The part of the environmental movement that draws my firm's attention is the design of buildings. Today, thousands of people come to1building conferences, and the idea that buildings can be good for people and the environment will be increasingly2in years to come. Back in 1984 we discovered that most manufactured products for decoration weren't designed for 3use. The "energy-efficient" sealed commercial buildings constructed after the 1970s energy crisis 4indoor air quality problems caused by materials such as paint, wall covering and carpet. So for 20 years, we've been looking for ways to make these materials 5for people and the planet.
Home builders can now use materials, such as green paints, that release significantly 6amounts of chemical compounds, which people believe don't 7the quality of the air.8, our basic design strategy is focused not simply on being "less bad" but on creating 9 healthful materials that can be either safely returned to the soil or 10by industry again and again. For example, the world's largest carpet manufacturer has already 11 a carpet that is fully and safely recyclable.
Look at it this way: no one12to create a building that destroy the planet. But our current industrial systems are basically causing these conditions, whether we like it or not. So13of simply trying to reduce the damage, we are14 a positive approach. We're giving people high-quality, healthful products and an opportunity to make choices that have a15effect on the world. It is not just the building industry, either. Entire cities are taking these environmentally positive approaches to design, planning and building.
