Isn’t it greener to not build at all?
Not necessarily! If your air conditioning is old and horribly inefficient, then it is probably better for the planet to replace your unit with a new, efficient one. And you’ll probably be more comfortable, too, as will your pocketbook. In general, we will continue to build and remodel… especially in the Valley of the Sun. The goal, then, should be to reuse as many materials as possible, use reclaimed and recycled materials and materials that can be recycled when they are done serving their purpose. For new materials, we should pick the ones that have the least impact on the planet and on our health (such as the least embodied energy, the fewest toxins, and the most rapidly renewable). Nature is the most elegant and complex product designer around, and uses sunlight as its energy source, so there is no reason to sacrifice style in order to be responsible.
