Smaller, environmentally friendly homes -- ranging from as much as 1000 to as little as 70 square feet -- are a hot trend in modern architecture. Eco-conscious (and wallet-conscious) buyers are increasingly interested in these new "micro mansions".
"With rising energy costs and the scarcity of raw land, the era of the McMansion may slowly be coming to a close. In 2006 the average U.S. single-family home clocked in around 2,500 square feet, up nearly 50 percent from 28 years ago. And yet more residential architects report square footage in home design to be decreasing than increasing, according to a 2007 American Institute of Architects survey. That's only fitting as the size of the U.S. household continues to shrink: with 2.6 members under a roof today, the average has dropped two whole bodies in the last century. A handful of architects are betting that at least some of the singles, couples, and empty nesters who are clamoring for smaller, more efficient homes are ready for radical solutions, ranging from bread-box-size houses to entire neighborhoods tucked into what are often considered single lots.
"More people are looking at tiny homes as full-time residences," says Jay Shafer, owner of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, based in Sebastopol, California. "The way we live our lives has changed." Since 2000 the architect has been building homes as small as 70 square feet, many with green-certified lumber and gravity-fed plumbing. Just last year he toiled away on his designs solo; today he needs five full-time employees to help meet demand."
FULL STORY: Pocket Pads

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process
The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.

Study: 4% of Truckers Lack a Valid Commercial License
Over 56% of inspected trucks had other violations.

Chicago Judge Orders Thousands of Accessible Ped Signals
Only 3% of the city's crossing signals are currently accessible to blind pedestrians.

Philadelphia Swaps Car Lanes for Bikeways in Unanimous Vote
The project will transform one of the handful of streets responsible for 80% of the city’s major crashes.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)