Sustainable living means creating human spaces that exist in harmony with the environment, and sustainable practices permeate every aspect of a new resort town along Florida's northern Gulf Coast — Alys Beach. The resort consistently uses the most ecologically responsible methods for community building. It's a walkable, energy-efficient community development created to be durable and storm-resistant, and built using Green materials and construction practices.

However there's something about Alys Beach that is even more remarkable than its Green construction practices — the architecture was inspired by Bermuda, complete with butteries, shutters and crisp white limestone roofs as far as the eye can see. Of course it comes as no surprise that the inspiration for the resort came after a visit to Bermuda.

Town planners Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company were looking to achieve an overall feeling of calm and simplicity for the resort town, and their design team turned to a number of sources for inspiration. A trip to Bermuda led to the discovery of the perfect architectural style for the project.

The town's homes and master design have won recognition and awards, including the 2007 Design Excellence Award for Environmental Sustainability.

"I think we proved that you can have architectural quality and the Green stuff under incredible constraints," said Doug Farr, the architect who designed one of Alys Beach's award-winning homes.

The simple volume of whitewashed masonry and stucco typical of the style possess an uncomplicated, organic beauty.

Buildings are grouped into small compounds and unified by perimeter walls, which are higher and more formal in the urban zones, lower and more rustic in the rural areas. The Bermuda style is combined with a courtyard house type that originated in Antigua,and Guatemala.

Sustainable living also meant building in concert with the surroundings to preserve and protect the environment rather than inflict harm. At Alys Beach this means building fortified homes, 899 in total, that incorporate strong, smart, sustainable building practices and materials.

Just like Bermudian homes, the Alys Beach homes are designed and built to withstand severe weather, including hurricanes. Because hurricane protection is vital along the beautiful Emerald Coast, this consideration is especially important.

By using the highest quality materials and methods, Alys Beach creates beach homes with Bermuda-type durability. The masonry construction is reinforced every 32" as well as at every corner and wall opening, while wall-to-foundation connections and eight inch thick stucco-over-concrete block walls are built to last.

Every roof is bolstered by two coats of limestone slurry and features shallow roof overhangs that prevent uplift from winds that can peel back roofs during storms.

As for solar, some houses have solar electric (PV) systems installed at a slight south/west tilt on a flat roof section adjacent to the outdoor kitchen (see image). This allows for easy access to the panels and keeps them off the home's sloped roof to maintain aesthetics.

The BP Solar modules feature polycrystalline cell technology to capture more solar energy. The grid-tied Solaris XP inverter from Alpha (www.alpha.com) efficiently converts DC power to AC and offers built-in battery backup and net-metering capability. The system delivers up to 4.8 kWh of sun powered electricity, significantly offsetting energy costs.

Unfortunately though, the roofs of the resorts' buildings are not as Green as Bermuda's roofs — which are designed to catch rainwater and therefore conserve this valuable resource.

Still, the roofs effectively reflect heat from the attic and living spaces, with roof temperatures 30 degrees F cooler than asphalt, which helps reduce cooling energy loads. (Alys Beach's cobblestone streets are also handset in gravel to allow proper drainage into the ground, and a nearby man-made lake provides irrigation for the town's landscaping system.)

The homes are after all 71 percent more energy efficient than code minimum in the US — thanks to the rooftop Photovaltaic array and geothermal heating and cooling system.

Mr. Farr is no stranger to Green. For two decades he has taken a comprehensive view of the concept that only now is gaining mainstream appreciation.

"Urbanism is a framework for Green building," he says. "What we need is not just CFLs and Priuses (hybrid vehicles), but walkable, transit-served communities with high performance buildings."

For more information, visit www.alysbeach.com