Can a McMansion Be Green?
CNN.com brings us a story of “the real estate equivalent of the hybrid Hummer”. At the Windemere on the Lake development in North Stamford, Connecticut, builders are trying to create a few dozen “eco-mansions” at an average scale of 8,000 square feet apiece.
As contradictory and hypocritical as this may seem, Windemere President Mark Hallet Robbins says they tried very hard to deliver a “very sustainable, environmentally conscious, and economical to operate home.” They are using geothermal heating and cooling, tight insulation, sustainably-harvested lumber, and LED and natural lighting. The home sites are built in clusters to preserve the woods.
However, there is a small but growing trend away from the “bigger is better” McMansion trend, one which its adherents say will be better in the long term for reducing the overall environmental footprint of homes. Inspired by Sarah Susanka’s book “The Not So Big House,” residents such as the Markieiczes of North Carolina are building smaller, more efficient homes, tailored to how they actually live. Sarah Susanka hopes that over time, people will see the wisdom of building smaller and living smarter.
Via CNN.com
