Our values and principles
Show concern for people
Ensure clients live in a healthy and safe environment in harmony with nature. Show concern for neighbours and passersby through solutions that promote safe and healthy living in the community.
Respect future generations
Safeguard the interests of future generations while meeting today's needs. Consider long term criteria when comparing products and methods including life-cycle costs and the consumption of non-renewable resources.
Consider multiple costs and benefits
Make sustainable construction decisions that keep social, economic and environmental costs and benefits in balance. Weigh all costs and benefits before recommending the best solution.
Foster an open and supportive economic system
Offer choices that improve relationships and supply chains in a healthy environment where every product holds the potential to be improved, every process can be made more sustainable. Contribute to continuous improvement of all construction materials rather than judging and rejecting inferior products.
Combat poverty and social exclusion
Improve the quality of all buildings, create job opportunities in an industry where final assembly can't be off-shored and promote productivity and efficiency to support reasonable returns for private investments. Consider sustainable construction as an entitlement rather than a luxury.
Respect environmental limits
Minimize damage to the environment and the over-consumption of natural resources.
Minimalist use of materials
Promote the minimalist approach that using less stuff to construct a building is more sustainable. This does not mean playing good taste police, it means advising against purely decorative layers. Elaborate mouldings and trims that serve no functional purpose may be unavoidable in a historic renovation but they should be seen as unnecessary consumption of natural resources.
Protect human life
Assess risks and unintended consequences of using construction products and methods before, during and after construction. An example of such risk assessment would be the use of fire retardant chemicals when no natural alternative is available.
Transparency
Provide easy access to information, make ethical choices and treat stakeholders equitably and with respect.
Science
Make evidence-based decisions and recommendations based on test results, actual performance under realistic conditions, scientific research, statistical analysis and widely accepted industry standards. Question the motivation of independent sources to ascertain their independence. Question profit-motivated marketing claims.
Polluter pays
Where legislation does not exist, promote the polluter pay principle, returnable packaging and total-accounting (including externalized costs) comparisons.
Ensure clients live in a healthy and safe environment in harmony with nature. Show concern for neighbours and passersby through solutions that promote safe and healthy living in the community.
Respect future generations
Safeguard the interests of future generations while meeting today's needs. Consider long term criteria when comparing products and methods including life-cycle costs and the consumption of non-renewable resources.
Consider multiple costs and benefits
Make sustainable construction decisions that keep social, economic and environmental costs and benefits in balance. Weigh all costs and benefits before recommending the best solution.
Foster an open and supportive economic system
Offer choices that improve relationships and supply chains in a healthy environment where every product holds the potential to be improved, every process can be made more sustainable. Contribute to continuous improvement of all construction materials rather than judging and rejecting inferior products.
Combat poverty and social exclusion
Improve the quality of all buildings, create job opportunities in an industry where final assembly can't be off-shored and promote productivity and efficiency to support reasonable returns for private investments. Consider sustainable construction as an entitlement rather than a luxury.
Respect environmental limits
Minimize damage to the environment and the over-consumption of natural resources.
Minimalist use of materials
Promote the minimalist approach that using less stuff to construct a building is more sustainable. This does not mean playing good taste police, it means advising against purely decorative layers. Elaborate mouldings and trims that serve no functional purpose may be unavoidable in a historic renovation but they should be seen as unnecessary consumption of natural resources.
Protect human life
Assess risks and unintended consequences of using construction products and methods before, during and after construction. An example of such risk assessment would be the use of fire retardant chemicals when no natural alternative is available.
Transparency
Provide easy access to information, make ethical choices and treat stakeholders equitably and with respect.
Science
Make evidence-based decisions and recommendations based on test results, actual performance under realistic conditions, scientific research, statistical analysis and widely accepted industry standards. Question the motivation of independent sources to ascertain their independence. Question profit-motivated marketing claims.
Polluter pays
Where legislation does not exist, promote the polluter pay principle, returnable packaging and total-accounting (including externalized costs) comparisons.