HGTV Green Home

Photo by James P. Blair. © National Geographic Society.

Interactive planning director Jeannine sent this image to me this morning.  Residents of Sun City, a retirement community near Phoenix, once upon a time covered their lawns in grass-colored gravel.  What do you think? This eco idea dates back to the early 1960s. Who needs drought-tolerant shubs and flowers when there’s emerald stones to scatter across the yard?

HGTVPro just posted renderings of the various HGTV Green Home 2010 elevations. Take a look and return here to discuss.

View the Gallery

Our Super Fan is heading to the HGTV Green Home 2010 construction site. Got a question? Post it below and Gail will sleuth out the answer.

I was sitting at my desk, clicking through the morning e-mails and happened upon an article about ecoATMs. It’s a spankin’ new incentive-based recycling concept. Here’s how it works: You insert your old mobile phone into the ATM, the machine assess the value of said electronic device and, if there is any resale value, the machine offers you a store credit or the ability to donate the refund to charity. If your cell phone is trash, the ATM will recycle it for you. Cool, yes?

The first ecoATM was installed in Omaha, Nebraska, and collected 23 cell phones on its first day of operation. Word has it that soon consumers will be able to recycle MP3 players, digital cameras and even computers and printers via the ecoATM. Sounds like a success story to me.

So what do you think? Should we install one at HGTV Green Home this year? Would you like one in your home town?

You’ve been asking for more details about the build of HGTV Green Home 2010 – and HGTVPro has answered the call. Our sister site just launched a brand new construction-dedicated package with photo galleries, exclusive videos and details you won’t find anywhere else. Check out the Building of HGTV Green Home 2010 microsite and come back here to chat. (That Plymouth photo gallery has me craving cranberry fudge).

Hi all,

I just added a ton of new photos to our Green cam. Check them out, then tell me what you think.

Go to the Cam

I was thinking about our HGTV Green Home and how we strive to build a sustainable, eco-friendly home that features the latest in green innovations. And then this article popped up in the New York Times about Dan Phillips, a self-trained carpenter and home builder from Huntsville, Texas, who is building homes from scraps, trash and reclaimed building supplies. His story is an inspiration. And frankly, wouldn’t you love to own one of his homes? I know I would. Click through the photo gallery and come back to chat. Should we follow Dan’s lead with respect to the build of HGTV Green Home?

Update 9/24/2009: Cocoon, the fish and meat maker by Rickard Hederstierna from Lund Institute of Technology, Sweden, won first place. Congrats!
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Have you heard about the global design competition being sponsored by Electrolux? The company invited undergraduate and graduate industrial design students to send in their home appliance ideas for the next 90 years, in honor of the Electrolux 90-year anniversary.

Eight finalists have been chosen from over 900 entries submitted from students in more than 50 countries. My favorite? Le Petit Prince by Martin Miklica from Brno University of Technology in the Czech Republic. His robotic greenhouse carries (and cares for) a plant as it travels and explores the planet Mars in search of nutrients to feed its host. It also reports its movements and progress to its fellow greenhouse robots via wireless communication.

Take a few moments to review the finalists, vote for your favorite design and stop back here to chat about the contest. Got a green home appliance idea you think’s a winner? Post your thoughts below.

This morning I was reading through some trend alert emails and came across an article about SRS Energy’s new solar panels — they look like terra cotta roof tiles! A friend chided me: “Mary, they are blue.” Okay, sure, but you have to admit that we are getting closer and closer to solar with style.

As we await updates on HGTV Green Home 2010 construction, I thought we could take some time to talk about our favorite green building materials. Share your thoughts.

Good morning!

Construction is under way and a house is taking shape in Plymouth, Mass. Click through the photo gallery and share your thoughts.