As we move closer to 2010, it is interesting to see more businesses jumping on the green movement voluntarily. One of the most surprising industries jumping on is the luxury homebuilder. The Providence Journal ran a story on this phenomenon in the Sunday paper this weekend.
“Luxury greenhomes are the new it house for the wealthy; they are fast replacing the Hummer houses or starter castles that we started to see in the ’80s and ’90s.” – Nick Downes
Photo Credit: Projo
Nick Downes, a Rhode Island luxury home developer, discusses one of his most recent projects planned to be built on Block Island. The 3,000 square foot home will attempt to achieve the LEED Gold Standard. LEED standards are determined based on a point system. Points can be earned by gaining efficiency in several areas of the home including: water efficiency, construction waste management and use of renewable energy (Downes has included 14 solar panels in the design.)
Another home that we are following closely at Moonworks is the Green Smart Life Project. This project embraces modern design and green building. You can track 
the progress of the home’s construction on the Green Smart Life Blog and view pictures on the Green Smart Life Gallery. Be sure to check out this website and the progress being made on a regular basis – they are always working!
Photo Credit: GSL
Some of my favorite blog articles include: Top Ten Reasons To Choose Reclaimed Wood Floors and Reducing and Centralizing Wiring for a LEED Home (just search for the posts in the search bar on the top right hand corner.) While many of us cannot take on a project of such proportion, it is inspiring for us to consider green options when we tackle our next home improvement project.