Back in 2004, the William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum received LEED Silver certification as a newly constructed green building.  Recently, though, they went back to the drawing table and brainstormed ways to make the building greener.  After beefing up the green cleaning and recycling programs and purchasing RECs for the energy use they couldn't reduce through conservation and efficiency, they've been able to make some major improvements.  Today, a press release was issued recognizing the Clinton Library for receiving LEED-EB Platinum certification, which is quite the accomplishment.  Congrats, Mr. Clinton.

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This green prefab, sponsored by French architecture magazine Architectures à Vivre, was on display last weekend at the Batimat Show in Paris.  I think it’s called La Maison de Demain, which I also think is French for House of Tomorrow.  We’ll go with that as the name for now.  Their website is in French, so if anything, you can glean certain design elements from studying the images.  Some of the below information is from Google’s translation, so I hope it’s accurate. 

The home is built with three prefabricated modules and meant to show that green design can be affordable and attractive.  An important aspect of the house is the open area in the middle, which could be used as a covered patio to extend the footprint of the home into the natural environment.  Everything about the home is green, too, as far as I can tell: FSC-certified wood and siding, green label paints, low-VOC recycled carpet tiles, LED lighting, low-flow toilet, reinforced insulation, and photovoltaic panels.  You’ll also notice the living roof that provides numerous efficiency benefits (and seems to get water from the slanted roof).  In the end, the compact, modern home is very efficient.  Matter of fact, it’s nearly net zero energy consumption once the solar panels are live.  Nice.

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This is a quality video by Wall Street Journal’s Dana Mattioli featuring Andrew Shapiro, founder and CEO of GreenOrder.  GreenOrder is a sustainable marketing and strategy firm that’s been called the "Green McKinsey" on occasion.  Shapiro takes Mattioli through 7 World Trade Center, explaining the building’s several green aspects, including the rainwater reclamation system, floor-to-ceiling windows, design for natural lighting, and white roof.  You’ll notice also the layout of employees, which is a little more collaborative and fluid.  Experts laud these open layouts as a way to do more with less space, and thereby, save materials.  I’m still unsure as to whether tighter quarters can be more effective, especially with the extra noise and commotion — I definitely think it depends on the job type.  It probably reduces internet usage, though.

We’re no longer in rendering stage, this is the real deal.  Project7ten is built and ready for viewing.  Actually, it’s ready for sale if: (1) it hasn’t already been sold, and (2) you’re in the market for one of the greenest, most modern homes in California.  Interestingly, this house is the first conventionally- constructed LEED Platinum home in the state.  Located at 710 E. Milwood Avenue in Venice, California, it probably doesn’t get much better than this.  Check the images.  I get this plush, radiant, rainforest vibe from the images.  So colorful and clean.  Anyone else agree?  This is definitely more contemporary than minimal, or modern even, but I really like what they’ve done.  If you watch the slide show, you’ll see a NASCAR-esque wall of sponsors.  I bet your friends don’t have that! 

Related Links:
++Project7ten Goes Platinum, Draws Celebrity Crowd
++Top Five Super Green Modern Homes

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UPDATE 3/16/09 – Urban Core International has gone dark.  The website was shut down.  If you have any concerns, feel free to contact us. 

Aaron Newman, founder and managing partner of Urban Core International, sent me the details of his latest project, Urban Rio.  Specifically, Urban Rio is a product of Urban Core's prefab and container division called Envision Prefab.  It's easy on the eyes, to say the least, and just so happens to be the first sustainable, affordable, container project in Panama. 

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