Came across a good educational advertisement in the April 2012 edition of the Architectural Record about socially sustainable design for a greener future.
The article talks about things to consider when renovating which haven't been taken into consideration before like accommodating children with autism and dual sensory impairments or design with extra care and detail for seniors so they can live independently and with dignity. Using alternate material to cement, which requires high energy and CO2 is one way of rethinking building construcion for greener structures. Geothermal energy and using existing material for renovations of buildings is another way of reducing our carbon footprint. Read more here