Story at a glance: An ADU—or accessory dwelling unit—is a small self-contained secondary housing unit located on the same property as a single-family residence. Sustainable ADU design prioritizes the use of green building materials, passive design strategies, renewable energy, energy- and water-efficient systems, and more. ADU laws and regulations vary considerably at the state and municipal level but are becoming increasingly streamlined as the popularity of ADUs grows. An estimated 1.4 million legal accessory dwelling units—or ADUs—exist in the United States, with that number growing stead ..read more

Story at a glance: Most modern brick homes feature brick cavity walls or single-layer brick veneers rather than solid brick walls. Brick-built homes are durable, weather resistant, long-lasting, and help improve energy efficiency. Thin brick veneers are an affordable alternative to traditional whole-brick construction that also offer improved air and water barrier technology. Bricks are among the world’s oldest man-made building materials, with the earliest known examples dating before 7,500 BCE. While the oldest mud and clay bricks look a bit different from our modern bricks, but they’re st ..read more

Story at a glance: Montgomery Sisam Architects designs Chelsea Gardens as a model for high-quality, sustainable affordable housing. The cost of living many places in North America is on the rise, while demand exceeds development. The team had to be very efficient in terms of gross floor area and layout to deliver 200 units, including many larger family units. In Canada the challenge of providing sufficient affordable housing is pressing. As the costs of living have increased, demand has outpaced development, and cities are seeing the fallout in their shelter systems. To redress this deficit ..read more

Story at a glance: Architect Aaron Schiller reimagined a dilapidated 1870s carriage house in Brooklyn as his new home to test mass timber construction methods. Piggybacking onto a larger project for materials and partnering with local providers, Schiller Projects was able to streamline construction while minimizing its carbon footprint. Designed for longevity, the converted Brooklyn Mass Timber House has been nominated for an American Architects 2023 Building of the Year Award. Aaron Schiller—founder and lead designer of the New York City-based architectural design firm Schiller Projects and ..read more

Story at a glance: Sustainable housing projects are designed to be socially equitable, affordable, accessible, and to have a reduced or positive environmental impact. Casa Adelante, the DADA Distrikt, and the Urban Frontier House are all examples of recent housing projects that address both environmental and social sustainability. Housing may be a human right, but affordable housing—and perhaps even moreso sustainable affordable housing—has become increasingly difficult for the average person to access. This is true both in terms of the private residence as well as public housing, as house p ..read more

Story at a glance: The Acton Passive House was designed by ZeroEnergy Design (ZED), a green architecture firm based in Boston, for a client looking for respite from city life. The vision was unwavering: The client wanted a modest primary residence with two bedrooms and two bathrooms that felt like a retreat in nature. The project meets rigorous standards for energy efficiency and includes solar panels that produce more energy than the home needs throughout the year. Set in a clearing of evergreens is a sleek, modest home. A low profile, strong horizontal lines, and modern style put the Acton ..read more

Story at a glance: Low-flow WaterSense-certified faucets, toilets, and shower heads drastically reduce water consumption. Switching to LEDs, maximizing daylight, and installing energy-efficient appliances reduce energy usage. Renovating a bathroom can be a big undertaking, especially seeing as many bathrooms tend to prioritize functionality over aesthetics—but that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve both, nor does it prevent you from implementing elements of sustainable design. Indeed, bathrooms are perhaps one of the easiest rooms in a house to improve upon where sustainability is concerned, a ..read more

Story at a glance: The Perkins Eastman Collection 14 project incorporates historic structures and multiple uses while adding to the character of the community. More than 200 apartments are alongside plentiful retail, office and event space in this Washington, DC project. Collection 14 is the sum of many parts—or at least that’s how it looks from the sidewalk. Initially conceived as two distinct buildings, the project grew to encompass a full city block, incorporating a handful of historic properties while maximizing space and livability for a 21st century clientele. Two parcels on the block ..read more

Story at a glance: Architect Jason McLennan shares his experience designing a deep green house on Bainbridge Island. All of the materials in the house were vetted for Red List compliance to ensure a healthy interior. The house also used FSC wood and rammed earth construction. Nestled within a beautiful forest glade on Bainbridge Island, Washington (an island a short ferry ride from Seattle) sits Silver Rock—a modest, humble, poetically enchanting home dedicated to a family’s personal values of peace, serenity, and environmental stewardship. I designed the house for a family of four—two worki ..read more

Story at a glance: Carbon dioxide is an odorless, colorless natural gas that can be hard to measure without the proper tools. A home with an efficient HVAC system can help mitigate CO2 trapped in the air. Limiting open flames, adding plants into your home design, and more can help keep the air clean. Spending more time at home these days means we may be noticing things we didn’t see before: a crack in the wall, a slow drain. But one thing you probably won’t notice: rising carbon dioxide levels. Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is an odorless, colorless natural gas that is released into the air when w ..read more