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
41
Personal Green Skyscrapers
The 60 Story Antilia House
40
Vertical Farming (Part III)
Toronto Sky Farm
39
Green Technology Breakthrough
Inkjet Printed Solar Cells
38
Vertical Farming
Skyscraper Farms to Combat Global Warming
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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Shadow House by Matti Kuittinen Uses Waste Materials for Full-Scale Living
Floating Canopy Homes
The Holocene House Concept Integrates Water & Architectural Geometry
Transformed Seattle Mid-Century Homes
Gordon Walker Designed a Home by SHED Architecture & Design
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StudioAC's South Bay House Reinterprets Rural Canadian Architecture
Climate-Responsive Prefab Homes
The Drop Pod House Adapts to Floods and Unexpected Guests
Cob Building Revivals
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Portable Wheel-Based Green Homes
Dwellii Designs the Tiny House of Wheels on a Double-Axle Trailer
Bespoke Modular Off-Grid Homes
Fox Cabins Blends Design and Sustainability.
Accessible Forest Homes
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Climate-Resilient Home Catalogs
Autodesk Streamlines Wildfire Recovery Efforts in Los Angeles
Solar-Lined Energy Towers
Foster + Partners Released Designs of Solar Towers for Moon Use
Cozy Smart Tiny Homes
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Low Footprint Compact Houses
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Modern Timber Lake Houses
nARCHITECTS Completes the CLT House Nestled in Hudson Valley Forests
Shape‑shifting Retreats
This Modular Off‑Grid House Adapts to Natural Sites with Expandable Walls
Custom-Designed Residential Homes
Williamson Williamson Complete the House of Monitors
Climate-Responsive Color-Changing Paints
Joe Doucet Develops a Paint to Help Heat and Cool a Home
Modern Prefabricated Residential Projects
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Mid-Century Holistic Home Restorations
Willett and Ome Dezin Design the CM G1 House
Thoughtful Residential Architecture Projects
Hacienda Wabi by RA! is Situated in Tulum's Jungles
70s London Home renovations
Archmongers Redesigns the Elemental House in Hackney, London
Compact Modular Forest Cabins
The Digital House Showcases Plug‑in Construction in the Forest
Eco Living Vertical Towers
The Eden Rise Vertical Eco Living Community Integrates Food Production
Hydro-Positive Microhomes
Living on Groundwater Rewires a 25 M² Residence to Recharge Aquifers
Refreshing Sustainable Modular Homes
Wittman Estes Designs the Whidbey Puzzle Prefab
Off-Grid Forest Retreats
The Nest Cabin by Daria Sheina Studio is Made with Stacked Volumes
Washington Private Club Expansions
The Ned Washington Opens Overlooking the White House
Organic Lake Retreats
Usonian-Inspired Lake House Embraces Modest Scale and Deep Connection
Disease-Alleviating Home Designs
The Star Homes Project is a Significant Venture
Minimalist Contemporary Home Designs
Hock Hoon Proudly Delivers the Hitotema Home Project
Mahogany Intergenerational Homes
The Mahogany House by R ARCHITECTURE is Chic and Contemporary
Glass-Lined Corridor Residences
Studio MM Designs the Tranquil Abiding Private Home
Converted Industrial Homes
A 1960s Warehouse Transforms into a Residence Honoring Its Raw Design
Modular Living Structures
Modular BV System Redefines Prefabricated Homes Sustainability in Brazil
Contemporary Brutalist Homes
The MS House by Studio Saransh Balances Architecture with Nature
Adaptive Family Residences
A 1920s London Home is Transformed into No Ordinary House
Reimagined Postmodern Residence
Alder House Renovation Connects a ’90s Seattle Home with Nature
Living Landscape Homes
Hedge and Arbour House by Studio Bright Merges Garden and Architecture
Modernist Home Renovations
The Bauhaus Budapest Apartment Receives a Contemporary Refresh
Modern Resilient Homes
Atelier Schwimmer Designs the Owl's Shield House in Quebec
Smart Home Energy Technologies
EcoFlow Leads in Smart Home Energy Tech at Ces 2026
Artistic Lakeside Retreats
Ely Retreat Blends Modern Cabin Living with a Serene Creative Studio
Climate-Smart Rural Designs
Vernacular Home Cools Interiors with Passive Clay-Pot Ventilation
Eco-Focused Family Housing
Rewild Homes Moves Environmental Design into Realistic Living
All-Glass Mesmerizing Compact Homes
Elsewhere Pods Designs the Tiny Beaufort Bushland Retreat
Simple Material Family Homes
Keshaw McArthur and Matheson Whiteley Designs the Openfield House
Wellness-Driven Concept Homes
Zonda and Fischer Homes Unveiled the 2026 Virtual Concept Home
Bright Residential Renovations
The Plaka House in Athens Reconfigures a Century-Old Building
Compact Sustainable Homes
Quadrapol Introduces the Cabana as a Tiny Dwelling That Rethinks Space
Upgraded Historic Home Designs
Veinte Diezz Arquitectos' Vistalcielo Project is Stunning & Rustic
Organically Printed Homes
The Lib Earth House Showcases Soil-Based 3d Printing Custom Living
Neighborhood House Renovations
Casa Cruda Brings a Transformation to a Cartagena Neighborhood Home
Elevated Flood Refuge Homes
The Lift House Reimagines a Red Cottage That Rises with Flood Waters
Forest-Edge Timber Homes
Timbertop House by Atelier Kastelic Buffey Anchors in Canada’s Woods
Artful Residential Renovation Projects
Mariana Orsi Arquitetura + Design Completes House Da Vila
Ceramic Modern Houses
The Hillsborough Residence Blends Modern Design with Sculptural Ceramics
Leaf-Inspired Countryside Homes
The Leaf House Interprets Organic Form Within a Rural Landscape
Sustainable Canopy Pavilions
The Casa Solai Frames Ocean and Jungle Through a Dual-Pavilion Design
Moody Industrial Retreats
The Pattern House Blends Industrial Materials and Lakefront Views
Renovated Parisian Flats
Hauvette & Madani Architecture Uses Nature as a Frame in Paris Apartment
Modern Dark Tonal Homes
Texas Residence Highlights Moody Tones in a Refined Mid-Century Design
Clever Townhouse Renovations
Light and Air Architecture Design the Void House in New York
Moon-Bound Architectural Installations
The Moonhouse Project Fuses Conceptual Art and Space Tech
Solar Powered Compact Homes
The E55000 Modular Off Grid Home Brings Expandable Living Upfront
Innovative Steel Laneway Houses
Weiss Architecture & Urbanism Limited Presents a Striking Project
Hillside Family Homes
The Sky House by Klas Hyllén Architecture is a Retrofitted 1970s Bungalow
Reimagined Edwardian Homes
Gunter and Co Redesign a London Residence with a Light Filled Interior
Cave-Inspired 3D-Printed Homes
Kizuki and Onocom Launch O House with the COBOD Printer
Landscape-Integrated Homes
House by the Grove is a Home Designed to Sit Within Its Natural Site
Green Roof Residences
Tapestry by Shibanee & Kamal Architects Brings Nature to Rooftops
Off-Grid Solar Panel Residences
Florian Busch Architects Designs the House W in Japan
House Renovation Projects
Medium Renovates Hearth House in London with Subtle Modern Updates
Sustainable Semi-Detached Homes
V8 Architects Presents the Villa Residu Design in the Netherlands
Climatic Resilient Homes
The West Don Ravine Passive House is Toronto’s first PHIUS certified home
Hilltop Modern Retreats
The Cloud House Transforms a Hudson Valley Site into a Serene Eco Home
Biophilic Mountain Retreats
The Villa Prakriti Biophilic Merges Design with Its Landscape
Skylit Belgian Residences
The He Winter Garden Home Blends Indoor Greenery with Elegant Living
3d-Printed Vaulted Dwelling
Underground House of the Future Reinvents Cave Home with Brick Vaults
Skylight-Centric Home Renovations
SHED Architecture & Design Leads the Portland House Renovation
Garden-Connected Homes
The Waverley House Transforms a 1950s Bungalow with Verdant Integration
Stunning Solar Clock-Inspired Houses
Fernanda Canales Completes House 720 Degrees
Compact Urban Residences
The Stealth House by Specht Novak Redefines Private Living in Austin
Solar Tribal Homes
Chhattisgarh Links Housing And Rooftop Solar For Tribal Families
Contemporary Italian Villas
MoDusArchitects Completed Hometown House in Italy
Sustainable Family Homes
Twin Pitches Extends an Edwardian House with Bright & Efficient Design
Textured Mid-Century Houses
Highland Park Residence Has Moody Hues with Modernist Material Honesty
Climate-Adaptive Tropical Homes
The Ocean Eye House Influenced Today’s Climate-Responsive Design
Japanese-Inspired Recycled Pavilions
Second Edition's Love Shack is Made of Recycled Materials
Modernized 1960s Villas
The Castelli Romani Reno Introduces Clean Design in Historic Structure
Eco-Friendly Rainforest Resorts
Wow Architects Reveals Design for Mandai Rainforest Resort
Resilient Modular Bamboo Housing
Housing NOW by Blue Temple is Resilient in the Face of Disaster
Illuminated Curved Home Extensions
Cereus House Blends Heritage with Luminous Curved Additions
Sleek Garden-Edge Renovations
The Waverley House is Reimagined by Sam Crawford Architects
Doughnut-Shaped Elevated Houses
Studio Saxe Designs the Sinfornia Verde in Carate, Costa Rica
Renovated Multi-Gen Homes
The N°7 Bretscha House Adapts a 1960s Residence for Three Generations
Forest Lantern Homes
The Iside Home Disappears into the Woods by Day and Glows at Night
Plant-Filled Home Renovations
Casa C Renovation by Max Von Werz Architects Updates a Historic Home
Modern Kyoto House
APOLLO Architects Unveil the Element House as a Concrete and Walnut Design
Climate-Generating Skylight Homes
Casa Con Lucarna Highlights Natural Light and Passive Cooling
Dark Timber Forest Houses
MORFEUS arkitekter Unveiled Solem Forest House
Nature-Inspired Bungalow Residences
House & Beyond Designs the Maurpankhi House in Gurugram
Contemporary Weatherized Homes
OOF! Architecture Designs the Acute House for a Family
Reimagined Slim Living Designs
The Slim Fit House Shows How Narrow Lot Homes Can Feel Spacious
Stealthy Gabled Upstate Residences
Desai Chia Architecture Designs the Clinton Corners House
Bright Urban Apartments
Ooiio Architecture’s House 64 Renovation Transforms a 1960 Flat
Eco-Friendly Modular Refugee Shelters
AllSpace has Designed a Special Shelter Prototype
History-Rooted Urban Renovations
Casa Sofia Transforms a 1940s Home into a Vibrant Modern Space
Affordable Climate-Resilient Homes
Whirlpool Corporation Partners with Habitat for Humanity
Verdant Pavilion Houses
Sukchulmok and BRBB Architects Unveil Pojeon House That Embraces the Field
Burnt Orange Walled Residences
Raúl Sánchez Architects Designs the Earthy Casa Magarola
Mountain Courtyard Residences
The SKI House by Roberts Gray Architects Forms a Warm Family Retreat
Modernist Modern Retreats
General Assembly revives 1960s Hamptons villa with coastal modernism
Mid-Century Remodeled Seattle Homes
SHED Architecture & Design Remodels the Gordon Walker House
Serene Waterfront Pavilions
The Lake House Life Experience Pavilion Blends Architecture and Nature
Sculptural Inverted Homes
Fala Atelier’s Porto House Flips a Roof for an Expressive Architecture
Monochrome Living Spaces
The Grigio Verde Villa Transforms Grayscale Tones into a Warm Home
Pavilion-Style Art Homes
Casa Galeria by BLOCO Architects Merges Living and Gallery Space
Tree-Lined Striking Modern Residences
Palette Architecture Designs the Shift House in New York
Bright Family Renovation
Bo Lee Architects Transforms the Cobble Hill Townhouse into a Bright Home
Green Roof-Topped Circular Villas
Sou Fujimoto Designed the EARTH Villa in Okinawa Prefecture
Design Collection-Honored Residences
Steven Holl Architects Completes the Hudson L-House
Sustainable Country Homes
The Three Oaks Farm Redefines Low-Impact Living in Sussex Countryside
Modern Home Renovations
Colleen Healey & Lynley Oglvie Landscape Renovates Hidden Meadows
Tranquil Facade Housing Structures
Order Matter Shields Designs the Raw House in South Korea
Salvaged Materials House
Iris Residence by Tres Birds Uses Reclaimed Materials & Low-Energy Design
Reinvented Compact Living
An Affordable Housing Prototype Meets Modern Needs on a Micro Scale
Domed Shelter-Like Holiday Homes
Anastasiya Dudik Designs the HATA Building in California
Forest Sanctuary Homes
The Sadowski House near Warsaw Showcases a Modern Forest Retreat
Refined Modern Dwellings
The Silver House Reinterprets a Traditional Home with Minimalist Design
Modern Mountainous Luxury Homes
Robert Chisholm Architects Designs a New Home in the Wilderness
Clay Ridge Residences
The Birdwood House Reimagines Subtropical Living Through Sustainable Design
Renewed Kyoto Townhouses
Studio Aluc Transforms a Historic Kyoto Townhouse into Modern Lodging
Hillside Embedded Residences
The House in the Slope Harmonizes Architecture with Riverside Terrain
Building Decarbonization Rating Tools
USGBC Has a New Sustainable Buildings LEED Rating System
High-Rise Design Renos
The Watergate Pied-à-Terre Renovation Boasts Mid-Century Curves
Lambeth Palace Restorations
Wright & Wright Refurbihes the Archbishop’s Historic Residence
Victorian Home Modular Extensions
The Meadow Road Extension Redesigns a Villa with Sustainability
Modern Sculptural Garden Homes
A01 Architevts Completed the Priyam Home in Hyderabad
Private Meadow Home Renovations
Colleen Healey Architecture Renovates the Hidden Meadow Home