Sustainable design isn’t just about installing solar panels and recycling gray water—though these solutions are often an important part of the picture. It calls for a deep regard for the environment that informs every step of the design process and gives rise to a dwelling that connects the homeowner to nature in a mindful, holistic way. The low-impact homes that readers most loved this year demonstrate how green living can be fused with design DNA.

10. A Svelte Austin Home Enables Cleverly Compact Living

9. Before & After: An Eco-Friendly Family’s 400-Square-Foot Cottage Teems With Plant Life

8. Austin Tackles Homelessness With Village of Sustainable Tiny Homes

7. This Net-Zero New York Passive House Teaches Its Community to Build Green

6. These Affordable Solar Prefabs in Sweden Produce as Much Energy as They Use

5. This Carbon-Negative Cabin Is the Sustainable Home of the Future

4. A Black-Gabled English Farmhouse Harvests Its Own Electricity, Heat, and Water

3. This Minimalist, Solar-Powered Home Is a True Desert Oasis

2. An Eco-Friendly Prefab Farmhouse Pops Up in New Zealand in Just 4 Days

1. This Self-Sufficient Australian Home Is a Living, Breathing Ecosystem

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Accord, NY Passive House

This Net-Zero New York Passive House Teaches its Community to Build Green