HEAVEN ON EARTH

Three luxurious retreats for Earth Day — or any day

Are you celebrating Earth Day on April 22? You could do so every day if you lived in an environmentally friendly house, like one of the three we’re featuring this week.

According to the U.S. Green Building Council — which promotes sustainability in building design, construction and operation — sustainably built homes cost less to operate, use water and energy more efficiently and minimize residents’ exposure to toxins and pollutants

And those “green” homes that receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification may also sell quicker and for more money than comparable non-green homes.

“Our clients either want to do the right thing and save energy and water, or they are including green features because they have to due to government regulations,” said

Kyle Abney, a green-building consultant in Palm City. “There are also green building initiatives throughout the state that offer incentives.”

In the past, building green would cost more, although homeowners received a return on that investment in the form of energy and water savings. But now, construction costs are similar, Abney said.

If you were thinking that green homes are spartan or unattractive, consider a 2,800-square-foot estate at 326 Meridian Ave. in Miami Beach.

Surrounded by lush landscaping, the four-bedroom home features solar panels

(it’s actually powered by solar energy and is energy-independent), a water-filtration system and a car-charging station.

Despite its sustainability features, the property, listed for $3.95 million by ONE Sotheby’s International Realty, is also luxurious, with an open floor plan, a kitchen outfitted with Miele appliances and Grohe and Duravit fixtures and a guest house.

If sustainable gardening is more your thing, there’s a house in Gulf Stream you must see.

Located at 3500 N. Ocean Blvd. and priced at $2.495 million, this Douglas Elliman listing has four bedrooms, a brand-new kitchen and a gated courtyard entry with a saltwater pool.

There’s an electric-car charger, two composting systems and eight garden beds for vegetables and fruit, all of which have been raised organically, without synthetic pesticides or fertilizer.

There’s also a beehive with honeybees, essential for pollinating plants, and an artificial turf yard, a sustainable alternative to natural grass that reduces water consumption.

And if you’re really serious about saving the Earth and want a LEED-certified home, check out this 3,623-square-foot home at 109 8th Dilido Terrace in Miami Beach, listed for $3.55 million by The Jills Zeder Group at Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate.

This contemporary home has five bedrooms, a state-of-the-art Rotpunkt kitchen with Bosch appliances, a floating oak staircase and a rooftop deck with panoramic views. Green features include drought-tolerant turf, low-flow faucets and showers and a drip irrigation system for planting beds.

DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE/COURTESY PHOTOS Located at 3500 N. Ocean Blvd. and priced at $2.495 million, this Douglas Elliman listing has four bedrooms, a brand-new kitchen and a gated courtyard entry with a saltwater pool.

This $2.495 million home includes an electric-car charger, two composting systems and eight garden beds for vegetables and fruit, all of which have been raised organically, without synthetic pesticides or fertilizer.

DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE/COURTESY This Douglas Elliman listing located at 3500 N. Ocean Blvd. has an electric-car charger, two composting systems and eight garden beds for vegetables and fruit, all of which have been raised organically.