President-elect Barack Obama has said a number of times that he plans to make the White House green. The eco-friendly architecture and home modifications in the cluster below should be more than enough to give Obama and the White House design team some inspiration.
According to the CS Monitor, prior presidents have already given Obama a headstart in this endeavor. In 2002, 167 solar photovoltaic panels were installed on the White House roof. By 2007, low-flush toilets, ‘smart’ lawn sprinklers and improved insulation were also implemented. And former president Clinton commissioned a ‘Greening the White House’ report prepared by the Rocky Mountain Institute, which proposed modified skylights, efficient windows and upgraded HVAC systems.
From living walls to solar-powered cities, the eco-friendly modifications shown below can be scaled to suit nearly any home, from your two-bedroom flat to Obama’s 2009 White House.
44 Eco-Friendly Home + Architecture Mods
43
Personal Green Skyscrapers
The 60 Story Antilia House
42
Green Walls
Vertical Gardens
41
Vertical Farming (Part III)
Toronto Sky Farm
40
Green Technology Breakthrough
Inkjet Printed Solar Cells
39
Vertical Farming
Skyscraper Farms to Combat Global Warming
38
Green Roof Tiles
37
Eco-Friendly Decor
Bamboo Pulp Wall Panels By Inhabit
36
Peel & Stick Solar Panels
Lumeta PowerPly
35
Eco-Friendly Architecture
ReCURSO Houses
34
Eco Friendly Cork Furniture
33
Solar Trees
Streetlights Go Green via Solar Power and LEDs
32
Kinetic Eco Gadgets
The Shake MP3 Player
31
Green Metropolises
The Gwang Gyo Power Center in South Korea
30
Green Next Gen Notebooks
MacBook Earth, Fire and Water
29
Eco-Friendly Nightclubs
Greenhouse Opens in NYC (UPDATE)
28
Photovoltaic Solar Airports
Burbank's Hangar 25 is World's Greenest
27
Living Walls
Oulu Bar & EcoLounge
26
Oceanside Eco-Condos
Dockside Green Victoria, BC
25
Green Museums
California Academy of Sciences (UPDATE)
24
Green Walls & Roofs from G-Sky
Vancouver Turns A Healthy Shade of Green
23
Green Energy Producing Canopies
Cobra Solar Shades
22
Light Bulb Door Handles
The Knob Light Uses Kinetic Energy
21
Eco-Friendly Gaia Hotel and Spa in Napa Valley preaches 'An Inconvenient Truth'
20
Eco-Friendly Car Plants
Ford Rouge Truck Plant
19
Eco-Eatery
Eat, Drink & Be Eco-Friendly
18
NYC Goes Green For Christmas
Rockefeller Tree Now Eco-Friendly
17
Ultra-Green Office Building
Hidden Eco-Friendly Corporate HQ
16
Gyms Powered by Exercising Patrons
The Green Microgym
15
Eco Skyscraper Makeovers
Sears Tower Gets Greener
14
Going Green With Plant Power
Cradle 2 Cradle Spinach Concept Home
13
Air Force Base Goes Green
Nellis AFB Has Largest Solar Power Plant in North America
12
Waste Heat as Energy
ElectroTherm Green Machine
11
Eco-Friendly Ice Cubes
Nordic Rocks
10
Eco-Friendly Parliament Buildings
Reichstag, Berlin
9
Sinuous Eco-Friendly Rooftops
The Park House
8
Eco-Friendly Hotel Architecture
Kimpton Key Largo Green Resort
7
Green Urinals
Water-Free Japanese Urinals
6
Green Graveyards
The Solar-Powered Santa Coloma Cemetery
5
GreenPrint Saves Trees & Sanity
Million Tree March
4
Green Power Utility Company
Ontario Company Offers Alternative Power
3
Eco-Friendly Paint
IdeaPaint
2
Reclaiming Paved Paradise
Parking Day Redefines Public Spaces
1
Eco-Friendly Instruments
Walden Pond Wood Piano
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Gary Bencheghib's Home in Bali is Made with 35,000 Plastic Bags
Eco-Minded Micro Cabins
The Magnolia Eco-Cabin is Simple and Sustainable
Self-Sustaining Timber Tiny Homes
The Madeiguincho 'Vigia' Tiny House Prioritizes Natural Light
Futuristic Capsule House Concepts
The ONCO Capsule House Concept is Sleek and Minimal
Expanding Off-Grid Electric RVs
The Electric Transformer House is Sustainable and Luxurious
Floating Bamboo Houses
This Vietnamese House Aims to Protect Residents From Rising Water Levels
Displaced Persons House Designs
The Essential Homes Research Project Has a Bunker-Like Form
Accessible DIY Housing Strategies
Manuel Cervantes Estudio Promotes "Assisted Self-Production"
Sustainable Luxury Buildings
RO54 by Arshia Architects is Located in LA's Bel Air Neighborhood
Nature-Inspired Solar Panel Trees
New World Wind Develops the Aeroleaf Hybrid Technology
Glass-Reflective Illuminated Homes
The Invisible House is Detailed with Flos Lighting Systems
Indoor Organic Waste Gardens
The Conceptual BOSCH Eco-Hub by Batuhan Duran is Sustainable
Smart Glass-Topped Lookouts
These Picturesque Cabins Offer Stunning Views Of the Sky
Serenely Stilted Houses
This Sustainable Tiny Home is Situated On An Elevated Platform
Energy-Efficient 3D-Printed Homes
Haus.me Introduces Premium Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Garden-Centering Urban Townhouses
This Vietnamese Home's Layout is Arranged Around an Inner Garden
Posh Prefabricated Passive Houses
The GO Logic 1200 Model Has Two Bedrooms and Ample Natural Light
Shutter-Accented Tiny Homes
The houzEKO Tiny House Offers All-Season Efficiency and Privacy
Treehouse-Inspired Norwegian Residences
This House Aesthetically Connects With its Surroundings
Sustainable German Homes
Atelier Kaiser Shen Design a Sustainable & Clean Home in a German Village
Contemporary Hawaiian Beachfront Houses
Olson Kundig Architects Designs the Hale Napo'o Home
Sustainable Off-Grid Minimal Cabins
Marc Thorpe Presents the Fremont House in New York
Contemporary All-White Homes
BHY Arquitectos Design a Stunning All-White Residence in Argentina
Contemporary Sustainable Tiny Homes
The Cosmic ONE is Offered in Three Compact Home Layouts
Tranquil Elevated Tiny Homes
Jan Tyrpekl Designs the Cozy Zen House in Austria
Contemporary Extravagant Houses
Wittehaus Unveils the Gerendák Residence in North Carolina
Energy-Efficient Prefabricated Homes
The 'SON.DER' Home Offers Environmentally Responsible Living
Flax Fiber Floating Homes
The Conceptual 'Blue Nomad' Floating Home is Sustainable
Arts and Crafts-Inspired Homes
Rural Office Designs the Middle Avenue House in Surrey
Sustainable Smart Cottages
The LG Smart Cottage is a Compact Prefab with Cutting-Edge Tech
Trapezoidal Concrete Forest Homes
Ksa Studený Designs a New Home Looking Over a Forest
Wildlife-Embracing Jungle Homes
This House is Fully Exposed to the Costa Rican Jungle
Eco-Friendly Bio-Composite Roof Tiles
Studio SKLIM's Lo-Hi Tech Project with Solar Paneling
Modern Amenity Micro Dwellings
The Little Tahoma Peak Tiny Home Has House-Inspired Finishings
Modern Multi-Purpose Japanese Buildings
Akio Isshiki Architect Overhauls an Old Wooden Building
Stunning Mid-Century Coastal Homes
Design Theory Updates a House from the 1960s
Contemporary Ski Home Projects
Alfredo Paredes Reimagines the Traditional Ski Chalet
Peaceful Wooden-Designed Homes
Keiji Ashizawa Designs the Hiroo Residence in Central Tokyo
Rain-Harvesting Homes
Robert Hutchison Architecture Partners with Javier Sanchez Arquitectos
Transparent Climate Classrooms
Forma Transforms a Century-old Glasshouse in Copenhagen
Store-Transformed Modern Apartments
Kelly Behun Transforms a Modern Apartment at The Whiteley
Silver Curtain Concrete Homes
Local Studio Bangkok Tokyo Architecture Designs the House K
Lush Surroundings Glass Homes
Room 11 Designs the Glass House in Koonya Overlooking the Bay
A-Frame Forest Tranquil Houses
Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados Designs a New Forest Home
Energy-Efficient Office Buildings
This Czech Office Complex is Outfitted With Eco-Friendly Designs
3D-Printed Neighborhood Homes
BIG and ICON Complete a New 3D-Printed Model Home in Wolf Ranch
Remote Work-Catering Modern Homes
Studio Plow and Brit Epperson Creates a Workspace-Home
Modern Forest Homes
Bourgeois / Lechasseur Architects Design the Des Forges Residence
Award-Winning Housing Designs
Hong-En Lin Emphasizes the Importance of Clean Water Access
Snow Mountain Minimal Homes
Design Over The Norms Creates the Blissful Snowfall House
Solar Rainwater-Storing Roofs
Researchers in the Netherlands are Developing 'Blue-Green Roofs'
Bio-Based Compact Housing
Woonpioniers Designs the Sustainable Sprout Ruben & Marjolein House
Open-Plan Natural Material Houses
Architecture for London Designs the New Primrose Hill House
Scattered Boulder-Inspired Homes
Omar Gandhi Architects Designs the Rockbound House
Garden Oasis Renovated Homes
Sam Crawford Architects Designs the Hidden Garden House
Modernist Reconfigured Belgian Homes
ISM Architecten Adds a New Roof to the BEEV Home
Modern-Updated Traditional Homes
KiKi ARCHi Designs the Skip House in the Middle of Beijing
Nature-Leveraging Home Designs
PAE Designs the Casa Coaba Tucked in the Hillsides
Rejuvenated Former Bank Buildings
This Dutch Building Now Boasts Solar Panels & Insect Hotels
Traditional Japan-Honoring Homes
Cubo Design Architects Designs the C4L House in Tokyo
Dynamic Y-Shaped Glazed Houses
Saunders Architecture Designs the Y House in Alberta
Solar Powered Luxe Treehouses
Fort Treehouse Co. Designs the Baltic Treehouse in Canada
Water-Powered Family Residences
Studio Bark Unveils its Plans for the Breach House Design
Social Network-Encouraging Homes
Ignacio G Galán and OF Architects Design a Madrid Home
Off-Grid Self-Sufficient Island Homes
Vollebak and Bjarke Ingels Design the Earth House in Canada
Tranquil Cozy Canadian Cottages
Omar Gandhi Architects Designs the White Rock Cottage
Minimal Philosophy Toronto Homes
Burdifilek Designs the Sleek Forest Hill Residence
Economical Modular Wooden Homes
The Cake House Reinvents Housing in the Czech Republic
Roof-Planed Cascading Homes
Worrell Yeung Designs a New Home by Candlewood Lake in Connecticut
Greenery-Packed Museum Buildings
This Science Museum is Designed Around a Central Park
Elevated Timber-Clad Homes
Habitable Form Designs the Victory Bay House on Kiawah Island
Slopped-Base Green Tiled Homes
Bak Gordon Arquitectos Integrates a Home with Surrounding Buildings
Balanced Grass-Topped Homes
RO_AR Designs a Beautiful Dwelling in the Czech Republic
Self-Sustaining Houses
Archiopteryx Designs the People Tree House in Noida, India
Multifunctional Circular Housing Blocks
Gensler's EVE Park Design has Integrated EV Parking Towers
Forest Nestled Vaulted Homes
Earthscape Studio Designs the Wendy House Located in Kerala
Repurposed Wooden Shoreside Homes
H2 Designs the Tree House by the Lake in Vietnam
Meadow-Overlooking Sleek Homes
StudioAC Designs a Holiday Home iwth a Cedar-Clad Build
Harmonious Traditional Home Designs
MAKHNO Studio Updates the Century-Old Kyoto House
Reconfigured Spacious Brooklyn Homes
Light & Air Design the Z House with an Open and Bright Look
Off-Grid Private Islands
The 'Vollebak Island' is Designed to Be Sustainable & Self-Sufficient
Bamboo-Clad Residential Homes
i29 Designs the Open Park Villa to Connect with Nature
70s-Inspired Interior Office Renovations
dMFK Architects Renovates the 45 Whitfield Street Office
Green-Tinged German Villas
Studio Alexander Fehre Updates an Old Villa in Stuttgart
Avian-Inspired Luxury Residences
This Hill-Top Costa Rican Home is Inspired By Bird Plumage
Environmentally Blending Residences
A Threshold Studio Designs the Ineffable Light Home
Suspended Off-Grid Treetop Homes
Snøhetta and Tor Helge Dokka Designs the House Dokka
Multifunctional Vietnamese Homes
H-H Studio Designs the House for Young Families in Da Nang
Natural Light-Centric Timber Homes
Studio Varey Architects Designs the Huron House in London
Contemporary Nature-Inspired Homes
Fuller/Overby Architecture Designs the Nebo House
Self-Cooling Exterior Buildings
Modu Creates the Promenade Building to Control Air Temperature
Floating-Style Classroom Designs
Ennead Architects & Rockwell Group Completes the Bloomberg Center
Reclaimed Stone Modern Homes
Brown & Brown Creates the Arbor House Design in Scotland
90s-Inspired Vibrant Home Designs
Another Human Creates Vibrant Interiors fo the Holboro House
Energy-Efficient Museum Complexes
This Museum Uses Innovative Design to Curb Energy Consumption
Lively Transformed Vibrant Homes
02A studio Adds Splashes of Color to Casa Buondelmonti
Tranquil Functional Home Designs
Atelier Varun Goyal Designs the Modern Courtyard House
Renovated Southern Italian Homes
Studio Andrew Trotter and Marcelo Martínez Design the Casa Soleto
Live-In Art Gallery Homes
Casa Galeria is a Home That Doubles as an Art Gallery
Sculptural Canteliver Concrete Houses
Espacio 18 Arquitectura Designs the Casa del Alma
Compact Calming Homes
Batay-Csorba Architects Masterfully Designed a Modern Brick Home in Toronto
Artfully Inspired Home Renovations
Reflect Architecture Designs the North Drive House in Toronto
Greenery-Topped Winery Designs
This Czech Winery Complex Pays Tribute to its Green Surroundings
Eco-Friendly Refurbished Studios
Workers of Art Presents the WOA Second Home in Kochi
Elevated Garden-Filled Buildings
Snøhetta Designs the New Cloud 11 Building in Bangkok
LED-Wrapped Airport Renovations
Prague's Airport is Getting a Sustainable and High-Tech Update
All-Electric Restaurant Concepts
This Chipotle Restaurant Design Harnesses Wind & Solar Power
Contemporary Arctic Red Houses
Claesson Koivisto Rune Designs the Simonsson House in Sweden
Cutout Roof Cement-Clad Homes
Edition Office Designs a Home with a Focus on Tree Views
Green Tiled Extended Residences
Madam Architectuur Designs the Sofie House in Belgium
Halo-Like Skylight Homes
Tamara Wibowo Architects Designs the Halo House in Indonesia
Sustainably Crafted Pavilions
Shigeru Ban Introduces the Paper Log House in the Glass House
Sustainable Cubic Homes
Appels Architekten Designs a New Wooden Home in Germany
Perforated Facade Urban Home
Paperfarm Designs the Contemporary Veil House in Taiwan
Vibrantly Colored Retro Houses
Familien Kvistad Designs the Yellow house in Oslo, Norway
Minimal Urban City Apartments
GRT Architects Designs the East Village Apartment in NY
Sunlight-Reflecting Paints
Stanford University Researchers Develop an Innovative Color Paint
Grey-Praised Minimal Residences
Antonino Cardillo Designs the Elogio del Grigio House
Eco-Friendly Miniature Homes
Berghaus' Dufour House is a Tiny Sustainable Home
Open-Air Kenyan Holiday Homes
PAT Renovates the Falcon House with Passive Cooling Systems
Clear Glazing Compact Residences
IGArchitects Designs the Check Patterned House in Japan
Climate-Friendly Waterfront Homes
From 4 to 1 Creates Three Pavilions in Copenhagen
Blackened Wooden Facade Homes
Annie Barrett and Hye-Young Chung Design the Centered Home
Feline-Focused Modern Homes
Tan Yamanouchi esign a Cat Tree House in the City of Kamakura
Sustainably Transformed Tech Headquarters
Google's New Chicago Office Will Be More Ec-Friendly
Sustainability-Focused Building Renovations
Climate Group Launches the Renovation Revolution
Greenery-Surrounding Cabins
MAP Architecture Designs the Creek Cabin to Blend to the Wetlands
London Home Skylit Extensions
Oliver Leech Architects Prioritizes Natural Light in New Project
Eco-Friendly Antarctic Research Buildings
The 'Discovery Building' Aims to Cut Carbon Emissions
History-Honoring Dynamic Bright Homes
Colleen Healey Architecture Designs the Ginko House
Wood Cladded Modern Homes
Fredrik Nilsson Originally Builds the Grafton House in LA
Net-Zero Low-Energy Homes
PAD Studio's New Forest House Uses Extremely Low Energy
Renaissance Building-Transformed Homes
ORA Converts a Historic Building to the Modern Masná 130
Juxtaposing History-Preserved Homes
PRO-STORY Designs the Double Gable House in Czech Republic
Creative Work-Encouraging Homes
Mork-Ulnes Architects Designs the Silver Lining House
Repurposed Imperfection-Embraced Buildings
Civic Architects & VDNVP Elevate a Series of Workspaces
Sustainable Dynamic Hilltop Buildings
Arshia Architects Designs the RO54 in LA's Bel Air
Solar-Powered Vineyard Buildings
This Vineyard's Visitor Center Will Benefit From Solar Arrays
Terraced Naturally Lit Homes
Unknown Works Designs the Bright Oasis Home in London
Weatherized Visual Wooden Homes
Denizen Works Creates the Hundred Acre Wood House in Scotland