The future of home design and construction looks greener than ever. More homebuilders, construction companies and designers are creating homes and commercial properties that are more energy efficient, healthier and more eco-friendly than ever before. Designing and building in harmony with nature, although seemingly more popular in recent years due to increased news coverage and media attention, is an idea that stretches back several decades. It is a building philosophy that John Spears of Sustainable Design Group, an architecture and building firm based in Maryland, has been following since he began consulting with clients on green concepts in 1973. Since that time, while the green building boom has exploded across the country, John and his company have been quietly working both here in the United States and in developing countries all over the world to provide individuals and communities with homes that are beautiful, healthy, sustainable and, in many cases, completely affordable. It turns the idea of the expensive green home on its head.

Sustainable Design Group’s mission is to “build the most comfortable, healthy, efficient, and environmentally responsible homes possible.” What does working with Sustainable Design Group entail? John Spears describes the process a potential homeowner would experience. Each project is approached with a close attention to the natural surroundings, the needs and ideas of the owner and the codes and laws of the local jurisdiction. This requires careful thought and planning. The first phase focuses on the architecture and design of the house, including paying close attention to the vision of the homebuyer. Whether it’s a cute bungalow, a farmhouse or a modern design, Sustainable Design Group works to provide a home that represents the homeowner while keeping a focus on natural surroundings and materials. The homeowner even gets to experience a 3-D model of the finished product so they can see exactly what their home will look like.

Another important consideration that Sustainable Design Group makes during the building of one of their homes is the overall health of the home. During the building phase, the focus is on using the highest quality materials for the health of the environment and for the health of the family who will live in the home. No plastics or vinyl is ever used and the materials are always natural and non-toxic. Harmony with the land surrounding the home includes working with the natural airflow, minimizing run-off into streams and using only native species of plants and trees for landscaping. Other possible features homeowners can choose include geothermal heat pumps, solar energy panels, rainwater collection and the use of compressed earth bricks.

The collaborative design process is a benefit to homeowners who want to design a home to suit their needs and lifestyle. However, Sustainable Design Group’s involvement doesn’t stop once the home is designed and built. In fact, the influences of their work should last the lifetime of the home, as the owner experiences energy efficiency, low utility costs and a home that is in harmony with the world around it. In fact, many homes designed and built by Sustainable Design Group could be taken completely “off the grid” if the homeowner desired. One of the many important green features of a Sustainable Design Group home is the use of light and its relationship to efficiency. “I like to design with light,” says John Spears. “In winter I like to bring as much light into the house as possible.” This helps reduce overall heating costs and is mirrored by in the incorporated shade that cools the home in the summertime with trellises, overhangs and shade trees. The overall effect is a home that is “almost self-heating and self-cooled,” says Spears.

Sustainable Design Group works with individual homeowners and their families, but they also take on other green projects. Their portfolio includes commercial properties, community planning, design and construction projects across the globe, and green renovations and home audits. Even a “development” can be done in a green way, as evidenced by a downtown Fredrick, MD development of 55 green town homes built by Nexus Energy Homes, Inc., a green home construction company of which John Spears of Sustainable Design Group is an advisory board member and Creative Architectural Founding Partner. The energy efficient, affordable homes are up for an Energy/Value Housing Award (EVHA) from the NAHB Research Center, a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders. John mentions that he was also among the nominees for the 2012 “Builder of the Year” award. Nominees will learn the outcome of both awards in February of 2012 at the 17^th annual EVHA celebration in Orlando, FL.