When dealing with a disability, it’s today’s tech to the rescue.

Having a physical disability used to mean a life confined to sitting in a chair or relying or holding a caretaker’s hand to get from place to place. But now, being called “disabled” doesn’t quite seem right. Thanks to many assistive devices developed in the past 20 years, you can do what everyone else can—which means don’t really have a disability—right?

Heck, those technological advances improving vision, mobility and illness might even make you better at something than someone deemed “healthy and normal.”

It’s been a long road toward respect for the ‘other’ type of tiny home, but accessory dwelling units have (finally) begun to gain traction.

In the beginning, it was just an affordable way to buy a home. Kol Peterson had relocated to Portland, Ore., in 2010 and needed somewhere that would be his without breaking his budget.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. That’s held true in the green building industry, as contractors, manufacturers and retailers consistently innovate products designed to solve issues such as energy waste, regulatory compliance and indoor air quality. Here are 12 products chosen by Green Builder for outstanding and innovative design and performance.

Grand Winner: EcoSmart Solution Geothermal Energy System

EcoSmart Solution offers an answer to a longstanding question: “How do you build affordable, sustainable homes and communities?” The answer is found in Whisper Valley in Austin, Texas. Although geothermal energy is considered a very practical and effective way to naturally heat and cool a home, upfront infrastructure costs make the system cost prohibitive. Many homebuyers are priced out of their ability to participate in sustainable living.

Green Guru

For Green Builder’s inaugural champion of enviro-friendliness, education is the key to great green building.

In the past decade, Nathan Good has overseen planning of eight LEED, two Passive House and more than 14 Earth Advantage-certified homes. His goal—and that of his company, Nathan Good Architects in Salem, Ore.—is to provide homeowners with a sustainably equipped dwelling that that minimizes resource use.

There’s more to this trade group than mere handling of wood.

For more than 80 years, APA – The Engineered Wood Association – has focused on helping the industry create structural wood products of exceptional strength, versatility and reliability. Combining the research efforts of scientists at APA’s 42,000-square-foot research center with the knowledge gained from decades of field work and cooperation with its member manufacturers, APA promotes new solutions and improved processes that benefit the entire industry.

What’s possible with wood? AWC helps people find out.

The American Wood Council (AWC) is the voice of the North American wood products industry and works to ensure a resilient and sustainably built environment. AWC’s experts make certain that the buildings in which everyone lives and work are safe, and demonstrate that wood products can safely and efficiently meet or exceed the minimum requirements for use. AWC is committed to not only what is permissible using wood, but also to what is possible using wood.

Green training is top priority for this efficiency-minded organization.

The Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA) was born in 1982 when a small contingent of forward-thinking building professionals representing the United States, Canada and Sweden gathered in Pine Island, Minn., to develop criteria for the construction of buildings that were more energy efficient.

This group helps showcase wood flooring’s green nature—from virtual university classrooms to the world’s rainforests.

Founded in 1985, the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) is a not-for-profit trade association representing all segments of the hardwood flooring industry, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers, installers, importers/exporters, inspectors and consultants. NWFA is also dedicated to educating consumers, architects, designers, specifiers and builders in the uses and benefits of wood flooring. Membership now includes companies from 52 countries around the world.

A one-for-all focus brings a lot to the table for the window film industry.

The International Window Film Association (IWFA) is a unified industry body of window film dealers, distributors and manufacturers that facilitates growth of the window film industry though education, research, advocacy and consumer awareness. The organization builds alliances with trade associations, utilities and government agencies to advance dealers’ and distributors’ businesses, and provide value to their customers.

Cement plays a more important role in construction than realized— and PCA wants everyone to know about it.

Thanks to the internet, this venerable group has kept up with the times.

Where’s the fire? With HFSC, not anywhere near you or your customers.

A sustainable message rolls into the start of a third decade.