4. Casa Verde
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Within walking distance of schools, hospitals and parks, the community houses a coffee shop and an arts center.
■ Site of former rose greenhouses required soil cleanup
■ Energy Star-qualified
■ All south-facing roofs have hookups for solar panels
■ Recycling program, garden and common house including dining room, kitchen, playroom, laundry facilities and patio
■ Recycled cellulose wet-blown insulation
■ Recycled-content flooring, exterior decking and carpet

5. Nubanusit Neighborhood & Farm
Peterborough, New Hampshire
Located on 70 acres along the Nubanusit River, this 29-home
community conserves farm fields, riverfront and woodlands.
■ LEED Platinum certification
■ Central pellet boiler plant uses locally produced biomass fuel to provide heat and hot water.
■ Low-toxicity building materials and fresh-air ventilation system with heat recovery
■ Two-thirds of homes on site of abandoned hotel
■ Stormwater treatment uses grassy swales and rain gardens.

6. Daybreak Cohousing
Portland, Oregon
The community’s 30 units are designed simply to reduce costs and support high-quality infrastructure including insulation, moisture protection and radiant floors.
■ Common house with bicycle storage, spiritual space, kitchen, living room, laundry room and storage space
■ No onsite parking: Community located along major bus routes and near mass transit line.
■ Energy-efficient with radiant floor heating and efficient cooling; common house designed for passive cooling
■ About 96 percent of original buildings reused
■ Stormwater treated onsite through a series of bioswales

7. CoHo Ecovillage
Corvallis, Oregon
The 6.8-acre site is a mix of open meadow and fir, oak, apple and maple trees within walking distance of bus routes and downtown.
■ Common house has solar hot water.
■ Six of 34 homes are designated for income-qualified families.
■ Energy Star appliances and efficient lighting
■ Homes 30 percent more energy efficient than code requires
■ 90 percent of stormwater runoff managed onsite with bioswales and constructed wetlands
■ 100 percent recycled polyester carpet