The 2011 Green Home Tour sponsored by the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild featured four West Seattle locations (among 28 across the region) and offered a chance for people to meet the builders and architects behind the projects that all showcased a variety of environmentally sensitive efforts.

Each stop on the tour presents such a volume of information it's clear that for those considering a more green remodel or new construction seeking qualified and experienced professionals in this burgeoning field is necessary. Not only to get the right advice but to be more aware of an aspect of the field called "Greenwashing" in which manufacturers and service providers attempt to portray themselves as more green than they genuinely are.

The EcoBuilding Guild, formed in 1993, is among the first in the nation to foster greater awareness of green building techniques and promote both greater use and more in depth public knowledge about them.

In West Seattle specifically visitors toured the "Kitchen Art House" in the Admiral District.
This stop on the tour was Ventana Construction's Built Green addition and remodel at 2651 47th s.w.. They added a kitchen, a studio work space, guest bath and butler pantry. The addition is very energy efficient, and used durable, low-maintenance materials.

Envision Homes at 2216 Walnut Avenue s.w. also in Admiral was a "100 year old toxic and structural nightmare. Owner/Builder Robert Burns created a home that is exemplary of sustainable living touching on virtually every aspect of low-impact development, resource and energy efficiency, water and waste reduction, recycling, reclaimed and healthy environments. The house features solar thermal collectors and efficient panel radiant heating, advanced framing, and super-insulation techniques, reclaimed flooring, doors, hardware, beams, and millwork, super-low-toxic finishes, active-passive ventilation, rainwater harvesting, vegetated roofs, FSC framing and millwork, and even chickens in the yard.

Neighborhood House Highpoint Center is a testament to ecologically sound building techniques. It's located at 6400 Sylvan Way s.w.

The building includes administrative and counseling offices, a family center, large classrooms, a teen center, youth tutoring, and a Head Start Program.

Sustainable design concepts identified from the project should yield a LEED Gold Certified project. Included in these concepts are: redevelopment of an urban site close to public transportation systems; providing bicycle storage and a shower for alternative transportation users; collecting and filtering rainwater from impervious surfaces through the stormwater system established throughout the High Point Master Plan; preventing solar heat gain while increasing daylight into spaces through the use of external shading devices; conserving electricity by specifying a Ground Source Heat Pump HVAC system; and generating up to one half of the building’s electricity needs with a 4,000 SF photovoltaic array, the largest to date in the State of Washington."

A Mighty House at 3108 s.w. Webster St. built by the construction company of the same name is a green built family home. Owned by Doug and Laura Elfline, This West Seattle home features innovative use of materials (salvaged and reused), green and healthy finishes, energy conservation methods, and solutions to survive the ever-changing needs of a young-family.