Building ecologically requires different knowledge, skills, and support systems depending on your scale and goals. Here’s a comprehensive guide to resources for various project types.
For Individual Homeowners & First-Time Builders
Education and Planning
Owner-Builder Programs offer the most direct path. Organizations like the Owner Builder Center in Berkeley, California, and similar programs nationwide provide classes on construction fundamentals, permitting, budgeting, and managing contractors. Many community colleges offer construction technology certificates that demystify the building process.
Natural Building Workshops provide hands-on experience. The Cob Cottage Company in Oregon offers workshops in cob construction. Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Vermont teaches timber framing, straw bale, and natural building techniques through immersive courses. The Natural Building Collective maintains directories of workshops globally.
Books remain invaluable:
- The Hand-Sculpted House by Ianto Evans (cob construction)
- The Natural House by Daniel D. Chiras (comprehensive overview)
- The Passive Solar House by James Kachadorian (energy-efficient design)
- A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander (design principles that create life-enhancing spaces)
Design Support
Passive House Institute (PHIUS in North America at phius.org) trains designers in ultra-efficient building techniques. Their consultant directory helps you find professionals who understand these principles.
Local architects specializing in sustainable design often offer consultation services even if you’re not hiring them for full design. Many will review plans or provide guidance hourly.
BuildingGreen.com offers subscription-based access to sustainable product information, case studies, and technical resources. Their GreenSpec directory lists vetted eco-friendly materials and products.
Financing Eco-Homes
Green mortgages and energy-efficient mortgages (EEMs) allow higher borrowing limits for certified efficient homes. Programs include:
- FHA Energy Efficient Mortgage Program
- Fannie Mae HomeStyle Energy Mortgage
- Local credit unions often have specialized green lending programs with better terms than conventional banks
Self-Help Housing programs through USDA Rural Development provide loans and grants for owner-builders in rural areas.
ADU-Specific Resources
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) specialists have emerged in markets where these are legal. Companies like Abodu, Dweller, and Maxable offer prefabricated sustainable ADUs, though costs vary widely.
Local ADU associations exist in Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, and other cities with mature ADU markets. They provide regulatory guidance, contractor references, and design resources. For example: Accessory Dwellings and ADU Portland.
Municipal planning departments increasingly offer ADU guidebooks. Portland’s ADU resources are exemplary, with clear illustrations of code requirements, financing options, and design considerations.
For Spiritual Communities & Intentional Living
Community Development Resources
Fellowship for Intentional Community (FIC) publishes the Communities Directory and offers resources for starting and sustaining intentional communities. Their website hosts forums, articles, and consultation services.
Cohousing Association of the United States provides toolkits, case studies, and connection to experienced cohousing developers. Their model—private homes plus shared facilities—has proven sustainable across decades.
The Farm in Tennessee, one of America’s oldest intentional communities, offers tours and consultations. Earthaven Ecovillage in North Carolina teaches permaculture design courses and community living practices.
Legal and Organizational Structure
Community land trusts (CLTs) separate land ownership from building ownership, preserving affordability and ensuring stewardship values persist across generations. The Grounded Solutions Network provides CLT development resources.
Attorneys specializing in intentional communities help navigate unique legal structures. The Foundation for Intentional Community maintains referral lists and resources.
Design for Community
Christopher Day’s Places of the Soul and Consensus Design books address architecture that serves spiritual and communal purposes.
The Findhorn Foundation in Scotland has decades of experience building sustainable spiritual community and offers courses in ecovillage design.
For Affordable Housing Developers
Financing and Incentives
Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) remain the primary tool for affordable housing development. The Novogradac firm specializes in LIHTC consulting and publishes extensive free resources.
Enterprise Green Communities offers both financing and certification for sustainable affordable housing. Their criteria address health, efficiency, and resilience—critical for low-income residents who bear the brunt of utility costs and environmental hazards.
State housing finance agencies increasingly prioritize green building in their funding competitions. California’s HCD Multifamily Housing Program, Washington’s Housing Trust Fund, and Massachusetts programs all reward sustainable design.
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like Self-Help Credit Union and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) understand mission-driven development and offer more flexible terms than conventional lenders.
Technical Assistance
NeighborWorks America provides training, peer networks, and technical assistance for affordable housing developers incorporating green strategies.
Enterprise Community Partners offers both predevelopment grants and expertise in sustainable affordable housing. Their Rose Fellowship trains the next generation of affordable housing leaders.
Community Development Corporations (CDCs) exist in most cities, managing affordable housing portfolios. Partnering with established CDCs provides invaluable knowledge about local markets, regulations, and funding sources.
Innovative Models
Mutual Housing Associations in California create permanently affordable cooperatively-owned housing. Champlain Housing Trust in Vermont pioneered combining cooperative ownership with community land trusts.
Habitat for Humanity increasingly incorporates green building standards and has published guides for sustainable affordable construction techniques.
Modular construction reduces costs while maintaining quality. Factory_OS in California produces multifamily modules with integrated efficient systems at competitive prices.
For Urban Large-Scale Architecture
Professional Networks and Research
American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) recognizes exemplary sustainable projects annually. Their case studies provide detailed performance data and lessons learned.
Urban Land Institute (ULI) publishes research on sustainable urban development, including their Building Healthy Places initiative connecting health outcomes to built environment decisions.
Architecture 2030 challenges the building industry to carbon neutrality. Their resources help firms set targets and measure progress.
Policy and Advocacy
New Buildings Institute conducts research proving the feasibility of net-zero buildings at scale and works with jurisdictions to advance building performance standards.
USGBC’s LEED for Neighborhood Development extends green building principles to district scale, addressing transportation, infrastructure, and community impact.
Institute for Market Transformation helps cities develop building performance standards—policies requiring existing large buildings to meet efficiency benchmarks.
Material Innovation
Materials libraries at architecture schools showcase cutting-edge sustainable materials. Material ConneXion operates material libraries in major cities with subscription access.
Carbon Leadership Forum at University of Washington provides tools and data for measuring and reducing embodied carbon in construction—increasingly important as operational energy becomes cleaner.
Living Building Challenge, administered by the International Living Future Institute, sets the highest bar for regenerative building. Their Declare label creates transparency about product ingredients and impacts.
Development Partners
Jonathan Rose Companies has proven that mixed-income, transit-oriented, deeply green development is financially viable at scale. Their model integrates affordability, sustainability, and place-making.
Ecocity Builders works internationally on urban ecology and sustainable city design, offering consultation and connecting developers with expertise.
Perkins&Will and HOK are large architecture firms with strong sustainability practices and research divisions that publish freely available resources.
Across All Scales: Critical Resources
Code and Regulatory
International Code Council (ICC) publishes the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), though adoption varies by jurisdiction. Understanding your local amendments is essential.
Alternative building code officials exist—individuals known for working constructively with unconventional projects. Finding them requires networking within local green building communities.
Material Sourcing
BuildingGreen’s GreenSpec directory vets products across categories.
Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute certifies products designed for circular economy—materials that can be endlessly recycled or safely composted.
Local salvage yards and Habitat for Humanity ReStores provide reclaimed materials at deep discounts while reducing construction waste.
Regional material suppliers: Research who supplies hempcrete, bamboo, reclaimed timber, and natural insulation in your area. Hemp Building Association and U.S. Hemp Building Association can help locate suppliers.
Certification and Verification
LEED, WELL, Living Building Challenge, Passive House, Net Zero Energy Building, Enterprise Green Communities—each has strengths. LEED offers market recognition; Living Building Challenge demands the most; Passive House ensures performance; WELL addresses occupant health.
Choose certification based on goals and audience. For affordable housing, Enterprise Green Communities addresses relevant issues cost-effectively. For high-performance commercial buildings, LEED plus Passive House demonstrates commitment convincingly.
Hands-On Learning
Building trades unions increasingly offer green building apprenticeships. This path combines earning while learning with comprehensive technical education.
Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) courses teach ecological thinking applicable far beyond gardens—understanding systems, energy flows, and regenerative design principles. Find courses through Permaculture Association or search locally.
Ecological Building Network maintains lists of natural builders, consultants, and materials suppliers across North America.
State and Regional Resources
Many states have green building councils providing local workshops, contractor databases, incentive information, and networking:
- Green Building Alliance (Pennsylvania)
- Ecocity Cleveland
- Southface Institute (Southeast)
- Northwest EcoBuilding Guild
- U.S. Green Building Council (national with local chapters)
Regional American Institute of Architects chapters often have sustainable design committees hosting lectures and connecting professionals. Find yours through the AIA chapter directory.
Additional Key Resources
Research and Publications
Whole Building Design Guide – Comprehensive database of building-related guidance, criteria and technology from federal agencies
GreenBiz – News and resources on sustainable business and building
Journal of Green Building – Peer-reviewed research on sustainable design and construction
Material and Product Resources
Green Building Supply – Online retailer of eco-friendly building materials
Hemp Traders – Wholesale hemp building materials
Environmental Building News – Monthly newsletter on sustainable building practices
International Resources
World Green Building Council – Global network of green building councils
Global Ecovillage Network – International communities sharing sustainable living practices
GAIA (Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction) – UN partnership for sustainable buildings
Financial Tools
PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) – Financing mechanism for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements
Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) – Comprehensive information on incentives and policies supporting renewable energy
Energy Star – Federal program providing information on energy-efficient products and buildings
Design Tools
SketchUp – 3D modeling software with free version, widely used for architectural design
BEopt – Software for analyzing building energy performance (free from NREL)
OpenStudio – Free energy modeling platform
Getting Started: Action Steps
For any project scale:
- Educate yourself through books, online courses, and workshops before hiring anyone. Knowledge protects you from poor advice.
- Visit existing projects. Most sustainable communities, buildings, and developments welcome curious visitors. Seeing successful examples crystallizes possibility.
- Assemble your team early. Integrated design—bringing builder, architect, landscape designer, and engineers together from the start—yields far better results than sequential handoffs.
- Start with site analysis. Understanding sun angles, wind patterns, water flows, soil conditions, and local climate determines everything else. Poor site planning undermines even the best construction.
- Prioritize what matters most to your project. A first-time homeowner might focus on health and efficiency. A spiritual community might emphasize shared spaces and connection to landscape. Affordable housing demands durability and low operating costs. Urban developments must prove financial feasibility while transforming markets.
- Engage with regulatory authorities early. Bring them into the process as partners rather than obstacles. Most code officials want good projects but need help understanding unfamiliar approaches.
- Build financial contingency. Eco-architecture sometimes costs more upfront (though operational savings typically recover this) and usually involves learning curves. Budget 20-30% contingency for first projects.
Conference and Networking Opportunities
Greenbuild International Conference – Annual conference hosted by USGBC, the largest green building event
Living Future unConference – Annual gathering of regenerative design practitioners
Passive House Conference – Annual North American Passive House Conference
EcoBuild – Various sustainable building shows and conferences
The Human Element
The most valuable resource is community—people who have walked this path and will share knowledge generously. Green builders, natural construction enthusiasts, and sustainable developers form remarkably open networks. Attend conferences. Join online forums. Visit projects. Ask questions.
This work attracts people motivated by something beyond profit—creating beauty, health, justice, or ecological healing. That shared purpose creates unusual generosity with expertise and support.
Building ecologically is more accessible than ever, with proven techniques, available materials, supportive financing, and growing policy support. What’s required is commitment to learning, patience with processes that differ from conventional development, and faith that better ways of building serve everyone—inhabitants, communities, and the living world we’re part of.
The barriers are real but surmountable. Thousands of people annually create homes, communities, and buildings demonstrating that ecological building is not idealistic fantasy but practical reality. Your project can join them.
econology 