1. For energy consumption, look to renewable sources of energy such as sunlight (solar), wind and biogas. These can be incorporated into builldings, especially solar and biogas. However, solar is expensive so biogas can be opted for if solar cannot be afforded. It is cheaper and is almost always readily available, aside the fact that it can be used to produce different forms of energy.

1. For energy consumption, look to renewable sources of energy such as sunlight (solar), wind and biogas. These can be incorporated into builldings, especially solar and biogas. However, solar is expensive so biogas can be opted for if solar cannot be afforded. It is cheaper and is almost always readily available, aside the fact that it can be used to produce different forms of energy.

1. For energy consumption, look to renewable sources of energy such as sunlight (solar), wind and biogas. These can be incorporated into builldings, especially solar and biogas. However, solar is expensive so biogas can be opted for if solar cannot be afforded. It is cheaper and is almost always readily available, aside the fact that it can be used to produce different forms of energy.

1. For energy consumption, look to renewable sources of energy such as sunlight (solar), wind and biogas. These can be incorporated into builldings, especially solar and biogas. However, solar is expensive so biogas can be opted for if solar cannot be afforded. It is cheaper and is almost always readily available, aside the fact that it can be used to produce different forms of energy.

1. For energy consumption, look to renewable sources of energy such as sunlight (solar), wind and biogas. These can be incorporated into builldings, especially solar and biogas. However, solar is expensive so biogas can be opted for if solar cannot be afforded. It is cheaper and is almost always readily available, aside the fact that it can be used to produce different forms of energy.

You're right, of course.  In a technologically advanced community, further technological improvements will have little impact on the overall quality of life.  There will be obstructions within the community - attitudes, laws, mores, etc - that will prevent people from being able to adequately meet their needs, that can not be addressed through technological development alone.  I can, for instance, build a completely off-grid house in a cold moist temperate climate, for less cost than conventional building techniques.  It may contravene City Bylaws and building codes, but it would be safer than conventional construction.  But that doesn't solve land-use planning problems, or community development issues, or any of a long list of underlying barriers to living lighter on the land.  I'll still be driving to work, and my s

I'm currently researching how the Potential Quality of Life that can be created by engineering approaches can be Actualized by removing the obstructions within the community, family and individuals.  In 'rich' communities, removing those non-technological obstructions (typically an investment of time alone) will make far more impact than an investment of time and resources (Technological Development) on the Actualized Quality of Life.

Thank you Desmond, biogas and sloar are infact good sources of energy and they need to be incorporated into the building.... but i am more concerned about the planning, design and regulatory interventions to make the whole community or neighbourhood energy efficient and that could be achieved through some interventions at building design level and some at community planning scale. 

In order to be environmental responsible, from the urban planning perspective, there are plenty of strategies that can be undertaken, but, as a general idea, here are some hints that I consider can be useful:

1.- Allow for more built density. Dense urban fabris concentrates uses and rationalize energy consumption, as every housing, commertial or any other unit can share infrastructures. Also, centralized, local produced energy plants are a good option with a higher density.

2.- Promote multi functional building regulations. Single uses un building lead to a very defined profile of use, which fosters high energy consumption. On the contrary, multifunctional building are used continuosly, which can be beenfitial in terms of energy uses. For instance, instead of designing a big mall, this commercial space can be split into small premises located in the ground floor of residential buildings.

3.- Orientation. No general rule can be applied, as this heavily depends on the location, but when designing an urban grid, orientation should com first. Sun paths and prevailing winds will usually give the key for this parameter.

4.- Form of buildings: the same rule applies here as the former. When devising allowed building typologies for each zone, these should be set in accordance to the requirements by local climate.

Hope these hint helps.

For the Bye-laws to be environmental responsivw, it has to be people oriented and take into account their situations. There is need to make the laws user friendly and let the people have a say about. The byelaw must be shown to be people based and an all inclusive law that has direct consequences that would benefit the environment not just fines alone

Very interesting question, the environmental responsivity is not only a matter of sustainability but also of health.

I think that to change or integrate national, regional and local codes scientists involved in building research ought to produce evidence based instruments that are able to measure the performances of dwellings, buildings, neighborhoods, districts, cities or a whole region. Of course we have take in account a large amount of parameters like: illumination, ventilation, orientation and positioning, overall energetic performance, walkability, saefty, buffer zones and so on..

I also believe that when a law or a regulation is not up-to-date or wrong, researchers have the responsibility to denounce it on scientific journals with the aim to protect environment and Public Health.

I think this question calls for regional solutions. I am a builder in the Pacific NorthWest and have some ideas for my area. 

 First we need a way to rate existing and proposed structures for their impact. Current modeling tools are getting close. 

 Then I would like to see restructuring of the building permit fee structure. Make permits  for sprawling and or poor energy profile buildings much more expensive. Make the permits for efficient buildings cheap or free. To provide even greater incentive property taxes could be included in this formula. Make it economically desirable to build efficient structures and especially to upgrade the energy profile of existing sructures.

 In my area anytime I take out a permit,even for a small job,I am required to upgrade the smoke detector system. Lets mandate efficiency upgrades with all permits. Make it so the upgrade is proportional to the size of the job. We don't want to make remodels too expensive or we encourage illegal jobs.

 We also need to make the codes flexable. I build sunspaces desighned to help heat living spaces and often run in to code roadblocks when I am trying something new.

 Of course we need to fund research!

See the work of David Eisenburg in the USA who has done extensive work on greening of building codes.  

You might take a look at: Questioning Architectural Judgment: The Problem of Codes in the United States. London: Routledge, 2014.

You question is one of the key point about a more responsive urban environment.

I think we may learn a lot from the past Ancient civilization in Mediterranean bacin (Greece, Rome, Byzantine or Islamic). These civilization had a rules system developed for address change and growth in the built environment as a natural phenomenon. This was possible due to flexible rules that evolved to control developments from a bottom-up level while respecting local customs.

If you are interested we (Working Group for Hygiene of Built Environment of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health) have recently denounced a similar situation in Italy in a paper, that you you can find here on researchgate:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280691681_Do_Italian_housing_regulations_and_policies_protect_poor_people%27s_health

Article Do Italian housing regulations and policies protect poor peo...

I think simple measures towards any Building since the construction time in the bye-laws could make it Environment responsive. e.g.

1. During the construction, use of rain water for the construction, RWH tanks could be made in advance before commencing the project and water can be collected. It will save enormous amount of water, construction industries have great impacts on water sector.

2. During construction, Use of LED for lights-construction during night time or for site safety etc. this could further reduce the electricity load from the whole site.

3. Dumping of construction garbage needs attention.

4. In the building, rain water harvesting should be mandatory. water from roofs can be collected and reused for gardening, toilet flush etc.

5. Green-Roofs could be mandatory feature for high rise buildings, it cools down the building reducing the electricity load from Air conditioning, same time it also reduces the urban heat island effects, it could also be used as Urban farming for growing fresh fruits and vegetables, it also slows down the run-off speed of rain water, in case of heavy rains it reduces the chances of flash floods.

6. Use of Solar energy, solar water heater should be mandatory for hot water uses, and solar PV for electricity, now a days many solar appliances are in the market like solar washing machines...

7. On larger sites, grey water recycling could be done as a part of building bye-laws.

8. Composting the organic waste from the site, and reusing it in gardens etc.

These measures could be implemented as a part of Building Bye-laws.

Apparently, many countries in the world already have a regulation that deals with the topic of sustainable construction and building responsible; I know the case of Italy, which applies a strict regulation on the subject of control in building compelling that each building meets the standards of sustainability and efficiency which is essentially generate an area of responsibility for designers and builders who must meet minimum requirements in terms of power, use of LED system regulation recycling of greywater, good guidance and implementation of building to ensure a system of ventilation and passive heating, saving substantial costs of electricity and other pollution sources.

The theme of roofs and green walls is an issue that perhaps does not work in all climates and places, but is a good alternative to climate regulation of the building, their separate autonomy, of the aesthetic attributes. There are many studies, experiments, built facts that we can illustrate in this regard. The problem is the issue of governance and responsibility of public administrators and the ethics of the professionals, who should we assume from University education, the obligation to study the issues of design and sustainable construction part, know the rules and regulations of each country and in the world concerning.

Hopefully the Governments from the local to the national, to comply with the obligation to accept responsibility, commitments e.g. agenda 2030 UN, face the challenge of climate change that we all assume.

Dear Professor Marco Antonio Benavides López,

The problem in Italy is that the local building codes are old and not updated and sometimes they even conflict with national and European regulations.

One conference an elderly key note speaker said "Green sense without business sense is No(N)sense"  -  we should make local guidelines for building energy performance with the help of academics and other organizations which is easier for them to follow (like how agriculture ministry works which has feild officers who assist the farmers )... an strong commitment from the government and a motivation to the organizations who follow the energy efficiency guidelines interms of ease in their operations expense can only make all what is said in books practically implemented other wise it would be No(n)sense what we preach if not practiced with tangible result for the stake holder (building owners)

Dear Dr. Lorenzo and all

Sir this problem of regular and periodic upadation of regulations and guidelines as a very common problem in most of the countries especially in developing countries. so the next question arises here is how can we make the regulations that also responds to the nature and character of development that take place over time and also cater to the demand of environmental responsiveness and conservation?

Dear Md. Fuzail Jawaid,

This a key issue I would say for entire world development and global health!! It would be really really nice to cooperate in this direction, matching experiences from both economically developed and developing countries. That would be really exciting. I think we might use this platform to discuss the basis of a collaboration.

Thank you very much!!