A house under construction in the Civano community, located 18 miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona

The Community Center under construction. Upon completion, the Community Center was equipped with a 4.0 kWp photovoltaic power system and a solar hot water system

Many of the homes being built at Civano use alternative building materials. This house is using straw bales

Civano houses are designed with front porches to encourage a sense of community -- where neighbors know each other

Many Civano homes use shading techniques to help reduce solar gain

Local utility company, Tucson Electric Power, has guaranteed the heating and cooling portion of the Civano homes' utility bills

The Civano Community Center under construction

Shading and landscaping have long been used as way to keep buildings cool during Arizona summers