Explore the Spring 2026 issue
On the cover: Riverbend by OPAL Architecture in Sedgwick, Maine won in the New Build category at the Green Home + Design Awards. PHOTO: TRENT BELL PHOTOGRAPHY
Editor’s Note
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YOU’RE IN A FOR A REAL TREAT, because this issue includes a 13-page special section on the winners of our first annual Green Home + Design Awards. Maine’s building and design community submitted 52 entries in six categories and came together to showcase projects that raise the bar for minimizing operational energy needs, reducing embodied carbon, emphasizing occupant and environmental health, and prioritizing sustainability in home and landscape. This issue includes the stunning photos, metrics and personal backstories that so impressed our nine professional judges from across the nation. You’ll be inspired—and perhaps get some ideas for your own home.
They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but, as we all know, what’s on the outside does matter sometimes. That’s definitely the case when it comes to our homes. Siding may be the first thing we see when we look at a house, and it also has a critical job to do in protecting us and our property from the elements. Be sure to check out What’s new in sustainable siding for an update to the comprehensive piece we ran on sustainability and siding back in 2019.
Speaking of siding, did you know there’s a Japanese-inspired art called Yakisugi that involves charring the surface of wood to make it pest- and fire-resistant while creating a striking appearance? While widely used today (and even inspiring design knock-offs made to look like Yakigui), it’s most traditional use is for siding. Check out Some like it hot: Toxin-free wood-treated wood cladding to learn more.
We’ve covered deconstruction and reclaimed building materials a few times in the past, and for good reason in a state where half of all landfill space is taken up by construction and demolition debris. Recognizing that the missing link to growing deconstruction practices in Maine is also growing the market for reclaimed materials, we shine a light on one business that is doing just that in Bringing down the house: How deconstruction helps grow Maine’s circular economy.
Our columnists ask some great questions in this issue, too. Is your heat pump impacting your indoor air quality? Do you know how to decipher the informative stamps we see on lumber? What are some spring gardening tips for preserving wildlife habitat? And, as electricity rates skyrocket, how can you deliberately use daylighting to transform your house from a passive shelter into an active energy asset? I learned a lot, and I hope you do, too.
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