I found this interesting guide to building a green roof. I have not tried it (I do not have a flat roof) but it seems do-able.
Green roofs can make your home cooler and can control water runoff 
Here is what a green roof might look like in cross section.
Via: Instructables LINK
With energy costs still climbing interest in energy efficient homes continues to grow.
Blu Homes manufactures very energy efficient homes. " ...cost on average 50 to 70 percent less to operate on a monthly basis than conventional homes. Performing significantly beyond even Energy Star standards, ... " .
Lower energy costs translate to lower operating costs, lower energy use and a lower carbon footprint.
Check out the details on the Breezehouse (a green home with lots of natural light) - from BluHomes. Green features include passive solar, high efficiency heating / ventilating / AC systems, solar panels and tight insulated construction.
Via: Blu Homes LINK
American University new School of International Service is expected to receive LEED-GOLD certification.
The building is designed by architect Willam McConough, ... "renown for sustainable design and his "cradle-to cradle" philosophy for recycling and reusing building materials...." .
Some of the many green and environmentally friendly features include: a 33 KW solar energy system, rainwater collection (60,000 gallons) for flushing toilets, LED lighting in the car park, rain gardens, and much more.
Read more by follwing the link below.
Via: American University LINK
Passive homes are designed to be so energy efficient that they do not need to have normal heating and cooling systems ! There is an air exchange system that brings in fresh air but keeps the heat in the houses. This efficiency is achieved without compromising the comfort or looks.
" .... refers to a ... ultra-low energy construction standard developed over the past twenty years by the PassivHaus Institut in Germany. ..."
See video below for more about a home that Solar Knights upgraded to become a Passive Home.
Via: Solar Knights Construction LINK
and Smart Planet LINK
Murphy’s Run in Cecil County Maryland offers buyers a home in a certified green development. “ … is one of only twelve developments nationwide to be green certified by the National Green Building Certification Program. “
The homes are insulated with SIS or structural insulated sheathing and equipped with “ … energy star windows and appliances … CFL bulbs … low-flow shower heads …”
See the video for more …
Via: ABC News LINK
After building a very efficient building in Boulder, Colorado, the NERL is building an extension that is 17 % more efficient. How ? By looking at changes in available technology in the last year that can bring energy improvements.
One area for change was the windows. Those in Phase 1 are very efficient but still those on the southern exposure were cold ... changes made for Phase 2 included making them slightly smaller and increasing the thermal break to slow air infiltration that can cause temperature changes. When these savings are multiplied over 600 windows the energy efficiency is significant.
Improvements were made in the Phase 2 thermal storage system ... they found they could simplify the design ... instead of " ... interlaced structural concrete grade beams for thermal transfer .... " ... there just now just a " ....a large open concrete crawl space."Lastly each occupant is put on an energy diet of 55 watts / workstation. This goes a long way to keeping electricxity bills under control.
Follow this LINK and at the bottom of the page are details on other technologies used in the building.
Via: National Renewable Energy Laboratory LINK
Sheldon Crossing in Manayunk (Philadelphia) Pa offers the latest in GREEN LIVING. In addition to being LEED certified they offer a Coulomb Technologies electric car charging station.
" ... will earn a Platinum LEED certification ... homes will use less energy, water, and natural resources ... " Features include " ... solar panels, vegetative green roofs, insulation, plumbing, HVAC, water purification and smart home automation ..."
The model home's Charging Station for electric vehicles is the first in the city of Philadelphia. Picture >>>>>
Via: Sheldon Crossing LINK and Philadelphia Inquirer LINK
GreenBuild 2010 " is in Chicago this Nov 17 - 19. It is a great chance to hear from industry experts about what is new in the greenspace for green buildings.
Did you know that Chicago was : ... one of the first cities to adopt LEED for public buildings and ... is home to more LEED-certified buildings than any other...
Check out the Video Link to see what collect students are doing in the green space.
Via: GreenBuild LINK
What's a quick easy way to save money .... year after year?
Insulate !!
EcoBatt insulation is made from "bio-based" binders - not petroleum derived raw materials and is certified to GREENGUARD standards so it is safe for children and use in schools.
" ... reduces binder embodied energy by up to 70%, and does not contain phenol, formaldehyde, acrylics or artificial colors used to make traditional fiberglass insulation."
" .... combines sand ... renewable resources, post-consumer recycled bottle glass ... to create ... sustainable insulation…"
Via: EcoBatt LINK
Home Power Magazine is full of ideas on renewable energy for home owners and professionals.
" ... information exchange has helped create an industry with ... a common goal: reducing the use of polluting fossil fuels and replacing ... with the infinite supplies of renewable energy that surround us. ..."
Issues have covered subjects including " ... solar, wind, and microhydro electricity, energy efficiency, solar hot water systems, space heating and cooling, energy-efficient building materials and home design, ..." and more.
Via: Home Power Magazine LINK
Beyond Low Energy homes are Zero Energy Homes (ZEH). Using technology including geothermal heating and cooling, PV panels, heat recovery ventilation and super insulation and high efficiency windows the homes in Green Acres (New Paltz NY) may be the first ZEH in the world.
" ... first zero energy (ZEH) community in the United States and possibly the world..."
" ... each home has the capacity to generate enough renewable energy to offset its annual energy needs. ..."
Via: Green Acres New Paltz (NY) LINK
Mayor Michael Nutter has been promoting Philadelphia's green activities and now the city is being recognized by others as well."... U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) and Siemens Corporation has presented the 3rd Annual Siemens Sustainable Community Award ... to the City of Philadelphia. ... recognizes Philadelphia’s outstanding efforts to achieve complementary economic, environmental and social goals, ..."
" ... Mayor Michael A. Nutter. ... encouraged by the momentum behind our sustainability efforts, ... look forward to aggressively continuing our work to promote market transformation in energy efficiency retrofitting and growing the green economy.”"... training our workforce to install solar panels and cool roofs, and we’re putting Philadelphians to work weatherizing homes and installing green stormwater management infrastructure."
Via: City of Philadelphia LINK
I heard about recycled blue jeans being used as building insulation at the 2009 Solar Decathlon in DC this past Saturday (Oct 10th).
"UltraTouch Natural Cotton Fiber insulation ... revolutionary patented manufacturing process that has created a superior and safe product. ... made from high quality natural fibers. ... 
DOES NOT ITCH and is very easy to handle and work with."
" ... contains no chemical irritants ... requires no warning labels ... no VOC concerns ... it is safe for you and the environment."
" ... meets 
the highest ASTM testing standards for fire and smoke ratings, fungi resistance and corrosiveness. ... contains 85% post-industrial recycled natural fibers making it an ideal choice for anyone looking to use a high quality sustainable building material."
" ... available to purchase nationally on The Home Depot website or through your local distributor."
Via: Bonded Logic LINK
Serious Materials produces a line of green environmentally friendly building products that help homeowners save energy ...
"... develops and manufactures sustainable green building materials that dramatically reduce the impact of the 'built environment' on the climate."
" ... aim for breakthroughs in product performance, without requiring changes in customer behavior or in how products are used – thus speeding market adoption."
" Serious Windows high-performance insulated windows and glass, which can reduce heating and cooling energy costs and emissions up to 40% ...QuietRock soundproof drywall & QuietHome Windows, which can reduce material use, GreenRock™, a green alternative to standard drywall ... uses 80% less energy to produce its core, resulting in 80% lower CO2 emissions. ... "
" ... manufacture products in ... Sunnyvale, California; Newark, California; Boulder, Colorado; Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. ... to create thousands of green collar jobs ... in the U.S. Products are widely available through building products dealers in the U.S. and Canada."
It is amazing that there are so many energy using devices in our homes. What many fail to realize is that some devices, like TVs, and PCs may still be drawing power when "turned off".
You can save energy by changing the type of appliance - if old it may be worth upgrading to an energy efficient (Energy Star) model.
Sometimes you just need to "turn if off". Sometimes you can made simple substitutions like CFL for incandescent bulbs.
Read on for the 5 Big Energy Hogs in your home ... and how to ZAP them !
" ... Turn down your thermostat to 68 or 69 degrees in fall and winter, and to 76 in the summer ... Heating and cooling are the top uses of energy ... consider upgrading ... to Energy Star ..."
" ... for some homes, small appliances are the second biggest use of energy ... consider turning off your TV ... or ... put your electronics on a SmartStrip to prevent them from creating “phantom loads,” which draw small amounts of power ... even when items are turned off."" ... refrigerator runs constantly. It can pay off to recycle your current model and buy a new EnergyStar rated model."
" ... likely have an inefficient hot water tank ... tankless water heater ... save energy and money by not keeping water hot 24/7. Rather ... heat your water when you demand ... make sure your tank heater and the pipes supplying the water to it are insulated."
" ... swap out the incandescent bulbs in the most used areas of your home ... replace them with CFLs. Here’s a trick you may not have heard of for CFLs: once you’ve installed the fluorescent bulb, turn on the light and leave it on for at least 15 minutes. Doing so “burns in” the lamp, which improves its function, and its lifespan. ... dispose of them properly when they burn out in 7 years!"
Via: SustainLane LINK
Philadelphia is a city of row houses ... unfortunately many are in blighted condition and when they are town down the newly created "end units" are poorly insulated. Cleaning up the blighted homes causes the other homeowners to have basically little or no insulation on a large surface of their home.
"In the interest of creating local green jobs, the city hopes to find a local manufacturer." " ... product consists of layers of insulating foam (for thermal protection), high-density foam (to absorb impact), fabric (to prevent penetration of sharp objects), and a latex-stucco finish. ... produce it in 2-by-4-foot panels that will be affixed to a wall with a foaming adhesive."
" ... Philadelphia University's help was enlisted after the city determined that existing exterior-wrap products were too expensive and not sufficiently durable."
Via: Philadelphia University LINK
Green living options are increasing in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia. Manayunk is accessible to the R6 regional rail line to center city and is a very walkable village ...
Sheldon Crossing is a new Platinum LEED (to be certified) development ...
" ...16-unit carriage home development in Manayunk, PA, ... to meet and surpass green standards, which will earn us a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Platinum level of certification. As we are redefining eco-conscious living, we have not lost sight of the importance of design. ..."
" ... less energy and resources consumed ... will result in significant savings for the homeowner as utility bills dwindle. ... Sheldon Crossing homes will use less energy, water, and natural resources. They create less waste, have less exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins. ... features to highlight are PV solar panels, green roofs, Icynene insulation, high efficiency heaters, WaterSense plumbing fixtures, water purification, heat recovery ventilators, smart home technology, Energy Star appliances, windows and doors and much more. ..."
Via: SheldonCrossing LINK
One of the easiest ways to make you home more energy efficient ... and save on your heating and cooling bills is to insulate to the proper levels. A poorly insulated (or not insulated) house is just letting your heat or air conditioning pass through the house.
Recommended minimums for walls and ceilings are based on your geographic location ... LINK to see the appropriate R-Values for your location.
" .. high-efficiency thermal insulation and effective R-value. ... Reduce nuisance noise when used in walls. ... made from 85% recycled paper fiber. ... Support energy conservation programs focused on en
vironmental responsibility."
" ... forms a monolithic blanket of protection—blocking air infiltration and convection currents that are both primary causes of energy loss. ... ... remains consistent through a greater temperature and application range than that of loose-fill fiberglass, ... can increase a wall's fire resistance by 22-57%. ..."
Via: greenfiber LINK