When thousands of visitors flocked to the official opening of Ave Maria, Fla., in late July, many of their most enthusiastic comments were about the brand new town's appealing architecture, which evokes the charm of Italy's hill towns with a soaring 100-foot oratory overlooking a central piazza. Yet despite their historic feel and Old World charm, Ave Maria's public buildings are actually highly advanced, taking advantage of some of today's most innovative technology including a remarkable energy-saving wall coating system. Read »


