The part of the environmental movement that draws my firm’s attention is the design of cities, buildings and products. When we designed America’s first so-called “green” office building in New York two decades ago, we felt very【A1】_____ . But today, thousands of people come to green building conferences, and the【A2】_____ that buildings can be good for people and the environment will be increasingly influential in years to【A3】_____ .

Back in 1984 we discovered that most manufactured products for decoration weren’t designed for【A4】_____ use. The “energy-efficient” sealed commercial buildings constructed after the 1970s energy crisis【A5】_____ indoor air quality problems caused by materials such as paint, wall covering and carpet. So far 20 years, we’ve been focusing on these materials【A6】_____ to the molecules, looking for ways to make them【A7】_____ for people and the planet.

Home builders can now use materials — such as paints that release significantly【A8】_____ amounts of organic compounds — that don’t【A9】_____ the quality of the air, water, or soil. Ultimately,【A10】_____ , our basic design strategy is focused not simply on being “less bad” but on creating【A11】_____ healthful materials that can be either safely returned to the soil【A12】_____ reused by industry again and again. As a matter of【A13】_____ , the world’s largest carpet manufacturer has already developed a carpet that is fully and safely【A14】_____ .

Look at it this way: No one【A15】_____ out to create a building that destroys the planet. But our current industrial systems are【A16】_____ causing these conditions, whether we like it or not. So【A17】_____ of simply trying to reduce the damage, we are【A18】_____ a positive approach. We’re giving people high-quality, healthful products and an opportunity to make choices that have a【A19】_____ effect on the world. It’s not just the building industry, either.【A20】_____ cities are taking these environmentally positive approaches to design, planning and building. Portland, Seattle and Boston have said they want to be green cities. Chicago wants to be the greenest city in the world.