Radiant flooring is a popular method for heating a space. Read the original post: Creatherm: A Simple, Flexible Radiant Slab

*This is a sponsored article in association with Plastics Make It Possible.  The Solar Decathlon is an event we cover every other year, and this year, the American Chemistry Council, in conjunction with Plastics Make It Possible , invited us to the National Mall to see how teams are using plastics as building materials in high performance homes.  Of course, we expect to see various recycled-content materials and plastic-based outsulation, but we also want to talk with teams about what’s driving their use of these materials. I’ll be on a group tour of the Solar Decathlon on Saturday led by...

The results are in for another contest at Solar Decathlon 2011 and the winner of the architecture phase is the University of Maryland with WaterShed .  Team New Zealand (Victoria University of Wellington) took second place with First Light , and Appalachian State University took third place with the Solar Homestead . Michelle Kaufmann, an architect at Michelle Kaufmann Studio and the author of Prefab Green , said, “ The top three projects span the globe; each celebrating its unique regional influences and climatic differences, ” according to the Department of Energy. The jury evaluated projects...

Austin-based Sett Studio makes unique and inventive prefab studios ranging in size from about 97 to 192 square feet.  The company pairs modern design with energy-efficient construction to create what can be used as a home office, art studio, yoga space, kids room, game room, or guest room.  Plus, a Sett Studio can be had for about $20,000 – $30,000, depending on the model. The model shown features an interior application of Monotread, which is milled with OSB made from fast-growing, sustainably-harvested wood.  On the outside, the tiny studio can be finished with Hardie, charred wood, or...

3form makes a resin panel called 100 Percent with 100% post-consumer, recycled, high-density polyethylene. Each panel includes more than 1,000 old milk bottles and can help a project team earn a couple LEED credits.  Well, this year — in time for ICFF, NeoCon, and other design shows — 3form unveiled LineUp , a new 100 Percent collection available in two pattern directions and four colors (beach, husk, stream, and turf).  The collection is suitable for countertops and tabletops, and the panels are 4″ x 8″. [+] More information about the Lineup design with 100 Percent . Taken from: Plastic...

The Solar Decathlon evolved this year with the advent of the Affordability Contest. It replaced the Lighting Design Contest, which was subsumed within other contests in the competition. More: The Affordability Contest Winners – #SD2011

zHome is a contemporary, new, townhome development in Issaquah, Washington.  The homes go on sale this month and have received national attention, such as in the video embedded below with the Wall Street Journal .  Homes in this community will use zero net energy — after considering all energy used and produced during a year — and zHome may just be the first townhome project in the country to achieve such a feat. In order to achieve zero net energy, the project team first sought ways to reduce total energy demand and ended up cutting annual energy use from about 14,000 kWh per year to about...

KB Home , a publicly-traded home builder with its headquarters in Los Angeles, this month announced the nationwide roll out of net-zero energy home designs called ZeroHouse 2.0 .  The standard KB Home with Energy Star certification is built to save homeowners about $1,000 in average annual energy costs, while a ZeroHouse 2.0 design is expected to eliminate monthly electricity charges. Model homes with the ZeroHouse 2.0 package open this month in Tampa (shown), San Antonio, and Austin. Homebuyers in a market with ZeroHouse will be able to customize their purchase using the KB Home Studio to include...

Cali Bamboo is now offering a new product, BamDeck , which is a composite material made with 100% recycled content — 30% recycled bamboo fibers, 70% recycled plastics.  It’s twice as dense and strong as the leading competitor, according to Cali Bamboo, and doesn’t require sealing, painting, or refinishing.  BamDeck comes in three colors (coffee, caramel, and slate) and three surface options (smooth, rigid, or alternating).  Quotes available through Cali Bamboo. [+] More information about BamDeck composite decking Originally posted here: BamDeck is a New Bamboo Deck Option

Tiny houses, big ideas . Italian Job leads to flat-pack housing . Dodge the draft, cut home heating costs . Read More: Dodging a Draft, Connecticut Prefab, Italian Job Housing, + Little Big Houses