Having a bigger home generally means higher energy costs, but not so with the Rauch residence of New York City. A recently completed renovation on the home nearly doubled the square footage from 1,700 square feet to 3,200 while keeping energy costs the same. These improvements allowed the building to become the first LEED-certified private home in New York City. Improvements in the design saved over $1,600 in energy costs while water use was reduced by 25 to 45 percent by using low-flow fixtures. You can read more about it at The Building Studio, the architects who directed the renovation.

Credit: The Building Studio