Concept and design

Resilient design features for new home construction

Design ideas and home-durability measures to help families and homes withstand a changing climate. Future-proofing homes: Our society has a collective trust in its commercial building industry to provide us with homes that we assume meet some realistic standard of resilience. They do to an extent, but a very minor…

Efficient home design

Ecohome Demo House: high performance, affordable cost

Ecohome's Edelweiss House shows that with thoughtful design, high performance home construction is attainable and affordable, without great sacrifices in space or quality of life. The guiding principles during the design of Ecohome’s Edelweiss House demonstration home - passive heating and cooling, healthy living…

Concept and design

How waterjet cutting technology is advancing sustainable home construction

The technique of waterjet cutting is making inroads into the green building community, and offers a non toxic 'green' method of material cutting. The future of residential construction is being shaped by more than just aesthetics or affordability, it's being built around sustainability. As climate concerns mount and…

Concept and design

Age in place home renovations and modifications for seniors

Tips for home renovations for seniors and universal access. How to create safe comfortable living spaces for those with mobility issues. As the leading edge of the baby boomer generation is now closing in on 80, many are at the point of needing home care in some form, be it retirement communities or planning to age…

Concept and design

Is it spelled Insolation or Insulation? What even is Insolation?!

Ever talk about a topic you know well, only to realize halfway through that the other person has a completely different understanding of the terms you're using? This happens to me often when discussing building design, insulation, and insolation. Is it spelled insulation or insolation? A clear guide to knowing the…

Concept and design

Buying a property to renovate and flip as a green home

Flipping homes for profit - how to make money renovating and selling homes and how not to lose your shirt! Buying a property to renovate and to turn into a Green home: Key factors to consider for a smart investment and healthy return. What to look for when buying and renovating to flip a home for profit Purchasing a…

Concept and design

How to protect your home from wildfires - a burning need to know.

Home destruction vs. home survival in wildfires point to embers and small flames control as the main thing to help prevent homes igniting in wildfires. Here are some tips for homeowners & builders to prepare homes to withstand wildfires. Let’s start by pointing out that this post is mostly about fire coming from…

Tiny house

How can I put a tiny house on my property legally in the USA ?

In relation to tiny homes, the question we are asked most often is "Can I park a Tiny House on my property legally?" - Often fueled by needing an additional living unit for family members, or even for visitors during these strange times. Getting tiny houses approved as habitatable dwelling units on your property…

Efficient home design

Why building an affordable family home today means choosing to build a Green Home

When having a home built, making better choices in design and materials is a wise choice. Even if unconvinced about climate change, green homes are proven to last longer, are healthier and more valuable. As the effects of climate change become more pronounced every year, it is becoming virtually impossible for the…

Tiny house

Beautiful shipping container homes - tiny houses in warm climates

We have mixed views on homes built from shipping containers, but there's no denying that their architectural style can be appealing, here's one Tiny House example we found that seems to work well in a warm climate. We already have an article about whether shipping container homes are good or bad? But that was more…

Tiny house

Le Refuge - An architect-designed modern green prefab tiny house kit home

Architect-Designed Modern & Minimalist homes always attract attention - especially ones that are super efficient, stunningly beautiful and that ooze quality - But Le Refuge is all that and more - It's Affordable too. The tiny house movement is on the far end of the scale of a very encouraging and growing trend…