With these resources we hope to provide additonal information on how to build, remodel, or maintain a green home. Our resources include architectural books on green homes, info about green home certification processes - including state-by-state links on independent certifiers, tips on how to make your home energy efficient, and places to research and buy green products, from fridges to couches.
Green Building Practices
Materials and Products
Design
Energy
Landscape
Green Building Programs (International, National, and by State)
Books
Magazines
Our Rating System: Each of our resources is given an A
(excellent), B (good), or C (marginal) rating based on two criteria,
Content and Accessibility.
Content refers to the quality and quantity of the information
provided by the website. A higher rating means that the information is
reliable and abundant. A lower rating means the information could be
better sourced or cited, or more complete.
Accessibility refers to the user-friendliness
of the site itself as well as how easy or difficult the information
provided is to understand. A higher rating means the site is
well-planned and easily navigated by the average user. A lower grade
means that the site is less easily navigated, or that the information
is more difficult for non-professionals to use.
Green Building Practices
United States Green Building Council
Dedicated to transforming the way buildings and communities are designed,
built, and operated. Also learn about the LEED certification system
Content: A
Accessibility: A
World Green Building Council
A union on international councils dedicated to accelerating the transformation
of the building industry towards sustainability. Site offers resources
for "green" building, presentations, and news.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
National Institute of Building Sciences
Whole Building Design Guide, compiled by a consortium of building and regulatory organizations of both the private sector and governmental agencies.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Toolbase
Services
A resource for technical information on building materials, products,
new technology, etc. This particular page offers a guide to remodeling
a home to be more energy efficient, providing a comprehensive breakdown of
what needs to be done in every area of the house.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Earth Sheltered Technology
This organization specializes in homes sheltered by earth, reducing heating and cooling needs by as much as 80%, according to the company. An old, yet innovative way to reduce the costs of maintaining a home.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
EnergyStar
This site is home of the top appliance energy rating company in the nation.
It offers information about residential and commercial energy efficiency,
including appliances, heating and cooling systems, water-saving products,
electricity savers, etc.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency
Educational material, guidelines for "green" buildings, and material indexes.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Green Home Guide
Nationwide resource and advice center for "green" building, including materials,
architects, literature, etc.
Content: A
Accessibility: B
Energy and Environmental Building Association
Provides resources and project overviews of "green" buildings.
Content: B
Accessibility: B
Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
Promotes understanding and adoption of energy conservation and non-polluting
renewable energy technology. Offers mostly resources for "green" building
and energy.
Content: B
Accessibility: B
American Bar Association
Initiatives and Legal Issues Surrounding the Trend of green building, with an emphasis on LEED as the emerging standard.
Green Materials & Products
Damschen Wood
Designers and builders of sustainable cabinetry and other home furnishings.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
NAHB: Life Expectancy of Home Components
By any reckoning, a home is expected to last many years and serve
several successive generations. But what about the individual
components that comprise the house?
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Baltix Sustainable Furniture
This company produces sustainable commercial furniture. They offer
products that eliminate the need to harvest trees and to throw away "waste."
They're products are all formaldehyde and VOC free, as well as aesthetically
pleasing.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Rainforest Alliance
Offers products such as coffee, chocolate, fruit, etc. from environmentally
and socially conscious companies.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Alter Systems
Comprehensive online store selling everything from solar panels to inverters.
Includes full product descriptions, price lists, option to shop by manufacturer,
and even has a community forum.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Certifiedwood.org
Allows you to search for FSC certified forests by region, and search products
made from FSC certified wood.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Green Orbit
"Greenorbit promotes achievements in eco-friendly design and technology." Essentially a repository for press releases, announcements, and articles about green tech and design, GreenOrbit is a great resource to learn about the wealth of green products out there.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
GreenHeat
Information on geothermal, solar, and biomass heating systems and the
reasons why more people need to consider using them.
Content: B
Accessibility: A
WaterSavers
Online store offering everything from rain barrels and other yard and
garden products to indoor water-saving products such as water-saving toilets
and faucet fixtures.
Content: B
Accessibility: A
JMK Environmental Solutions, Inc.
Provides hazardous material inspection, site contamination clean-up and
remediation, environmental risk assessment, and environmental contracting,
among other services.
Content: B
Accessibility: B
Shelter Supply
Located in Burnsville, Minnesota, this company specializes in ventilation,
filtration, dehumidification systems, etc. Their website offers information
on a variety of these systems.
Content: B
Accessibility: B
Green Building Supply
Get information about and shop for air and water purification systems,
natural flooring, non-toxic finishes, environmentally friendly cleaners, furniture,
countertops and more!
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Environmental Home
Center
Offers pretty extensive information on "green" materials, as well as how-to
instructions for installing cork and linoleum flooring; site also offers online
shopping.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Natural-built Home
Eco-friendly home products like flooring, countertops, tile, lighting,
etc. Based in Minnesota, but does offer online shopping.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Design
American Society of Interior
Design
This site offers a number of different resources and information about "green"
interior design. There is even a ‘find a designer' section.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Baufritz
"Since Baufritz was founded in Germany in 1896, our aim has remained
incredibly simple: to create individual, ecologically friendly homes
that are designed around you, your needs, and your wellbeing."
Content: A
Accessiblity: A
Environmental
Design Library at UC Berkeley
A huge database of resources (non-internet-based) for "green" building
methods, materials, architecture, design elements, etc.
Content: A
Accessibility: B
Green Design Furniture
Beautiful wood furniture made from black cherry trees that are domestically
grown under sustainable forest guidelines. The waste products are recycled
when possible. The site offers online shopping as well.
Content: B
Accessibility: A
Green Design from
Popular Mechanics
Offers information on "green" lifestyle products such as cars and home
appliances, as well as information on practical alternative energy.
Content: B
Accessibility: B
Energy
Minnesota Renewable Energy Society
Information and resources about renewable energy including companies,
builders, newsletters, etc. Site also provides a handy events calender and
opportunities to get involved and volunteer for the organization.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Fresh Energy
"Fresh Energy’s efforts focus on clean electricity, energy efficiency,
transportation policy, global warming solutions and energy justice." Site
offers a good stack of information about clean energy, and the policies and
reports about it.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
NASEO: National Association of State Energy Officials
Offers information about energy policy and programs around the country.
Useful for keeping up with the politics behind energy
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Landscape
Colorado WaterWise Council
Sustainable landscape practices.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Xeriscape Council of New Mexico
Seven Principles of Xeriscaping.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
The Flora of North America Project
Documents more than 20,000 species of plants native or naturalized in North America north of Mexico, about 7% of the world's total.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
The United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database
Provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Green Building Programs
International
Australia
Energised Homes
Australian National Sustainability Initiative
Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society
Germany
PassivHaus
UK
PassivHaus UK
National
LEED
DSIRE: Information about tax credits for green building
By State
Alabama
EarthCraft
House
energy
right
Arizona
Scottsdale
Green Building Program
TEP
Guarantee Home
California
California Green Builder
Earth
Advantage
GreenPoint
Rated Homes / Green Building in Alameda County
Santa
Monica Green Building Program
Colorado
Green
Built Colorado
City
of Aspen / Pitkin County Efficient Building Program
City
of Boulder Green Points Program
Florida
EarthCraft
House
Florida
Green Building Coalition
Good
Cents
Georgia
EarthCraft
House
energy
right
Good
Cents
Right
Choice
Hawaii
Green
Built Hawaii
Kansas
Build
Green Program of Kansas City
Kentucky
energy
right
Louisiana
Power
Miser Homes
Michigan
Green
Built Michigan
Minnesota
Minnesota GreenStar
Triple
E New Construction
Mississippi
energy
right
Missouri
Build
Green Program of Kansas City
New Jersey
New
Jersey Affordable Green
New
Jersey ENERGY STAR Homes
North Carolina
energy
right
NC
HealthyBuilt Homes
Oregon
Earth
Advantage
South Carolina
EarthCraft
House
Good
Cents
Tennessee
EarthCraft
House
EcoBuild
energy
right
Texas
Austin
Green Building Program
Build
San Antonio Green
Frisco
Green Building Program
Good
Cents
San
Bernard Electric Coop New Home Program
Vermont
Burlington
Electric Department's Residential New Construction Program
Vermont
Builds Greener
Virginia
Arlington
County Green Home Choice Program
EarthCraft
House
Energy
Saver Home
Washington
Built
Green Washington
BUILT
SMART
Earth
Advantage
Wisconsin
Green
Built Home
Wisconsin
ENERGY STAR Homes Program
Books
Green Living: The E Magazine Handbook for Living Lightly
on the Earth
E Magazine, authors
Find
it at Amazon
An all-encompassing guide to “green.” Includes guides for house
and lifestyle.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Green Building Products: The Greenspec Guide to Residential
Building Materials
Alex Wilson and Mark Piepkorn, editors
Find
it at Amazon
Content: A
Accessibility: A
The New Ecological Home: A Complete Guide to Green Building
Options
Dan Chiras, author
Find
it at Amazon
Content: A
Accessibility: A
The Green House
Alanna Stang, Christoper Hawthorne, authors
Find
it at Amazon
How to build a home that is kind to you and to the environment, and is
beautiful inside and out.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
The Not-So-Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really
Live
Sarah Susanka, author
Find
it at Amazon
This thought-provoking watershed book urges homeowners to build a home appropriate
to their needs, rather than try to keep up with the Jones' square footage.
Susanka empasizes quality versus quantity and provokes readers to look for
or build homes that are "cozy" and "warm" instead of "expansive"
and "spacious." Gives tips on how to maximize the use of space.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
The Simple Home: The Luxury of Enough
Sarah Nettleton, author
Find
it at Amazon
Minnesota architect Sarah Nettleton takes us on a tour of homes across
the nation that emphasize simplicity over complexity, that address the needs
of their owners without overcompensating. The idea behind "the luxury
of enough" is create a home that is simple and familiar, and therefore
more comfortable, less stressful, and more inclusive of the environment.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
The Renewable Energy Handbook
William H. Kemp
Find
it at Amazon
This outstanding book contains detailed real-world explanations of how to
build and maintain your own renewable energy sources, like a wind turbine,
photovoltaic cells, and biofuels. This is only for the person serious about
DIY energy solutions.
Content: A
Accessibility: B
Magazines
Dwell
One of the premier magazines on modern residential construction and design,
with emphasis on sustainability.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Home Energy
Offers articles about the latest developments in building science, home performance,
energy efficiency, and air quality
Content: A
Accessibility: A
ReadyMade Magazine
A bimonthly print magazine with an online component, with blogs, videos, a
store, message boards, and a "swapmeet." This is a magazine "for people who
like to make stuff," like a briefcase from cardboard, floors from recycled
lumber, insulation from straw, tables from driftwood and old windows, homemade
laundry detergent, or flip-flops from tires. Take recycling to the next level.
Content: A
Accessibility: A
Environmental Design
and Construction
A one-stop green building magazine covering recycled building materials, energy
efficiency, indoor air quality, and waste disposal.
Content: A
Accessibility: A