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At the same time, they didn’t want the home they’ve resided in since 1997 to stand out like a sore thumb — even though the home boasts a cool roof, Energy Star appliances, low-water toilets and insulated double-paned glass in the storm doors.

But the average person wouldn’t know the features are different just by looking at them casually. The cool roof features shingles like a traditional roof, but has embedded crystals to reflect the sun’s heat instead of absorbing it. The appliances and doors also look like those available in any other home.

‘‘Everyone in the world knows you’re environmental, but do you want your house to stick out?” Miovski asked, adding stucco is a good insulator. ‘‘This is an old-fashioned neighborhood. Stucco gives a neo-Tudor look, which doesn’t stick out too much.”

For their environmentally friendly approach, the College Park Committee for a Better Environment (CBE) recognized the couple with a Green Award at the May 22 City Council meeting.

‘‘I think they put a lot of thought into it, a lot of research, a lot of decisions, a financial commitment,” said CBE co-chairwoman Janis Oppelt. ‘‘They carried it through to the end, which I think is fantastic.”

The couple said they never thought they’d win an award for their efforts but if the recognition spurs others to become more environmentally conscious, the publicity-shy couple said it would be worth being in the spotlight.

Miovski has offered to help CBE create a pamphlet to help other people do environmentally friendly home improvements.

The couple declined to disclose how much they spent on the renovations, but praised their builder for doing all the work they asked.

‘‘The main thing is to plan in advance” to ensure the materials will be available and won’t cost any more than using less environmentally friendly materials, Bannister said.

Don’t be intimidated by the work the couple did, they said. Anyone can research how to make similar improvements by searching on the Internet like they did, they said.

The couple decided to expand their home from 900 square feet to 1,200 square feet to better meet their needs, they said.

Both work out of their home — Bannister, full-time as the executive director of the nonprofit Hand Papermaking, and Miovski telecommutes some days for her job with the U.S. Department of Justice.

At the same time they were renovating, Miovski was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003. She has no family history, which led the couple to conclude the cause was environmental.

‘‘We’re healthy and young. We were scared,” Bannister said.

Miovski has been cancer-free for nearly three years.

Despite being environmentally conscious, they said they were surprised at what they learned, including how many Volatile Organic Compounds are in particleboard. So, they bought furniture from Amish furniture makers instead because of the Amish’s commitment to using lower-technology production methods.

‘‘It takes advanced planning, but the long-term payoff is wonderful, not only in saving money, but saving the planet,” Bannister said.

E-mail Jennifer Donatelli at jdonatelli@gazette.net.

Green Award recipients

The following people also won Green Awards from the College Park Committee for a Better Environment at the May 22 meeting:

Jackie Kelly, the design gardener at the Cherry Hill Campground, who has used vinegar and wood chips instead of fertilizer and pesticides and recently planted a rain garden.

Loren LaVoy, who founded Green Clean, the area’s first environmentally friendly residential and commercial cleaning service, which does not use bleach, ammonia or other harmful cleaning products.

The Rev. Richard Graham, who has encouraged his parishioners at Hope Lutheran Church to participate in clean-up projects with CBE members.

Councilman John Krouse (Dist. 1) a supporter and former member of CBE.

Jan Van Zutphen, who recently left his position as the city’s horticulturist for another job.