This month’s featured home in Madison, Wisconsin, is the personal residence of Carol Richard, AIA, LEED AP, and founding partner of Richard Wittschiebe Hand, an award-winning firm in Atlanta, Georgia.

Architect Carol Richard isn’t new to the challenges and rewards of designing and building green homes. In fact, she has spent her entire career helping her clients to marry livable, modern aesthetics with sustainable design. So when she and her husband, mechanical engineer Fred Berg, began to make plans to build their full-time residence upon retirement, the experienced duo was determined to pour all of their collective knowledge and expertise into a sustainable-living dream home.

Jimmy Prokopeuff, like many Alaskans, needs to replace his outdated wood-frame home, which is ill suited to the rigors of Alaskan weather conditions. The Cascadia Green Building Council, in partnership with the Aleutian Housing Authority, plans to help.

The Living Aleutian Home Design Competition challenges architects and engineers to design a “creative, livable, affordable” three-bedroom, one-bath, single-family home. The home must be between 1,150 and 1,350 square feet and must have a construction budget of $400,000 or less. The challenge may sound simple enough to a seasoned architect or engineer, but there is a catch—the home must be environmentally sound and be able to withstand Alaska’s roughest conditions.

This month’s featured Green Home is an Energy Star-rated, LEED Gold-certified single-family home in Orleans, Massachusetts, with a minimal footprint, exceptional energy-saving features, and thoughtfully designed outdoor living spaces.

The cozy and beloved summer cottage near Cape Cod had been in the English family for two generations. Built in 1958, the little cottage served as a centralized gathering spot for family and friends, even those coming from abroad. Although other homes came and went throughout the years, the little cottage in Orleans was the place that most family members considered home. The location was perfect for relaxing, bird watching, and enjoying the beauty of the outdoors… and it was absolutely perfect for Teresa and Dan English’s full-time residence upon retirement.

A Bainbridge Island home represents a marriage of modern aesthetics and sustainability.

When Ed and Joanne Ellis decided to build their dream home on Yeomalt Bluff on Bainbridge Island, Washington, their wish list was threefold: they wanted to create a luxurious yet comfortable space, achieve a high level of sustainability, and help to educate the community on the feasibility of building green without sacrificing beauty.

In recent years, water issues have become a very hot topic. Water shortages throughout the western United States, as well as severe droughts in the southern, have made water usage a major concern. Many green building experts agree that with a growing global population we can no longer rely only on water conservation. Instead, green building technologies must quickly implement water efficiency. With that in mind, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has expanded its WaterSense program with a comprehensive WaterSense Label for new homes.

Throughout the world, residents, businesses, and local government leaders are rallyiing around community-specific sustainability efforts in order to secure a better future. Often referred to as “eco-communities," these villages and cities are addressing factors that impact environmental and economic vitality, such as job creation, public transportation, alternative energy programs, green spaces, community gathering spaces, environmental/recycling programs, and “walkability," which refers to the proximity of shopping, schools, entertainment, and dining to the residents of the community.

It used to be that installing a home solar energy system was an expensive, labor-intensive project. Not anymore. With the increased popularity of solar energy, more products and providers have made residential solar panels more accessible. It may also be much less expensive than you imagine due to the availability of financing incentives for solar energy systems. Join host Jeff Wilson as he explains how to “go solar” at your house – from incentives all the way to installation.

In recent years, the U.S. home building industry has undoubtedly seen its troubles. The downturn in the economy has forced many builders to rethink how they approach their market now that it is much smaller. In many cases those builders have chosen to address the increasing demand for green homes. By offering green homes, many builders are now meeting their customers’ needs for energy- and water-efficient homes with a healthier environment and financial benefits. What once was a niche can now be seen as mainstream. According to the United States Green Building Council, their LEED for Homes program has certified 10,000 homes since it started in 2008. This sounds very impressive, but what is a green home, and what are the benefits compared to a traditional home?

Most of the residential architecture in coastal Landskrona, Sweden, is quaint and unassumingly beautiful. For a long time there was an empty lot only a bit wider than two dozen feet on a dense street in the center of town. One day, a stark white townhouse appeared on the block, boasting elegant geometrical proportions and a transparency that commands a place in the heart of art and architecture enthusiasts. What happens to a traditional streetscape when distinctly different, yet equally gorgeous, architectural styles are juxtaposed? Jonas Elding and Johan Oscarson of Elding Oscarson architecture of Sweden wish to reveal a few of their design secrets.

"I'm a lawn hater," says Jamie Durie, the popular Australian host of HGTV's The Outdoor Room and PBS's Victory Garden, who gave a gracious presentation for garden enthusiasts who gathered at the 2010 Central Ohio Home and Garden Show. A founder of PATIO Landscape Architecture and Design, Durie specializes in transforming the everyday backyard into a private garden oasis. Durie is the author of multiple landscaping idea books which are full of details and design tips for a variety of spatial scenarios.