By Brian Clark Howard of The Daily Green
Green building — designing homes and businesses to maximize energy and water efficiency and minimize harm to the environment — has been gathering steam across much of the world. In New York City, architects are exploring the exciting potential of growing fresh food in the urban landscape through green roofs and vertical farms. In the Midwest, more folks are taking advantage of home-energy tax credits to tighten up their home's seal, invest in more efficient systems and install renewable energy. In Hawaii, new single-family homes built in 2010 or beyond will be required to heat their water via the sun's rays. People are even taking green digs on the road with them.
Regular folks can green up their current residence in many ways, from swapping out light bulbs to planting shade trees, sealing leaks and so on. This article isn't about those things. It's also not about the latest green dream homes. This article is more along the lines of the famous "hobbit house," which combines elements of the old-fashioned prairie sod house with a whimsical, aspirational, "why not?" attitude.
We don't expect most people will be moving into reclaimed trains, planes and automobiles any time soon. But we do think these home designs are a lot of fun. They show what's possible if we think outside the ticky-tacky box and dream of something different. You may not be reusing an airplane wing today, but maybe you can reuse some lumber or furniture, or perhaps switch to paints that are better for your air quality.
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