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A mountain home is gracefully sited to work with the topography and with the needs of its neighbors.

Located downslope from a steep ridgeline in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this month’s featured green home was selected because of its respectful and diligent site placement, conscientious construction process, energy- saving features, water conservation features, and use of regional materials.

Constructing children’s playgrounds in antiquated industrial parks may not seem like the best idea. But this is Madrid – and taking advantage of any and every available square meter has become an art form in the Spanish capital. Ecopolis Plaza is yet another example of creative urban reusability, but its focus on education makes it truly unique. A public nursery school is located at the heart of the plaza, which is designed to bring together community, sustainability, and education in one very brightly colored building.

As we continue to search for ways to make our homes more energy-efficient, some are finding that reverting to old methods is opening new doors. One such old building practice that is catching on across the nation is straw bale construction.

As our world becomes more urbanized, and our cities continue to grow, we are replacing the natural environment with buildings, pavement, and asphalt. This causes a phenomenon called urban heat island effect, in which the proximity of urban buildings makes cities several degrees warmer than rural areas. We are starting to realize that we need to counteract this harmful effect and that cooling the roof is one of the best ways of doing so. Many roofing options will accomplish the goal of combating urban heat island effect, including reflective roofs and roof gardens.

Homeowners wanting to add to or renovate their properties need to know the right questions to ask. Contacting your city zoning office before starting work to obtain a building permit and to verify that the project is permitted under the current zoning ordinances will get you started on the right foot. Understanding property set-back issues and backyard space rules will also help ensure a successful project.

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is the new paradigm in design and construction. At its core, IPD means bringing all of the parties in a typical construction project—owner, architect, and builder—together as early as possible in a more robust partnership than is traditionally seen in construction. A true IPD partnership involves changing how the project team is configured, how contracts are written, how risk is shared, how decisions are made, and the tools that are used to communicate information. Today some projects are implementing IPD in its pure form, while others are making incremental steps towards it.

As you start your spring yardwork, consider these simple ways that a fence can add curb appeal, privacy, and security to your home.

The trends sweeping the American architectural front include a great shift to the outdoors. Among outdoor living spaces, the one idea that has gained incredible popularity is the outdoor kitchen. With sweltering heat waves oppressing the nation, Americans want to perform their cooktop operations alongside their grilling in the great wide open. With the housing market still in decline, homeowners are also looking for ways to increase property values and stay content with staying put. We talked with interior designer Joshua Ingraham of Joshua Ingraham Design, who offered some of his best advice for effectively and efficiently incorporating an outdoor kitchen into your home.

A world-class performing arts center harmonizes between town and gown, technology and energy-efficiency.

Located in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley, California State University’s Northridge campus (CSUN) is home to a new $125 million, 166,000-square-foot performing arts center. The Valley Performing Arts Center, certified LEED Gold, was designed by Minneapolis-based HGA Architects and Engineers, specialists in this facility type. The architects faced several challenges in creating a world-class center that incorporates advanced technologies without compromising energy efficiency and also redefines the campus edge while embracing the community.

Gage/Clemenceau Architects, whose work often combines architecture with emerging technologies, designed a temporary installation for BOFFO, a non-profit organization whose stated mission is to “foster collaborations between artists, designers, communities, theorists, and the media in the exploration of contemporary subject matter that inform and educate the public, through innovative, participatory programming.”

You already know the basics of sealing: you do it every time you zip up your jacket or lift your collar against the wind. Sealing a home works on the same principle, reducing air infiltration through the walls, ceilings, and floors to save energy and stay comfy. Just as you do a jacket, it’s best to button up – or seal – the shell of your home, or the “envelope,” as the exterior of your home is called in trade parlance. Older homes may have had no sealing done at all, and not all builders of new homes do a great job of sealing a house, even when sealing is required by today’s energy codes. We researched the best products and spoke to several experts to learn how to tighten the envelope of your home, save energy, and keep out the cold.

Completed in 2006, the University of Cincinnati’s 350,000 sq ft Campus Recreation Center, designed by Southern California based Morphosis Architects Inc., is a successful attempt at weaving four distinctly different programs into one comprehensive building.