How can you help? As far as the requirements to be more sustainable are concerned, I can't remember the question that came up, but the more you drive the requirements of things that are not critical, the more it drives up the cost of construction. Even the term “affordable housing” has nothing to do with somebody finding a secret spot to buy a cheaper piece of two-by-four.
Driving the numbers up just by wanting to be more sustainable...we need to be. Private industry is bringing in technology to improve the current state, but if you get to the point that everything is so restricted and driven toward improving.... You can always improve, but is the cost associated with that improvement necessary? Is it broken? If it's not, you really have to question why you're adding costs to it.
I hope I answered your question.