the Holland alternative

so according to this Dwell article, the government requires a certain level of energy efficiency in all new construction in Holland; going green is the law!  Sustainability concerns are taken seriously and worked with proactively, a far cry from what we're up to here in the good ol' USofA.

a recent technological development in aiding eco-friendly design are thin film solar panels, which are less efficient than crystalline solar panels but are much more cost effective and are aesthetically more appealing.

maybe we can take a hint from the Dutch's emphasis on conservation of space and resources (and OF COURSE... innovative architecture) and in turn their more sensible, alternative (to US) lifestyle?!

a great quote, "In the U.S. we have a culture that celebrates size and consumption for their own sakes- and on some level, the more resources we use, the more successful we feel." - architect Gregory Kiss

ah, consumption, our sure-fire demise.