Green building all too often seems to mean a casual introduction to the building process of mildly-less-bad materials or practices. Consider then

"a self-reliant house that produces its own electricity, water, and cooking gas. Solar energy powers the air-conditioning, lights, and household appliances. Rain, dew, and condensation from the cooling system produce enough water for a family of four. Recycled water irrigates the garden, and surplus electricity is sold to the power company or used to drive an electric car 30 miles (50 kilometers) a day."

That's how Architecture Week describes Soontorn Boonyatikarm's bio-solar house. On the one hand, it's just another demonstration project. On the other hand, the fact that it's both radically sustainable and really quite beautiful says something about just what is already possible, how far we already could go in changing the ways we inhabit our places.

For another take on these issues, check out the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, or "Max's Pot," in Austin. The Seattle Weekly also did a pretty fair overview of green building in Seattle earlier this year.

(Thanks Alan!)