Unalaska, AK – Between the high prices of heating fuel and construction materials in the Aleutians, the cost of building a house along the chain - and living in it - is higher than most places in the United States. But now, two groups are teaming up to find an affordable and environmentally friendly design for the Aleutian Islands. The Aleutian Housing Authority and the Cascadia Green Building Council have organized a global contest to develop what's called a "living building" in Atka.

"Living buildings" go beyond most green building standards.

"What you're looking at is a net-zero energy building, so that means that it produces as much energy as it uses over the course of a year. It's a net-zero water building, which means it collects all its own water and treats all its own water," says Mark Masteller, the Alaska director of the Cascadia Green Building Council. "It doesn't use any toxic materials. It promotes agriculture and food-production nearby the structure."

That means that the building's environmental footprint would be minimal, and that the space would be practically self-sustaining.

The building that AHA and Cascadia want designed is a single-family home that would replace one of the houses in the village of Atka. If this housing project is deemed a success, AHA's goal is to see homes like it sprout up across the Aleutians.

Masteller adds that it's important for design entrants to factor things like wind, cloudcover, and fluctuations in sunlight over the year as they're coming up with ways to heat and power the house.

The best design will be announced next May. The winners of the competition will be awarded $35,000 and given the chance to see their design completed.