When Laurie Pitman bought the land where she would build her new home in Oakland, Calif., the former software engineer rejected the idea of erecting a de rigueur sprawling mansion, opting instead to go smaller—and greener. It was a decision that gave her greater peace of mind. “I [had] owned a helicopter company,” she says. “I was feeling guilty about how much fossil fuel I [burned] to carry people around.”
Pitman hired an architect and settled on a 2,200-square-foot design, then found a contractor who specializes in eco-conscious projects. The team agreed on a Forest Stewardship Council–certified wood and a type of concrete that emits less carbon for the primary materials and installed 53 solar panels on the roof for her energy source. She even insisted on placing a 16,000-gallon rainwater tank—capable of storing about eight months’ worth of water—beneath the driveway, with a filtration system in the mechanical portion of the garage. “The company representative actually showed up because he said it was the first residential installation he’d ever done. It was mainly used for these big commercial sites,” Pitman recalls. “He said, ‘I just want to see what kind of nutcase is installing one of my tanks in their house.’ ” She notes that the project was “hugely expensive” and that it took two years to complete.
But she’s not the only one reconsidering the nuts and bolts of her shiny new digs. Homeowners who once put curb appeal, grand square footage and showy kitchens and bathrooms at the top of their lists are now thinking about environmental issues that were formerly swept under the rug. “It does feel like people are more and more aware of the fragility of life,” says Alex Carter,
