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Collection by Isla Wright

Stunning Green Home Designs

In the modern world overburdened with climate change and a rapid decrease in natural resources such as water and energy, efficiency and aesthetics must work hand in hand to create sustainable living environments. It is not just about living large anymore, it’s also about living smart.

Eco-friendly practices can not only help preserve the environment in a number of ways, but they can also allow you to make substantial financial savings by cutting down on energy and water use on an annual level. Here are some truly stunning and innovative green home designs that are perfect for the 21st century.

Water efficiency

Beautiful house designs can also be functional in emphasizing one or more eco-friendly solutions that will allow you to decrease your carbon footprint. For instance, the Butterfly House designed by Feldman Architectures located in the hills of Northern California is a perfect example of how a stunning, modern glass design can also boast a roof that collects rainwater.
Rainwater collection is important in the modern world faced with regular droughts and water shortages, as it allows clean water to be used for drinking and rainwater to be used for flushing the toilet or filtered and also used for drinking. Strategizing how a house uses water not only benefits the environment but your budget as well.

A rooftop oasis

Green roofs are not a foreign or even new concept at all, these design ideas have been around since the second half of the 20th century, yet somehow they have not met the popularity they deserve. This situation needs to change in the decades to come, as green roofs can help safeguard the eco-system, lower your utility bills, and reduce your carbon footprint. www.wwf.org.au offers a lot of information on this topic.

The last decade has seen a surge of sustainable houses that are designed to remain one with nature, disappearing into the surrounding landscape with their green rooftops and balconies. These houses are not only breathtaking, but they also attempt to regulate the temperature on the inside naturally via the green roof. And it works like a charm.
One such example of sustainability is the Avalon house created by ArchiBlox that not only boasts a temperature-regulating green roof but is also made out of timber from sustainable forests and metal sheets. It turns out that sustainable housing can not only be beautiful, but rather cheap as well.

Clean energy

The problem of deteriorating energy sources in the modern world is reaching staggering proportions, as the world is slowly running out of traditional energy supplies such as lumber, coal, water, and fossil fuel. This is why energy-efficient homes are becoming all the more popular among those looking not only to minimize their impact on the environment but also to achieve energy independence and make huge long-term financial savings.
Energy efficiency is best achieved by harnessing energy from the sun, which is an infinite source of clean power. This is achieved with solar panels and modern energy storage solutions, and you can read more about it at naturalsolar.com.au/son... .

Recycling and beauty

Finally, designing a home from reusable materials is one of the more popular trends in recent years. Namely, shipping container architecture is one of the cheapest ways to build a home that is efficient and downright beautiful.
Situated in Washington is the Eagle Ridge Residence made completely out of recyclable materials. Using insulated panels, the house traps heat inside, significantly decreasing energy expenditure, while everything from shelfs, tiles, and counters to furniture and appliances is made out of recyclables.

Green home design is no longer a luxury in the modern world, it has become an affordable necessity. With the rise of global warming and the decrease in natural resources, homeowners from across the globe are turning towards the beauty and functionality of modern green architecture to reduce their impact on the environment and reconnect their lost bond with nature.

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The relationship between interior and exterior becomes crucial in the articulation of the residence.
The relationship between interior and exterior becomes crucial in the articulation of the residence.
In this sustainable home in Silicon Valley, the primary suite opens to a deck and fern garden with large, sliding glass doors.
In this sustainable home in Silicon Valley, the primary suite opens to a deck and fern garden with large, sliding glass doors.
A compact and vertical guest tower is sited at the western corner of the lot amongst tall evergreens, allowing for a more private guest experience, more compact floor plan, and the ability to effectively shut off (socially and energy-wise) the guest spaces zone by zone during typical daily use.
A compact and vertical guest tower is sited at the western corner of the lot amongst tall evergreens, allowing for a more private guest experience, more compact floor plan, and the ability to effectively shut off (socially and energy-wise) the guest spaces zone by zone during typical daily use.
“We sought to create a house that would not damage the environment and not be too visible,” says architect Tina Gregorič. A single zigzagging roof stretches over 5,380 square feet, doubling the area of the interior spaces and serving as an ideal spot for sunset cocktails and whale-watching.
“We sought to create a house that would not damage the environment and not be too visible,” says architect Tina Gregorič. A single zigzagging roof stretches over 5,380 square feet, doubling the area of the interior spaces and serving as an ideal spot for sunset cocktails and whale-watching.
Keep the Home Fires Burning Using wood for heat and energy keeps the Wadhams’ environmental footprint small and helps avoid the use of coal- or nuclear-powered electricity. Come winter, the couple relies on an Esse wood-burning stove for cooking, heating, and feeding a set of small radiators. In summer, they use the stove’s electric component, which is powered by solar energy.
Keep the Home Fires Burning Using wood for heat and energy keeps the Wadhams’ environmental footprint small and helps avoid the use of coal- or nuclear-powered electricity. Come winter, the couple relies on an Esse wood-burning stove for cooking, heating, and feeding a set of small radiators. In summer, they use the stove’s electric component, which is powered by solar energy.
One of the main goals of the construction was to do as little harm as possible to the existing environment, which includes waterways that salmon depend upon. Herrin and his team created a garden roof that covers the full extent of the home to meet this objective. “This helps control storm water runoff and also replaces lost insect habitat—insects being a critical food source for juvenile salmon,” he says.
One of the main goals of the construction was to do as little harm as possible to the existing environment, which includes waterways that salmon depend upon. Herrin and his team created a garden roof that covers the full extent of the home to meet this objective. “This helps control storm water runoff and also replaces lost insect habitat—insects being a critical food source for juvenile salmon,” he says.