Vancouver Washington is home to my sister-in-law, across the river from Portland, and the site of what could become America’s greenest home.

In a project that reminds me of friend James Glaves’ eco-shed, the idea is to construct a family residence that generates as much energy as it consumes. Easier said than done, particularly in a climate like ours…

In designing what is believed to be the nation’s first single-family house built to the greenest of green certification standards, designers face a daunting array of challenges. The building must meet 16 prerequisites under six broad categories of sustainability: energy; site design; materials; water; indoor environment; and beauty and inspiration.

“That’s why this is a ‘challenge,’ ” project organizer Brandon Tauscher said. (full story)

The challenge for projects like this one are not so much expertise or materials, they’re cost. There are loads of eco-friendly options for everything from siding to heating, but in some cases, the costs are huge – particularly for technology that’s still new.

If you’re interested (and you should be) make sure you read James Glaves forthcoming book, Almost Green. It will be out later this year and is both inspirational and realistic about building green. Oh, and it’s funny too. Details on the book, and some excerpts, at www.glave.com