Sauvie Island prefab . Green building is on the rise . Staying warm and saving energy in winter . Visit site: Islander Prefab, Container Store, Winter Energy Savings, + More Green Building

If you saw last night’s episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition , which I had the fun opportunity to work on, you might have noticed several green elements in the home.  The home has water-efficient Kohler products, rooftop solar, a green trellis and solar wall, etc.  It also has lots of copper products — due to the connection with Kennecott and Rio Tinto — such as this Japanese-style tub made with 99.7% pure recycled-content copper.  The 200-pound, hand-hammered ofuro made an appearance on TV by donation from Premier Copper Products .  The fully recyclable tub retails for $9,999....

The biennial Solar Decathlon finished today and teams will begin the grunt work of taking their homes back or sending them off if the homes were acquired.  As we’ve done in the past, here’s a short roundup of all 19 Solar Decathlon homes for 2011 .  The competition fosters the design, build, and operation of net-zero energy homes that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive.  Maryland won the entire competition, and Appalachian State was given the People’s Choice Award .  Appalachian State University The Solar Homestead — www.thesolarhomestead.com Florida International...

After all the scores have been gathered and added, the Department of Energy today announced that the overall winner of Solar Decathlon 2011 is Maryland for WaterShed .  Team Purdue finished in second place with INhome , and Team New Zealand finished in third place with First Light . Solar Decathlon Director Richard King said, “ Maryland’s Watershed is a beautiful house, judged first place in Architecture, which also performed impeccably in measured contests Read the article: The Solar Decathlon Winner – #SD2011

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...