WILLIAM TURNBULL'S BUILDINGS IN THE LANDSCAPE

"We ended up on the rugged north coast of California, on an overgrazed sheep meadow, hard by the surf breaking at the foot of the rocky cliffs. The ground was not flat but shaped into low mounds and swells..." In creating the Sea Ranch Condominiums in 1964, William Turnbull, Jr. and his partners set a new standard for merging house and landscape. Next week we'll offer an excerpt from a new book about this revered American architect.

CALIFORNIA HOUSES CONTRIBUTE TO POWER SUPPLY

Shea Homes San Diego, a leading U.S. homebuilder, has begun work on high-performance houses that will be up to 38 percent more efficient than required under the strict California Title 24 guidelines. Standard features for these houses will be sun-powered water heating and electric power generation. In the hot, dry Southern California climate, homeowners can expect to reduce their utility bills by 30 to 50 percent over what they would pay with a conventional house.

WHAT MAKES IT GREEN?

The Pacific Northwest region of the United States is earning a reputation for sustainable, energy-conserving design. One area of innovation is the "green roof," which offers multiple benefits for stormwater runoff control, reduced heat island affect, and lower heating and cooling costs. Next week architect Candace Christensen reports on the recent "What Makes It Green?" conference sponsored by the Seattle chapter of the American Institute of Architects.