Despite all the advances in ecofriendly design, green building still carries certain "crunchy" connotations and suggests a self- and style-sacrificing lifestyle.

One house, however, belies everything you ever thought about green building. Heather and Joe Sarachek's new prestige home showcases how eco-minded building can be not only what's best for the environment, but also impressively sleek, sophisticated, and state-of-the-art.

The large kitchen, with enough room for the Saracheks and their five children, features cherry cabinets and quarzite counters and has windows and a French door that look onto the terrace.

This green glamour project did not, however, come without a price—and more than a little controversy. In addition to the added cost of going "stealth green," as the Saracheks' building contractor, Rob Knorr of Nordic Construction, describes it, there was also the matter of a dispute with the Saracheks' town, the wealthy suburb of Scarsdale, and immediate neighbors regarding one of the home's most important sustainable energy feature: solar panels.

By the time the dust had settled, the Saracheks had anted up over $20,000 in costs and delays to win the fight to garner clean electricity from solar panels on their home. According to the couple, the outcome was more than worth all the hassle. "We need to care about the world we will leave for future generations," says Joe.

In the sleek downstairs powder room are stone floors of varying natural colors.

Working with the New York City– and Los Angeles–based architectural firm Felhandler/Steeneken (www.fswarchitects.com) and Nordic Construction of Pound Ridge (914-242-0207), the Saracheks decided to build to the environmental standards the couple had come to embrace.

"We have always been a very health-minded family," explains Heather. "We eat right...never use pesticides...so when it was time for us to build a new home, we knew we wanted it to be as energy efficient and ecologically conscious as possible."

That meant building to Energy Star standards, which ensures that the house is at least 30 percent more efficient than code. (The house has yet to receive its official rating.)

While the new home kept the footprint of the original home, the similarities end there. The new structure, which took about two years to complete, is a stately 6,600-square-foot English Arts and Crafts–style home with a modern interior and six bedrooms. Though the family moved into the house in April of this year, finishing touches are still being made. "It never seems to end," says Heather, laughing.