Cannon Beach, Oregon

Pacific overlook

Special Award: Earth-friendly materials

Tucked into a coastal hilltop site beneath a sod roof, this energy- and resource-efficient home integrates cutting-edge technology with timeless natural materials.

Why it won: The home uses green materials in imaginative ways: wind-fallen cedar and spruce as structural columns; sustainably grown wood for floors, framing, and cabinetry; and salvaged doors, hardware, and bathroom fixtures. Designed as a net-zero-energy home - which means it generates as much energy as it consumes - it incorporates photovoltaic panels from which extra energy returns to the utility power grid; it also has a geothermal heat pump (capitalizing on the near-constant temperature of the earth's crust) and a heat recovery exchange system that recirculates warmed or cooled air.

Design: Nathan Good Architect, Salem, OR (503/370-4448)