Less turf means more hardscapes and drought-tolerant plants

As McMansions get replaced with smaller, more energy-efficient homes, the landscaping that went with them is following the same path. Will large, green, well-manicured lawns start disappearing next?

“In the past people had big areas covered in grass or materials that needed to be watered,” said Rob Pressman, landscape architect for TGP Inc., located in Encino, CA. “People are reducing the amount of lawn on their property and using a lot of hardscaping, rocks and ground cover to take up space and add texture.”

Pressman said that not only have builders and homeowners have been making a switch to drought-tolerant plants to save the homeowner money in watering costs, but native plants and grasses are increasingly popular because they look nice and are virtually maintenance-free.

Residential Living Building projects push the limits of sustainable design when even LEED isn’t enough

It was barely more than a decade ago that many builders scoffed at the idea of green building, believing it was just another fad that would soon fade away. Well, it didn’t, and it doesn’t look like it will, anytime soon. Much of what was once considered green building is now common practice, and the industry is constantly advancing.

It was just 12 years ago, for instance, that the USGBC launched its first version of the LEED rating system. Since then, the council has revised and updated LEED three times, each time upping the ante on what it means to build green.

Green: Similarities between the building and farming industries

The building and farming industries have a lot in common. Consumers now pay extra for organic fruits and vegetables because they know they are getting a higher-quality product. The same can be said of the price tag attached to green homes. Some homebuyers don’t want to pay for the certification to prove their home is green, while others find it a relief to know they are paying a little more for a better product.

When building first became an actual “industry,” builders made a name for themselves by crafting quality, well-constructed homes. But as the industry grew, some builders went the route of the agribusiness farmers, who crank out one type of crop, and began mass-producing one type of home. This not only allowed them to build more homes, but it also greatly increased their profit margin. However, as with the crops produced on such a large scale, the quality—and health—of the homes suffered a bit.