Read about funky local homes, like an eco-friendly gem and a geodesic dome

Life in a Dome
Sitting on nearly 5 acres of desert land at the base of the South Mountain is a truly unique architectural design in the Phoenix area – a geodesic
dome. Because of their curved walls, domes are energy efficient and quite strong, making them an attractive (and unusual) alternative to traditional boxy homes. This home on West Olney Avenue in South Phoenix also boasts spectacular mountain views to the east, west and south and beautiful city views to the north. Special touches throughout the three-bedroom, 3,000-square-foot home include custom fans, tile work and shutters. Plus, it’s a 15-minute drive to Downtown Phoenix, allowing for the best of both worlds: open spaces and city life. As of press time, this home was still on the market.




Saddle Mountain Green Home
This exquisite home at Carefree Highway and Seventh Street is a custom-built green home. Built in 2008, the 3,780-square-foot main house (with a 300-square-foot guest home) takes advantage of a number of green building technologies – including APEX Block construction, which uses a combination of recycled expanded polystyrene and the strength elements of cement to
build energy-efficient walls. The air-impermeable insulation, Icynene, was used to insulate the roof and eliminate the loss of conditioned air. The Desert Hills home was built with an understanding of the sun’s orientation, which is why you’ll see nearly no windows on the west or east. Plus, two on-demand water heaters on either side of the house help reduce energy bills by generating hot water when you need it – instead of constantly heating a tank. Concrete floors (stained with non-toxic materials) up the green quotient as well, by serving as a temperature buffer and eliminating the need for other products like carpet.