Home renovation projects that respect both environmental values and architectural heritage offer valuable lessons for anyone looking to update an older home. The story of a 1920s Craftsman bungalow in Austin, Texas, featured as the centerpiece of This Old House’s first green remodel, demonstrates how thoughtful renovation can expand living space while preserving character and […]
Planning a green remodel can feel like navigating a maze of decisions, from material selection to contractor vetting. Whether you are updating a mid-century bungalow or rethinking a suburban townhouse, the principles of sustainable renovation apply across project scales. This guide draws on lessons from real-world green remodeling projects and translates them into actionable steps.
The use of bold, saturated color in residential interior design represents a significant shift from the neutral-dominated palettes that have defined home decor for the past decade. High-energy color, when applied thoughtfully, transforms ordinary rooms into immersive experiences that shape mood, define function, and express personality. The 2016 Farmhouse at Emerson Green Idea House, featured
The renovation of a 1920s bungalow into a net-zero energy home is one of the most instructive case studies in modern sustainable construction. Featured in This Old House’s 40th-anniversary season, the Jamestown Net-Zero House in Rhode Island demonstrates how blending historic charm with cutting-edge energy technology can produce a home that is both beautiful and
How Celebration, Florida Pioneered New Urbanism in Planned Community Construction Celebration, Florida stands as one of the most ambitious planned community experiments in modern American history. Developed by The Walt Disney Company in the 1990s, this 4,900-acre town south of Orlando was conceived as a living laboratory for new urbanism principles: walkable neighborhoods, mixed-use town
Proper home insulation stands as one of the most effective investments any homeowner can make. A well insulated house stays warmer in winter, cooler in summer, and quieter throughout the year while significantly reducing monthly utility bills. Beyond personal comfort and financial savings, reducing home energy consumption through quality insulation directly shrinks your household carbon
Green remodeling is no longer a niche trend reserved for environmentally conscious homeowners with deep pockets. It has become a practical, cost-effective approach that improves comfort, reduces utility bills, and increases property value. Whether you are planning a full renovation or a targeted upgrade, adopting sustainable building practices can deliver measurable returns. Before breaking ground,
The Energy Star label appears on millions of products across the United States each year, marking them as energy-efficient choices verified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. Since its launch in the early 1990s, the program has helped homeowners and builders identify appliances, building materials, and home systems that use
Maintaining a lush, healthy lawn is a point of pride for many homeowners, but the methods used to achieve that green carpet can have significant environmental consequences. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, residential lawns apply more than ten times the amount of fertilizer and herbicide per acre compared to commercial farms. These chemicals eventually
Plastic remains one of the most widely used materials in modern construction, from piping and insulation to coatings and sealants. Yet the environmental cost of petroleum-based plastics is becoming impossible to ignore. The production process consumes roughly 10 percent of all oil and gasoline produced and imported by the United States, while globally the manufacturing
