Passive House Movement Gains Momentum Amid Controversy
The construction technique continues to gain ground as the Passive House Institute US aims to establish its own certification standard and start to build an industry around it in the U.S. despite its recent rift with the Germany-based Passivhaus Institut. (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Energy Star Homes Market Share Reaches 25%
One-fourth of all single-family homes built in the U.S. last year earned the EPA’s Energy Star certification, up from 21% in 2009. (Energy Boom)

New Polls Show Strong Support for Efficiency Standards
The studies found that voters in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Maine strongly support government action to help individuals and businesses become more energy efficient and setting minimum efficiency standards for household products, such as light bulbs, refrigerators, and other appliances. (Switchboard)

New American Home to Scale Down Square Footage
The 2012 home, which is currently under construction and will be displayed at the NAHB International Builders’ Show in Orlando in February, will be the greenest and smartest home to date–and smaller than years past. (The Las Vegas Review-Journal)

USGBC Names Green Building Leaders
Banking firm Wells Fargo, Anthony Malkin–the guiding force behind the Empire State Building’s sweeping retrofit–and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg are among the organizations and individuals the U.S. Green Building Council is honoring this year. (GreenBiz.com)