"When you’re buying a house, curb appeal is often the first thing that draws your attention – the impact as you drive along the street.

When building a house, a growing number of people these days want to see a different kind of impact.  They want to reduce the effect their house has on the environment – from construction onwards. 

They want to build and live in a healthy home..."

"Architect Martin Liefhebber, of Breathe Architects, is one of the leading exponents of energy efficiet and environmentally sensitive design. His design for a house in Port Perry demonstrates how smart design is the basis for energy efficiency, as well as a strikingly beautiful contemporary residence.

"...something smarter than usual is going on here. The solar panels on the roof are another clue, but the house's biggest novelty--the straw-bale insulation on the first floor--is invisible.

The deceptively normal-looking dwelling meets a stiff set of requirements: as energy efficient as possible, virtually free of allergenic materials and big enough for three seperate households, with a common area"

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"...design features and intelligent selection of materials (for example, strategically placed south-facing windows to draw the sun's warmth, coupled with concrete floors that absorb and then slowly release heat) cansignificantly reduce reliance on furnaces. One day, he says, every building might actually create its own electricity"

"...Here is an area where one might expect our profession to shine. Innovation is, after all, a concept that architects explore constantly in all aspects of practice: design, materials, detailing, construction, etc. But when it comes to the operation of the practice itself, evidence of innovation is sometimes a little harder to find..."
 
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"...Designed by architect Martin Liefhebber, the creator of Toronto's energy-efficient Healthy House, the Potters' place is constructed to maximize use of the sun's power. Five solar panels capture the sun's energy to produce electricity and 17 tall windows in the building's south-facing front capture the sun's heat."

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"...The list of things triggering the reactions included everything from carpets, glues and adhesives to paints and fabric sizing (a spray put on fabrics) - all staples of conventional building and furnishing. 

The solution? Northrup needed to eliminate as many allergens as possible from her surroundings. She needed a healthy house to live in.... 

The three bought a half-acre lot in Clarkson and then set about finding the best architect for the job. 

Enter Martin Liefhebber of Breathe Architects of Toronto (http://www.breathebyassociation.com). 

When Liefhebber isn't designing beautiful homes made from improbable materials like straw, tires or earth, he takes on more mainstream gigs, like the new Bambu Club." 

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for more information visit: http://www.naturallifenetwork.com

taken from New In Homes - Toronto Star Sat. Aug. 30, 2003

"When it comes to living green, you can't do much better than the Wilson family.
On most days, their hydro meter even runs backward at times as they export electricity to Ontario's power grid. 
It's a great example of what one family can accomplish in doing what's right for the environment." 

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