Inhabitat reports  “The Canada based Énóvo House features a sleek modular assembly that’s designed to evolve as the needs of its inhabitants change. Its elegant, angular structure makes excellent use of materials to maximize square footage, and its versatile design is able to adapt to any type of terrain and any climate condition.”

Énóvo’s highlights:

• The house was designed around a central courtyard that incorporates nature’s elements.

• It features a green roof consisting entirely of living plants
• Radiant flooring that stores calorific energy
• Vast windows that facilitate closeness to the environment while increasing energy performance through their large supply of natural light.
• Ready-to-assemble modular structures the house melts into its environment, adapts to the lifestyle, the needs and the evolution of those living in it.
• Choice of cathedral ceilings or low ceilings, open spaces or intimate spaces, small secret rooms or large open concept rooms, it’s all possible….
• Will adapt to any type of terrain and to any climate condition including blizzards, earthquakes and flooding.
• The home automation management system offers solutions for optimal use of the available resources.

Living Homes works with architects Ray Kappe and Kieran Timberlake for some of the best looking eco prefabs on the market. Kappe’s configurations run from $575k to $853k ($275 sf) not including land, assembly, etc.

Timberlake’s Living Homes are more reasonable, from $185 to $215 sf

Configure a virtual home online.  Options include solar panels, rainwater harvesting + others

Excerpts:

“Thanks to its aggressive push into renewable energies, cloud-wreathed Germany has become an unlikely leader in the race to harness the sun’s energy. It has by far the largest market for photovoltaic systems, which convert sunlight into electricity, with roughly half of the world’s total installations. And it is the third-largest producer of solar cells and modules, after China and Japan.”

“Now, though, with so many solar panels on so many rooftops, critics say Germany has too much of a good thing — even in a time of record oil prices. Conservative lawmakers, in particular, want to pare back generous government incentives that support solar development.”

[further down in story...]

“Defenders of solar energy see the hand of Germany’s power companies behind the effort to change the law. Reducing incentives for solar would favor wind, which is a more natural fit for the utilities, since the cost of building wind farms is too high for the average homeowner with an empty roof and an urge to generate electricity.”

“Solar energy is more decentralized, so the industry sees more competition from solar than from wind,” said Carsten Körnig, the managing director of the German Solar Energy Association.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/16/business/worldbusiness/16solar.html

THIS IS A TURF BATTLE I’D LIKE TO SEE IN THE USA. But we’re not even serious players when it comes to solar and wind. You still have to be rich or take out a line of credit against your house to have solar panels on your roof. We need some big changes in this country, come November which candidate is more likely to embrace and push for alternative energy vs keeping the status quo (going to war for foreign oil).

More to add in my green folder, this Sunset magazine ‘Living Green Forum’ is good to find answers to questions and share resources.

IMHO, we can’t get to green living fast enough. It’s not new, it’s just that mankind ignored it for so many years or more likely, big oil fought, lied and paid for keeping the status quo. Stupid stupid. Any comments about this?

Surfing around today, I found some cool Web sites

Ready Solar, ’solar in a box’

Sunset Idea Houses

KitHAUS little prefab houses that DWR sells

All this great stuff is out of my reach, by the time it becomes affordable, I’ll probably be too old to care. heh heh.

I’m with Joe here, more green installations for Fresno, we been wasting the sun’s energy too long by not using it. Why should L.A. have this and not Fresno?

Imagine being able to see the Sierras from the valley every day, bicycling or walking to work, preserving more open space as well as our Valley’s agricultural heritage. A year ago our mayor and city council said we’d work towards Fresno being a sustainable city by 2025.   C’mon, get the lead out,,,,, we can’t wait that long.

Tile is a low-toxic, durable finish material for flooring, walls, and  to face cabinetry.  This is a specialty tile produced from recycled glass.