When you decide to outfit a building with a green roof, the plants have to come from somewhere.  In this particular case, 8,355 square feet of plants are growing at T & L Nursery in Woodinville, Washington for installation at the new Olive 8.  Currently under construction, Olive 8 will be Seattle's first LEED hotel/condo (pursuing LEED Silver certification).  In addition, it will have one of the city's largest green roofs with 20 different varieties of drought-tolerant sedums growing in 700 planters totaling nearly 24,000 plants.  That's a lot of green to have on the fourth floor for everyone to enjoy. 

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Country Living Magazine’s October issue highlights an eco-friendly, modular home constructed in just 60 days by New World Home.  The home’s design is traditional and used a 19th century home as a model.  The highly energy efficient home uses 50% less energy than the average home and their modular process allows them to use less wood in the building process. 

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• We recycle cans and bottles, why not buildings?
• Skeptics turn up heat on LEED "green" ratings.
• Consumer Reports: Energy Star standards are lax.
• AIA calls for extension of green commercial buildings incentives.
• Is it possible to be green in a downturn.
• College students work to certify city building.
• Q&A on green buildings with Rick Fedrizzi.

Blogs worth readings: Slow Home & Green Wombat.

I’m starting think that maybe, just maybe, the modern farmhouse could be a gateway to contemporary for many of you.  What do you think, pretty clean design, right?  The BrightBuilt Barn was designed by Kaplan Thompson Architects, factory built in components by Bensonwood (mentioned by Josh Stack in comments recently), and is being built by Gibson Design/Build as we speak.  It was designed to be net-zero and super green — the home will participate in the Living Building Challenge and, in all likelihood, qualify for LEED Platinum certification.  Geez!  So what’s in store for this 700 sf studio home:

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Folks the media storm that started with the venerable Bill Gates and tired Jerry Seinfeld has just taken a new direction with the "I’m a PC" ads for Microsoft.  Check them out below, we have all three new videos embedded in this article.  As you watch, though, don’t get distracted by the likes of Eva Longoria, Tony Parker, Deepak Chopra, Bernard Harris, Geoff Green, or even Pharrell, as tough as it is, because there’s a green architect in the mix:  Edouard Francois.

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