Actor Ed Begley Jr. has been an environmentalist since the 1970s, and today his cutting-edge, environmentally-friendly house in Studio City gives us a glimpse into the future of green home building. His house carries a Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for its comprehensive green design and was built because of his passion for environmental sustainability.

“The wonderful efficiency of the steel construction, which is 65 percent post-consumer recycled, is great,” said Begley. “We built this house out of steel, because I don't want to cut down a bunch of trees to build a house.”

Begley worked with Scott Harris and his Building Construction Group to achieve the high level of environmental sustainability required. 

“A lot of the technologies that we're using have been around for ages,” said Harris. “We're almost going back to some of the ancient technologies.”

“This is taking it to the ‘nth degree, what we've done with this house,” added Begley. 

The house is equipped with the latest solar arrays, energy efficient lighting and water reclamation systems, but also the building the materials themselves are largely from reclaimed sources, such as the wood flooring, which was recycled from old barn structures and finished with a non-toxic coating.

“My dad was a Conservative who liked to conserve,” said Begley. “You know, he lived through the Great Depression, so we simply turned off the lights, turned off the water, we saved string, we saved tin foil. I did a lot of this green stuff to honor him because even though he never called himself an environmentalist, he was one by the way he lived.”

Over the years, Begley's commitment to the environment has never wavered. 

“I enjoy doing it because so many people nowadays with climate change and other environmental challenges of the fires we’re having are very interested in doing something,” said Begley who knows several families who lost their homes in the Woolsey fire. “My heart goes out to them. I hope they're able to rebuild and hope that everybody considers building with things like steel.”

Begley’s home is very comprehensive in its environmental design. 

“When we did Ed's home,” said Harris, “we actually weren't required to do any of the solar panels. But in 2020, all the homes will have to be net zero. So, Ed has been a leader in this whole thing and doing something that not everyone had to do. But pretty soon everybody will have to be building the way that we've been building for Ed.”

While not everyone will be able to afford an environmental “dream home," Begley reminds us that even he started small. 

“I usually recommend that people do it just the way I did it,” he said. “When I started in 1970's, I didn't have the money for a lot of fancy stuff so do the cheap stuff that you can do today.”

Begley reminds us that not only does it benefit the environment, but in the long run, it's also good for the pocketbook.