Live Green, Live Smart just received Platinum certification on one of their green home projects, The Sustainable House.  The Sustainable House is a remodeled, 1948 rambler that’s been converted to one of the greenest homes in the United States.  And they were kind enough to document all the details with a construction diary of the process and before/after photos, too (view below). 

The Sustainable House has a slew of green features that will one day be common in every abode: energy-efficient appliances, CFLs, natural Quartz countertops, Aquia dual-flush toilets, fly ash cement where used, four 130 feet closed-loop wells for geothermal energy, greywater system, super insulation, passive solar, photovoltaic panels, solar hot water system, Solatubes, and triple-glazed argon windows, to name a few.

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Actually, of the 800 projects the AIA received for consideration, 28 of them were selected for an Honor Award.  In the architectural category, sustainability played a large part in each of the 13 projects selected.  But the projects come in all shapes and varieties.  Check some of the cool ones below. 

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MetroShed, in collaboration with its Miami-based partner Cabin Fever, recently announced that it would produce a smaller version of the popular 16′ x 20′ MetroCabin in 2008.  The smaller MetroCabin will be 12′ x 16′, with prices starting at $17,460 (which includes flat-packed shipping and delivery).  The new MetroCabin features curved steel roof beams (or the straight roof package), Duro-Last roofing, prefab SIP walls, and premium heavy-duty sliding doors. 

And although the company’s MetroShed product is built with greener materials such as FSC-certified woods, I’m not sure if this one is.  That said, if you live in this, and this alone, I’d say you’re pretty green. 

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• UK, Travelodge builds recyclable hotel.
• Subprime crises + expensive gas = End of Sprawl?
• Ten green quotables in sustainable building.
• Report predicts a wave of green tech.
• "Smart Grid" trials found to reduce electricity bills.
• LED lights may show up in homes in under 3 years.
• Do we have the formula for greener drywall?

*WIR = Week in Review; a Saturday showcase of excellent links.

The average American releases about 50,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.  A large portion of that comes from our homes and wasted, wasted energy.  Matter of fact, according to a recent McKinsey study, the single most cost-effective way to reduce GHG emissions is via building insulation.  Click on over to the Time Earth-Friendly Home graphic and move the lens around for other ideas to reduce GHG emissions and save some dolla, dolla bills.  Before you click over though, I will say, this is pretty basic information, but at least they provide some numbers and illustrate the impact of concerted effort. 

While you’re over there, check out this article, too:
++51 Things We Can Do to Save the Environment [Time]