A friend of mine who has more than 30 years experience in the building, construction and renovation sector in Sydney Building Industry recommend a variety of immediate steps that can be taken to address the environmental impacts of buildings and construction.

1.    Minimising  material wastage in construction, including through economic incentives such as higher landfill fees (which also promote the following item)

2.    Increasing use of recycled waste as building materials, not only reuse of construction and demolition waste but also incorporation of other types of waste in building improving energy efficiency in buildings  making wiser use of water in buildings and on construction sites.

3.    Increasing structures' service life, including through built-in flexibility of use.

4.     Rethinking policies affecting the sector, including financial ones, and strengthening standards.

5.    Promoting corporate environmental and social responsibility in the sector, with industry-specific reporting mechanisms.

6.    Building public and enterprise awareness and knowledge sharing

7.    Upgrading skills and worksite health and safety.

Eco-friendly restoration and construction can not only help to create a improved outdoor environment, it can also help to build a healthier indoor environment. Conventional building materials and methods have been linked to a wide range of health problems. Chemical pollutants from paints, solvents, plastics and composite timbers, along with biological pollutants such as dust mites and moulds are known to cause symptoms such as asthma, headaches, depression, eczema, palpitations and chronic fatigue syndrome. Green buildings get rid of these tribulations through good ventilation design, breathable walls, and the use of natural, non-toxic products and materials.