Environmental Renewable sources of energy are favorable compared to dependence on the exhaustible problematic fossil fuels and nuclear power including ozone formation, acid rain and climate change. Sustainability means the establishment of priorities that minimize waste, toxins, ecological harm and maximize health, energy efficiency and environmental quality. Advances from the space industry joined the technology through photovoltaic film with research pointing the way to one dollar per watt or less. Given the midday desert sun for much of the year we experience about 1000 watts of solar energy per square yard of surface area. With this and the adaptability of photovoltaic film and good design, major advances in affordability and ease of installation of solar tiles and substrates can provide housing concepts that break the third world economic barrier.
Some designs bury the house and use the earth temperature as a high mass wall.
Radiant floor heating is energy efficient and reduces eliminates the blowing of air borne pollutants. These factors and many more have been apparent and noteworthy since architectural design became recognizable. With the use of recycled, nontoxic, and indigenous building materials, we look forward to building, educating, training and providing community development that opens up the focus of affordable housing while living light on the earth. Organic food became popular with the change of agricultural practices after WWII according to the University of California, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, favoring maximized production. The costs have been significant including topsoil depletion, groundwater contamination, decline of family farms, continued neglect of the living and working conditions of farm laborers, increasing costs of production and the disintegration of economic and social conditions in rural communities.