Ryker/Nave: Green House in Montana

Lori Ryker wrote the book- Off the Grid: Modern Sustainable Housing and with partner in life and work Brett Nave, has built half a dozen Montana modern, sustainable homes. She told Outside Magazine: "one of our big goals is to make beautiful buildings and help people understand that green materials don't predetermine a certain style" (Nave adds) "we're not talking about earthships."

The 2,300 square foot house is built from locally harvested Douglas fir, recycled barnwood, and windows from an old post office. Behind the scenes it is insulated with Icynene, harvests rainwater, and a grey water collection system. Lots of opening windows: "If you wan to live in a passive- solar house, you have to open windows. You have to participate. Sustainable design is about creating a place that allows you to interact with the environment, not shut yourself of from it." See a slideshow on ::Outside Online

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