Residential Environmental Design Featured Article Green Architecture in the 21st Century A s the 21st century hovers over the horizon, many questions concerning the role between mankind and the environment come to mind. In Architecture, the most interesting questions revolve around the home, and how we will build it, inhabit it, and eventually dispose of it. New products aimed at earth-friendly consumers are showing up daily in our stores, showrooms, and building centers. Along with these new products, and competing markets, comes lower pricing and improved selection. It seems as though the green building movement has taken roots since its inception at the first Earth Day in 1970, and seems to be growing at a very strong pace.
Green building makes sense from all standpoints.
Its concerns focus on the environment, economy, public health and comfort. It's about quality, durability, and longevity. It's about environmental consciousness, energy saving design, the use of nontoxic materials, and the use of efficient techniques to construct a more cost-effective house. S ome of the trends were brought on by economic factors including the rise in wood prices, and the decline in wood quality due to the lack of properly managed forests. Alternatives, including engineered lumber, made from wood chips or strands laminated together have become commonplace in the building site.