It seems as though many a first or second home development is installing Energy Star appliances, then labeling itself “green” or “sustainable.” Not necessarily the case, but luckily there are a few communities taking real steps across the design boards to be as sustainable as possible.

Take the Greenbridge development, in Chapel Hill, N.C., which will have units available in summer 2009 and is shooting for LEED Gold Certification. According to its website it will use “35 percent less energy than a similar building designed to National Energy Code requirements, and provides a 65 percent reduction in summer peak demand.” And they’re solar, too. Five percent of the building’s base electrical load will be generated by solar power collected on-site.

The community’s 84 residential condos will implement energy-saving techniques in their water, heating, cooling and electricity systems, and there are several design elements with a green focus—like roofs that create oxygen, harvest rainwater for reuse and diminish rainwater runoff to storm drains. Plus, 75 percent of construction and demolition materials for the site are being reused. The clincher? Residents will have access to on-site Zipcars to reduce the amount of pollution from individual cars.

And in case you were wondering, they’re installing Energy Star appliances, too.