A lot of people in Pennsylvania have been talking about green building, but according to my quick research, no one in the state has received the USGBC's highest certification under the LEED for Homes program yet.  But that could change if the stars align for Thin Flats — the developer is seeking LEED-H Platinum for all residences and waiting on Energy Star certification.  Thin Flats includes eight, market-rate, up-down units split between four rows.  The newly completed project recently received case study treatment by GreenSource Magazine, and from what I've read, observers either love or hate the exterior facade.  Personally, I like it, but what do you think?

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Although the finishing touches are still being placed on East Portland Community Center natatorium, or aquatic center, the expansion project is on target for beyond LEED Gold and possibly LEED Platinum territory.  Does this make it the world’s first LEED Platinum aquatic center?  Hard to say, we’ll just have to see, but certainly, this facility is indicative of a future where all buildings – whether parking garages, civic centers, libraries, museums, hangars, or skyscrapers – need to have a lighter impact on the environment, especially when mandated by the relevant state or local authority, as was the case here.  Here are a few green stats:

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This new, luxury inn and spa just opened last week in Yountville, California, a small town in Napa County named after one of the first guys to establish a vineyard in the area.  The 62-unit boutique getaway includes a spa with four treatment rooms, rooptop infinity pool, fine dining restaurant, and meeting spaces.  Designed by WATG, the inn also features unique indoor/outdoor features such as private courtyards for guests and private outdoor showers. 

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Pardon the amateur photography in this article, but hopefully you can see how beautiful this newly built home is — it could become the first LEED certified home in Utah!  The Maryfield Home was designed by John Sparano and Anne Mooney of Sparano + Mooney Architecture, also the owners, and they're eagerly working towards certification.  I first found out about it from Benchmark Modern, a local contractor specializing in modern green construction, and they were able to arrange a tour.  Check it out:

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Alter Eco, an eco-lifestyle and makeover show hosted by Entourage's Adrian Grenier on Planet Green, features the green makeover of a 1926 Spanish-style home in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.  The build was done in only fourteen weeks to keep up with the show's aggressive shooting schedule.  This is particularly impressive because an extra week was needed just to properly divert the construction waste from the initial demo.  The finished project received a Platinum rating through LEED for Homes and is now available for $3.5 million.

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