Sustainable architecture should contribute to a healthy life and engender a sense of peace with the natural surroundings. Before you build, you have to plan. Dealing with building code requirements can be a major hurdle in some places when building with alternative methods or materials. The uniform building code that has been adopted by most authorities in the United States tends to be very restrictive, favoring the established building trades. But there are ways around this rigidity.
Officials often have the right to make exceptions to the rules if they feel the approach is safe.
Also, engineering data and work done in other localities can be used to prove the viability of a particular building method. Another way to avoid codes is simply to move to an area where they have not yet been adopted. Approaching Sustainable Architecture .