By TARA LOADER WILKINSON from wsj.com

Even in a world where green has become the new black and words like "sustainable" grace everything from food packages to corporate mottos, the notion of building an eco-friendly luxury home can seem like an oxymoron.

The luxury carbon-neutral home concept—in which properties attain a net zero carbon footprint—has been labeled "a conscience salve," "greenwashing" and "a complete misnomer" by critics.

"You think of a £30 million mansion built with the finest imported materials, the heated pools, the electrical gadgets, the air conditioning, the six-car garage and of course the private jet journey to get there. That can appear at odds with the environment," says Peter Mackie, managing director of HSBC-backed Property Vision, a U.K.-based estate agent.

The luxury carbon-neutral home concept—in which properties attain a net zero carbon footprint—has been labeled "a conscience salve," "greenwashing" and "a complete misnomer" by critics. Despite that skepticism, developers are hoping to turn a seemingly contradictory phrase into a 21st-century success story, laying plans for prime deluxe carbon-neutral property all over Europe. New homes in the U.K, Portugal, Italy, Morocco and Switzerland are being marketed to wealthy individuals around the world, with developers reporting strong demand.

In Morocco's Atlas Mountains, Anwar Harland-Khan, co-founder of green architect group Sustain Worldwide, is behind a carbon-neutral luxury development called L'Amandier. Construction of the project began last year and the villas are expected to be completed this year. All water will be drawn from on-site wells, and rainwater will be harvested for irrigation. Mr. Harland-Khan, who is also working on a Swedish carbon-neutral ski resort, says industry standards in Morocco are stringent and there are certificates provided to clients at each stage. Interiors, designed by U.K. and Moroccan architects Nick Gowing and Hicham Belhouari, have a flavor of Marrakech. Each villa has its own pool shaded by Bougainvillea and almond and citrus trees.

Andermatt Swiss Alps, a major development overseen by Orascom Development Holding AG, which includes six luxury hotels, some 500 apartments and luxury villas and an 18-hole championship golf course.

Half of the sixteen villas, which are priced up to £425,000, have been bought before completion of construction. "Sustainable luxury is about providing for the needs of discerning people today, without compromising the needs of future generations," says Mr. Harland-Khan. "It is well within our grasp."

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