The decisions that we make when designing and constructing a building affect the environment of the building site, but our decisions also affect environments that we may not be aware of. Construction waste constitutes a large percentage of all landfill waste in Alachua County. By reducing construction waste, Summer House illustrates resource efficiency, thereby preserving ecosystems that would otherwise be used as landfill space. When selecting materials for the Summer House, research was conducted to ensure that the environments that our materials came from, were not harmed. The best way to minimize waste is to reuse materials that were recovered from buildings that were slated for demolition, secondly from renewable resources or recycled products.
Toxic materials are harmful to both the natural environment and to humans.