Our favorite planned communities strive for responsible construction and promote sustainable living. Many are certified by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program; others have local or state certifications for energy efficiency. Here’s a look at our top picks.
Think your community should be part of Natural Home‘s next top 10? Send us your information! E-maileditor@naturalhomemagazine.com with subject line “My community.”
1. Mueller
Austin, Texas
On a former brownfield site, Mueller is a 700-acre mixed-use community that is home to more than 700 families, 25 percent of whom qualify as low-income.
? 140 acres of open park space and hiking and biking trails
? Community saves trees from surrounding developments and plants them on park grounds.
2. Madison Street
Chattanooga, Tennessee
A formerly dilapidated neighborhood near downtown, Madison Street is a flourishing artist community filled with galleries, studios and restaurants–and home to Chattanooga’s first LEED-certified homes.
? Homes made with locally harvested and manufactured materials
? Efficient building methods, HVAC systems, windows and appliances; nontoxic interior finish materials
? Native, noninvasive groundcover and permeable paving
3. Northwest Crossing
Bend, Oregon
A 486-acre mixed-used community, Northwest Crossing is near 32 acres of parks and has retail stores, locally owned restaurants and schools.
? All buildings and homes certified by Oregon’s Earth Advantage program
? Site planned to conserve native Ponderosa trees; xeriscaping throughout community
? Mandatory stormwater retention and construction waste recycling
4. Pine Ridge
Ketchum, Idaho
Affordable housing and easy access to bus lines and bike paths makes eco-living tangible in Pine Ridge.
? Urban infill project on site of an abandoned hotel
? Native, drought-tolerant landscaping
? Eco-friendly and salvaged building materials
5. Prairie Crossing
Grayslake, Illinois
Prairie Crossing, a progressive, 359-unit, LEED-ND neighborhood, offers an elaborate alternative energy system and an advanced charter school.
? Geothermal system, wind turbine and photovoltaic (PV) solar panels power and heat buildings.
? Former waste site now serves as train station parking lot
? Certified organic commercial farm
6. Issaquah Highlands
Issaquah, Washington
East of Seattle, Issaquah Highlands is an eco-minded community of more than 3,000 homes powered by multiple energy sources and constructed to Built Green’s 4-Star efficiency level.
? Near High Street Retail Village, where all buildings meet LEED standards; schools and medical facilities onsite
? Stormwater ponds and vegetated bioswales filter sediment and pollutants
? Situated on 1,400 acres of preserved forestland; more than 25 parks and recreation areas
7. Mosier Creek
Mosier, Oregon
Mosier Creek, a LEED Silver- and Earth Advantage-certified neighborhood with 22 homes and 12 apartments, has direct access to the historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, a 10-mile bike and pedestrian path.
? PV and solar thermal in all units
? Previously landfill site for Interstate 84 construction waste
? Solar-heated saltwater pool
8. Kalahari Harlem
New York, New York
Half of this community’s 250 homes were sold as affordable housing to long-term Harlem residents. Kalaharin Harlem houses a youth community center, a café and community gardens.
? Onsite solar panels for public areas; 25 percent of the community’s energy is from renewable sources
? Green rooftops with native and drought-resistant plants
? Onsite Zipcars (car-sharing program)
9. Garden Atriums of Poquoson
Poquoson, Virginia
Garden Atriums of Poquoson features flooring made from recycled oak ship planks, HardiePlank exterior siding and metal roofs from recycled cars.
? Net-zero homes featuring PV and closed-loop geothermal systems
? Rainwater harvesting supplies 95 percent of landscape water needs.
? Fruit orchard and chemical-free vegetable gardens on property; community composting site
10. Pringle Creek
Salem, Oregon
Pringle Creek features a porous asphalt and pervious concrete street system for rainwater management and an onsite biodiesel co-op with 60 members.
? Two restored greenhouses used as native plant conservatory; 80 percent of trees preserved; 100 fruit trees and 300 blueberry bushes planted
? 100 percent Forest Stewardship Council-certified lumber
? Geothermal heating and cooling system for 70 residential lots and all the Village Center commerical buildings