Imagine a house warmed by the sun and insulated with recycled newsprint, with mirrored "solar tubes" bringing light to dark corners.

Proponents of environmentally friendly construction say this is the future, yet American homeowners balk at the upfront cost, despite the payoff of lower energy costs over time.

Yet in the face of soaring energy costs and signs of a warming climate, houses are becoming -- if anything -- less energy-efficient (consider the power-hungry entertainment in the enormous "great room").

Architect Rick Alfandre says he understands. "Building a house is expensive, period, let alone doing things to it," he says. "You have to weigh what's important to you."

asap visited Alfandre and his family at their environmental gem of a home in New York's Hudson Valley to figure out: How much green construction is practical -- and how much is for show?

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