If you design for comfort, convenience, sustainability and durability then energy efficiency and health become attributes by default; byproducts. Healthy indoor air quality is now a result, not a problem to resolve.

Any additional upfront cost that shows up in your loan payment can be recuperated in lower or non-existent utility bills, less need for grounds maintenance as well as building maintenance. I use the term utility because we are talking about more than energy here. This includes water usage, drainage and snow accumulation, exposure conditions and the list continues.