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While they were conscious of minimizing the amount of metal in the house, since it has to be so heavily treated to avoid corrosion in the salty air, the architects did incorporate hot-dipped galvanized steel for the support trusses and aluminum for the window frames. Because heat loss is not a problem, thanks to the region's mild, tropical weather, they selected standard glass, but protected all exposures with shady overhangs or wood battens to reduce solar gain.

As a result of the wide array of ecologically sustainable design solutions incorporated into the plan, the house requires virtually no resources it cannot generate on its own. Photovoltaic panels on the roof produce electricity for the energy-efficient appliances. When the house is at maximum capacity, it may draw power from the electrical grid, but at other times the cells generate enough power to earn back credits from the local utility.

The extensive water-recycling program includes a purifying system that transforms rain into drinking water and waste water into irrigation and flushing water. Sewage and storm water never leave the site — they're treated in a series of gravel-lined cisterns — and no fresh water is imported. Municipal water is available but used only as a backup in case of a drought.

There is no air-conditioning system, either. The breezeway connecting the two parts of the house functions as a thermal chimney that draws in the cool ocean breezes at the bottom and expels hot air out the top. Shutters and louvers regulate the amount of light and air entering the building. When the sun is high, the shades can be positioned to deflect the harsh rays without blocking all of the light or air, allowing the house to breathe.

Alanna Stang is former executive editor of I.D. and executive editor of Cookie, a new lifestyle magazine from Fairchild Publications for parents with young children. Christopher Hawthorne is the architecture critic for the Los Angeles Times.

This article is excerpted from The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture, copyright © 2005, available from Princeton Architectural Press and at Amazon.com.

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The Casuarina Beach House by Lahz Nimmo Architects. Photo: Brett Boardman Casuarina Beach House floor plans. Image: Lahz Nimmo Architects Extra Large Image Casuarina Beach House section. Image: Lahz Nimmo Architects Extra Large Image The Green House: New Directions In Sustainable Architecture. Image: Princeton Architectural Press/ photo by Peter Hyatt   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.