This Old House, PBS' seminal home improvement and remodeling show, has begun its first-ever green renovation. They're using as many environmentally friendly building products and methods as possible while creating a functional home on a budget for a contemporary family. The show is renovating a 1926 Craftsman bungalow in Austin, Texas, adding two bedrooms and a bathroom to the home to accommodate the homeowners' growing family. The renovation looks to be doing a pretty good job of considering the current building and not simply gutting the house and turning it into a hulking home with a few green features; the compact house was built to use natural air flow, high rooflines, and deep overhanging eaves to keep the summer heat at bay without air conditioning. "We don't want a big house; we're not going to gold-plate everything," says Michele Grieshaber, one of the homeowners. "We don't need fancy -- we need functional." Features like photovoltaic cells on the roof, rainwater collection for irrigation, spray-foam insulation, recycled-glass tile and countertops, and formaldehyde-free wood composites are just some of the resource-saving strategies and eco-friendly materials planned for the project, which will be rated by the Austin Green Building Program. Learn more about the project here and tune in to your local PBS station to watch the green transformation. ::This Old House via ::CSRwire

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