Designed for a woodworker specializing in flute heads, this L shaped space has great lighting thanks to some unique skylights made from common materials. More

While there's been a lot of excitement recently about passive homes and Passive House Certification, one of our favorite go-to building techniques is passive solar design. It is actually different from Passive House and the technique has been around for ages. It is a very simple design concept wherein the building relies on its local climate and the sun for heat, instead of mechanical or electrical systems. More

The Cookup200 solar grill from the French company iD Cook is a portable solar cooker meant to be taken out on the open road! It can be assembled in minutes and folds up into a handy little carrying case. Made with 100% recyclable, optical polyester, 1 gram of aluminum per square meter, and sustainably-harvested Portuguese wood. Check out a video of the cooker below: More

This greenhouse atop a 19th century row house in downtown Pittsburgh uses passive heating to help warm the lower flats and pump fresh air into the building. And obviously there's space to garden and hang out on the roof! More

Friends and loved ones of geeks rejoice, I've compiled a list of gadgets (okay, 9 gadget-related and a t-shirt) for the technically-inclined. From the weekend warrior tinkerer to the full fledged Jedi-loving nerd, you should find something acceptably engaging for your special someone. More

Last week I spent a few days at one of the best eco-focused conferences around, GreenBuild. Held this year in Chicago, the event was vast and overwhelming to say the least. I attended several inspiring seminars and walked the expo floor for hours on the hunt for great green building products. There was a lot out there, so I've created a list of the best and most exciting things at the show, that are actually available for use in your home, right now. More

How cool would it be to shade your car or patio and generate power? The PHATport is a product from PHAT Energy, a company whose product line includes solar carports, solar patios and other forms of secondary solar structures. Designed for the Sanyo Double bi-facial solar panel, it is available in two pre-fab models. More

Q: Hi, I love your sites and appreciate all the work you do looking onto and recommending products. I was on your site looking for some recommendation about solar sensor lights but I was not able to find any. Or if you don't have any that is my suggestion for your next review.

Sent by Meghan More

Here's a new energy source for your home that doesn't require initial passive solar design: utilize your roof to capture heat for your home through glass tiles. This new heating system by Soltech Energy uses glass roof-tiles to heat your home using the sun's energy. More

Name: Peter Vujovich and Jill Lucas
Location: Afton, MN
Size: 3,800 sq/ft sitting on 10 acres
Years lived in: 3 years, Owned

What does an eco-friendly-design-and-build man have for a home? A dream house out in the country sitting comfortably 10 acres. Peter and Jill's house is nestled into Minnesota's sloping hills, farms, and woods in Afton near the St. Croix River. They built this house from the ground up based on three simple principles: beauty, affordability, and eco-friendly design. Given Peter's work, the design came naturally.

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