Living Homes

When shopping for a home, we might think about square footage, kitchen appliances, closet space. Good health and the environment? Not so high on the list.

Living Homes, a California-based architectural company, wants to change that. It custom builds homes of good design, health and sustainability in an effort to bring the custom and healthy life to eco-conscious house dwellers.

The home shown grabbed the Platinum rating (that's the highest one possible) from the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Evironmental Design, or LEED®, for Homes pilot program, and it's the first residential project in the U.S. to do so.

All Living Homes projects are designed to earn a minimum of a Silver rating from LEED.

Want one? Budget about $250/square foot. It includes finishes (that's your floors, doors, walls, ceilings, windows, exterior cladding), fixtures (lights, handrails, handles, sinks, tubs, toilets, skylights), appliances, a living roof, inside garden, the heating and cooling system, cabinetry for kitchen and bath, and other LEED certified materials like paint and wood. (It excludes design costs––figure 10-15% of your budget––permit fees, engineering, transport, and install or foundation, all of which could add $70-$90 or more per square foot.)

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