Dan Phillips and the team at Phoenix Commotion are home builders and artists who can turn trash into treasure—scraps into a new home. The Institute for Social Invention in London named Philips’ homes the most innovative housing in the world. Phoenix Commotion homes are in high demand but despite a modest $20,000 to $50,000 price range only a few select people can buy one. ... (read more)

If you’ve had to climb up into your attic lately, you know how summer heat can build up in that space. Attic venting and air circulation is important for releasing built up heat and moisture, and in this brutal August weather better attic ventilation can help cool your whole house and lower energy costs for running your AC. ... (read more)

With the run of triple-digit temperatures we’ve been experiencing lately, it’s only natural that our minds would wander to the image of lazy days hanging by the cool, clear water of a swimming pool. But sometimes the reality of stinging, asthma-inducing chlorine and constant water maintenance can cloud the idyllic image of the family gathered poolside. The DailyGreen.com says that natural swimming pools are all the rage in Europe and are growing in popularity in the U.S. ... (read more)

A student in the United Kingdom has designed a system that converts the kinetic energy created by falling wastewater in multi-level buildings to usable electrical energy. ... (read more)

Duke Energy out of North Carolina has teamed up with City of San Antonio-owned CPS Energy and juwi solar Inc. to create the Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute, housed on the campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The institute will include the 14-megawatt Blue Wing Solar Project which broke ground in April with plans to be operational by the end of the year. ... (read more)

You hear about sustainable construction or how something has sustainability.  And you have a vague notion of what that means and that it is something good.  But what is really meant by environmental or social or economic sustainability? ... (read more)

You have likely seen a green roof on a commercial building in your area: grasses and plants peeking down from the top of a building.  But how exactly does a green roof work and what are its benefits? ... (read more)

You have finally replaced your ancient air conditioner or your Buick of a refrigerator or just need to get rid of that enormous CRT television.  Sure you have found some places, like McCoy’s, that recycle old cell phone batteries, but how do you recycle old appliances? ... (read more)

Despite the trend to go green, some people are still hung up on their traditional incandescent bulbs. They prefer the color and shape of the traditional model. Those energy-efficient compact fluorescents (CFLs) don’t dim and can have a harsh white light, not to mention the potential mercury waste during disposal. But CFLs are much more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs and have four times the lifespan. If only they could invent a light bulb with the beauty and adaptability of an incandescent bulb but that has the energy efficiency and lifespan of a CFL. Well, they have, and they should be on retailer shelves by the end of the year. ... (read more)

You’re not even thinking about going green.  You just want to replace that old harvest gold sink that you’ve been staring at for years.  But as long as you’re changing things up, consider greening it up as well.  ... (read more)