Thinking more critically about the way we employ building materials could have a positive impact on the earth. Japanese dwellings, such as Penguin House by architects Yasuhiro Yamashita of Atelier Tekuto and Masahiro Ikeda, tend to use fewer material resources than their American counterparts.
Innovative lighting strategies reduce energy consumption and raise our quality of life. The Swedish-made Parans system, for example, delivers natural light into the heart of a building.
