain the passive benefit of long term energy-free food storage. RESILIENCY. The home's ability to weather unforeseen challenges is predictable - it will fare well. The super-insulated envelope means during a winter storm with power outage, heat loss will be slow - taking days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. During normal conditions, reduced energy consumption plus energy production means shelter from the burden of utility costs. Surplus production can power electric cars & appliances. The home exceeds snow & wind structural requirements, plus far surpasses standard construction for long term durability planning. ARCHITECT: ZeroEnergy Design http://zeroenergy.com/lincoln-farmhouse CONTRACTOR: Thoughtforms http://thoughtforms-corp.com/ PHOTOGRAPHER: Chuck Choi http://www.chuckchoi.com/

Located in, Summit Park, Park City UT lies one of the most efficient houses in the country. The Summit Haus – designed and built by Chris Price of PCD+B, is an exploration in design and construction of advanced high performance housing. Seeing a rising demand for sustainable housing along with rising Carbon emissions leading to global warming, this house strives to show that sensible, good design can create spaces adequate for today’s housing demands while adhering to strict standards. The house was designed to meet the very rigid Passiv House rating system – 90% more efficient than a typical home in the area. The house itself was intended to nestle neatly into the 45 degree sloped site and to take full advantage of the limited solar access and views. The views range from short, highly wooded views to a long corridor out towards the Uinta Mountain range towards the east. The house was designed and built based off Passiv Haus standards, and the framing and ventilation became critical elements to maintain such minimal energy requirements. Zola triple-pane, tilt-and-turn Thermo uPVC windows contribute substantially to the home’s energy efficiency, and takes advantage of the beautiful surrounding of the location, including forrest views from the deck off of the kitchen. Photographer: Douglas Burke

This private residence in Toronto has the distinction of being the first building in North America to be conceived and built from the ground up using the principles of BioGeometry®. Built to the highest standards, it is a true “green” building, green in the context of being true to nature and sensitive to Earth’s demands. The application of BioGeometry® has created a habitat that promotes a frequency of optimum health and well-being for the occupants. Blending with the neighbouring houses (as required by the Building Department) and built with natural materials, this home is a beacon of health, affecting the surrounding neighbourhood. The BioGeometric principles used in the design and construction allow the house to have a positive effect on pollution and on any deleterious EMF emissions caused by high-tension wires and cellphone towers.

This private residence in Toronto has the distinction of being the first building in North America to be conceived and built from the ground up using the principles of BioGeometry®. Built to the highest standards, it is a true “green” building, green in the context of being true to nature and sensitive to Earth’s demands. The application of BioGeometry® has created a habitat that promotes a frequency of optimum health and well-being for the occupants. Blending with the neighbouring houses (as required by the Building Department) and built with natural materials, this home is a beacon of health, affecting the surrounding neighbourhood. The BioGeometric principles used in the design and construction allow the house to have a positive effect on pollution and on any deleterious EMF emissions caused by high-tension wires and cellphone towers.

This private residence in Toronto has the distinction of being the first building in North America to be conceived and built from the ground up using the principles of BioGeometry®. Built to the highest standards, it is a true “green” building, green in the context of being true to nature and sensitive to Earth’s demands. The application of BioGeometry® has created a habitat that promotes a frequency of optimum health and well-being for the occupants. Blending with the neighbouring houses (as required by the Building Department) and built with natural materials, this home is a beacon of health, affecting the surrounding neighbourhood. The BioGeometric principles used in the design and construction allow the house to have a positive effect on pollution and on any deleterious EMF emissions caused by high-tension wires and cellphone towers.

This private residence in Toronto has the distinction of being the first building in North America to be conceived and built from the ground up using the principles of BioGeometry®. Built to the highest standards, it is a true “green” building, green in the context of being true to nature and sensitive to Earth’s demands. The application of BioGeometry® has created a habitat that promotes a frequency of optimum health and well-being for the occupants. Blending with the neighbouring houses (as required by the Building Department) and built with natural materials, this home is a beacon of health, affecting the surrounding neighbourhood. The BioGeometric principles used in the design and construction allow the house to have a positive effect on pollution and on any deleterious EMF emissions caused by high-tension wires and cellphone towers.