SALEM, Ore. (CNN/Money) – There was a time when the words "environmental" and "chic" went together about as well as an Armani suit and Birkenstocks. But, as those Prius-driving celebrities have shown us, you can do your part to save the planet without forgoing style.

Now, this philosophy is coming home.

The National Association of Homebuilders calls "green building" a quiet revolution. Homes are 100 percent more energy efficient that they were in the 1970s, and many of the products first used by green builders – recycled decking, composite siding, insulating windows, passive solar heating and natural landscaping – are becoming the industry standard.

Meanwhile, builders and buyers are looking to go above and beyond the industry standard with houses that are made from reclaimed or sustainable wood, insulated to the max and finished with non-toxic products.

In Colorado, the number of homes registered in the state's voluntary "Built Green" program increased an estimated 30 percent in 2004 to about 25,000.

In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently unveiled a plan to encourage the installation of solar panels in one million new homes over the next 13 years.

In New York, there is a waiting list to move into the Solaire, a 27-story luxury apartment complex with such amenities as non-toxic building products, solar panels and double-filtered air.

"People are starting to ask about green building," said Bill Hurme, vice president of building services for John L. Scott real estate in Seattle, who has noticed an increase in interest within the last year. "They want to know what does it mean, and what's in it for me?"

Although environmentally friendly doesn't top most buyers list of needs, he added, the lower utility costs and a healthier feel are among the selling points. "And I think they just think it's sort of cool."

As you'll see from our gallery of homes, green also looks cool.

"We're seeing green being incorporated into good design," said Brian Linder, an architect and real estate agent with Mossler, Deasy & Doe in Southern California. For most clients, he said, the house still has to look great, and if it happens to be green that's another big selling point.

What makes a house "green" varies from one client to the next, said Cheryl Heinrichs, an architect in Bend, Ore. who specializes in green building.

For some people, the goal is to use recycled materials. For others, the goal is to reduce their energy costs and the amount of upkeep needed. Still others, the concern is for their own health, as many products used in construction or remodeling release toxins.

In new construction, the green process often begins with how the house is framed. Rather than use traditional "stick framing," green builders use straw bails, Durisol (blocks made from recycled wood) or Rasta block.

Straw bale houses are an energy-efficient alternative to stick framing.

When covered with stucco or siding, the houses don't look any different from those built with lumber frames, but their thick walls go a long way to keep temps cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Another technique is timber framing with wood reclaimed from fire- or beetle-damaged forests or salvaged from old buildings. "We source buildings that are going to be demolished so that the lumber ends up in our houses rather than in a landfill," said Iain Harrison with New Energy Works Timberframers. (See the company's Webster, New York house in our gallery.)

The choice and placement of windows can also reduce a home's energy needs, as do more efficient appliances, bathroom fixtures, and heating and cooling systems.

"I was raised with a sense of not throwing things away," said Sharon Cody, a retired stockbroker, who is building her dream home with her husband, Jack. Among other things, the house will be framed with Durisol, finished with non-toxic stains and paints and powered by solar panels.

Whether green building costs more than traditional building is hard to say. "Most of the architects I work with insist that it doesn't have to cost more," said Linder, explaining that like any construction project the final price tag depends on any number of factors.

CNNfn's Gerri Willis takes a peek at the first and only green residential high-rise in the United States. Play video (Real or Windows Media)

The green homes being built in Seattle developments may add a few thousand dollars to the price of a $350,000 home, said Hurme. But, in time those initial costs are recouped with lower heating, cooling and electric bills, he said.

Meanwhile, a number of states have in place programs to encourage solar energy, including rebates, tax credits, and property tax exemptions on energy efficient improvements.

(Click here for a database of state incentives.)

In Wisconsin, for example, a rebate program gives 25 percent of the cost of solar power and 30 percent of the cost of solar hot water systems, among other incentives.

In Arizona, solar and wind equipment are exempt from sales tax and qualify for a tax credit.

In some states, including California, owners of solar homes not only cut their utility bills, they can actually sell power back to the power grid.

The Codys estimate that their solar panels will initially cost about $17,000, of which at least $12,000 will be paid for by the Energy Trust of Oregon, while another $1,500 will be recouped in tax credits. "That brings the cost of our entire system down to about $3,000," said Sharon.

What will the new neighbors think? Quite possibly, they'll be envious.

"When this is house is finished it will look as good if not better than the houses around it," said Sharon.