Go green, go small.  Hey man, everybody's doing it.

It turns out that Portlanders are not alone in wanting smaller, energy efficient homes these days.  The Natural Home Living blog has a nice piece about a recent survey by the American Institute of Architects.  The study's findings show that not only has average home size decreased over the last year, but homeowners are moving away from separate special-function rooms (you know, like that foosball room with dedicated wet bar) and instead emphasizing multiuse spaces that maximize use of precious square footage.  

Moreover, household investments are going instead to energy efficient features and improvements, home offices and outdoor living rooms.  This is partly a sign of rough economic times, but it also points to a silver lining of the recession – a move away from unsustainably big living.  We've noticed a real excitement these days about good design, compact footprint, and lifestyle decisions that are good for the planet as well as the pocketbook.

We couldn't be happier about this nationwide trend, though fortunately the general ethos has been alive and well in Portland for years.  Home performance improvements, infill projects, Accessory Dwelling Units, Passive House projects – all of this work is part of same basic sensibility: use limited resources wisely and build a more sustainable future.

-Zack