A living roof, or green roof, describes a system that allows plants to thrive on the surface of rooftop without access to groundwater. The idea is to create a self-sufficient ecosystem on your rooftop that relies exclusively on rainwater once the plants are fully established.  This type of roof provides energy-efficiency benefits in the summer, because the plants provide a net cooling effect. 

Salvaging building materials brings new life to otherwise discarded items.  Figuring how to reuse materials can inspire creativity and save loads of money in construction costs.  But you need to have a plan, or you risk spinning your wheels and burning out from all the leg-work involved.

Passive solar design takes advantage of solar orientation to minimize (and sometimes eliminate) heating & cooling needs.