Playa: A LEED Platinum Home in a McMansion Neighborhood

Low Impact Living — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:09:39 +0000

Some diehard environmentalists consider eco-mansions an oxymoron at best, with militant types even setting fire to greenwashed mega-homes! But eco-mansion haters sometimes ignore an inconvenient truth: Huge homes are constantly getting built, and most of these are anything but green.

That’s the impetus behind “Playa” (above), a case study green home being built in Westchester, Calif., by Go Green Construction. The house, admittedly, will be huge — 4,300 square feet huge, to be exact — and located in a neighborhood that’s not particularly public transit-friendly. On the other hand, Playa’s also pre-rated for LEED platinum, serving as a self-described “living laboratory of green design” in a neighborhood full of ungreen McMansions.

The rooftop view from Playa (left) alone shows the need for green building in this neighborhood, where smoggy haze floats above multi-story single family homes. In contrast to the massive footprints of its neighbors, Playa will boast a full solar array, graywater recycling system, living walls, and smart house automation which allows residents to control the power of the house remotely.

World’s Largest Treehouse McMansion

Jennifer Lance — Sun, 25 May 2008 22:14:00 +0000

Watch out Swiss Family Robinson, this treehouse in Northumberland County, UK is 6000 square feet! Who knew that McMansions would appear in the trees?

Via: Fun Shotgun

Green Options » McMansion

Playa: A LEED Platinum Home in a McMansion Neighborhood

World’s Largest Treehouse McMansion