From this weeks GreenTide, for the full article please go to:
http://www.tidepool.org/original_content.cfm?articleid=123336

Homebuilders across the country commonly host "Street of Dreams"
showcases that display the latest trends in home construction and
design. The events are often tours of jaw-dropping model homes that are
spacious and luxurious, boasting all the modern amenities today's
American typical family lusts after. The huge homes, sporting floorplans
often more than 4,000 square feet, can top out at over the $1 million
mark, making them gaudy examples of suburban excess that few of us will
likely ever attain. Lately, a new version of the Street of Dreams idea
has sprouted -- tours that highlight new environmentally conscious
"green" features that some architects and builders are incorporating
into new homes. While many of the key elements of green design are
present -- energy-efficient appliances and lighting, water conservation
measures, recycled materials and the like -- but the gaudiness and size
of the homes hasn't gone anywhere.