Minimizing negative environmental impact and maximizing functionality to respond to people's needs are two major principle that sustainable and environment friendly architecture should follow.

It is crucial to take into account resource efficiency (using less to produce more), minimizing GHG emissions through careful life-cycle assessment in all stages of architectural projects (from initial design to demolishing a structure)

It very much depends on the context - there are many integrated approaches/models that can be considered.

I think you are probably looking for the integration of sustainable elements into the building design. If this is the case, you are recommended to refer to those passive design strategies stipulated in the green building rating tools, such as LEEDS, BREEAM, GBI, Green Mark etc.

Passive design strategies such as thermal mass, external shading, building orientation, cross ventilation, and better insulation in buildings, are the key element of sustainable building.

In the complexity thinking the main goal is to take consciousness about everything that surrounds the object of research, in this case an architectural project. Therefore, as has been said in the past answers, it is kind of a speciality in modern architecture, but I would recommend you to look into the history and theory of architecture because all the mayor parts of those designs have two main goals: 1) respond to the characteristics of the site (weather, soil, topography, etc.) and 2) be a symbolic reference for the people who live arround. Nevertheless, at the 19th century the mechanical and dynimic development grave to the world the technic and technological progress we all know for the construction of contemporary architecture, but the sensibility of careing about the enviroment as part of the design was getting lost in the way until the 70's when it was taken back, but it was seen more as an obstacle. Now, this days are more aware of it, but in some cases sustainability it's presented more like a shopping list of machines and certain materials, when it is more simple as that, is common sence, is being aware of where are standeing you and the proyect, it's a dialog instead of a lecture. I hope my answer could be helpful, but in case I recommend you to look for the books: Architecture for poor of Hassan Fathy, Thinking architecture of Peter Zumthor and Verb boogazine of Nature. Keep asking yourself and others, is always a great surprise to see this kind of questions, congratulations.

Greetings.

It is not easy to answer because environmental has its potency to be a hazardous for architecture. So that, environmental approach is limited by current condition. we cannot understand how environmental change in the future. Our knowledge only trace its heritage when we live (our architectural design) between decades the environmental still accept it as a building not its ruin.