Through an energy retrofit, not only was Kraft able to keep a plant open, but the energy saved was enough to power 1,000 houses. On Earth Day in 1993, President Clinton announced an initiative toward a smarter White House . The company responsible for making phone credit card verification systems, VeriFone , built a smart building for its headquarters in Costa Mesa, California. Low-impact construction techniques were used, such as elevated walkways connecting the 118 tent cottages at Maho Bay to keep people from walking on the rare vegetation. Harmony resort is powered by solar and wind only and was made using recycled building materials.
Rainwater is collected in cisterns for irrigation.
The city of Curtiba, Brazil , with its population of 1.6 million, had an unusual mayor. During his time as mayor, he had planted 1.5 million tree seedlings in neighborhoods, solved the city's flood problems, and converted the downtown shopping district into a pedestrian zone. The city recycles two-thirds of its garbage and has a good system of transportation. The building's smart designs were developed when architects, engineers, future occupants, and scientists got together to communicate their needs and created ways to meet them. Worldwide, people are recognizing the advantages and practicality of smart design.