1. By Thomas Tate

2. 
Thomas E. Tate is the owner and president of
Tate Builders, an award-winning construction
company particularly recognized for its work
designing custom homes for residents on
Martha’s Vineyard. Thomas E. Tate is well
known for his exemplary work realizing
unusual custom home design projects and
using alternative building materials.

3. 
Consumers have a large selection of materials
to choose from when planning customdesigned building projects. Those with
environmental considerations may decide to
use alternative materials and eco-friendly
concepts. Green roofs, for example, are used
to reflect the heat from the sun, thus cooling
the building, reducing noise and air pollution,
and aiding with insulation. These roofs can
double as gardens that contain small, lowmaintenance plant varieties.

4. 
Natural materials such as wood crates and
pallets, straw bales, or cob in construction
have become popular, thanks to their
versatile applications, sustainability, and
economic advantages. Some more unusual
home structural designs feature recycled
materials such as beer bottles, hemp
concrete, tires, or tin cans.