‘This is a wonderful book that should be on the desk of every architect and planner. It shows how

Multi-criteria product search functions
 
The database contains well over 3000 independently vetted eco- and health-preferable 
products against approximately 60 common industry categories and 400 subcategories. The 
database may be searched by industry categories and sub-categories (eg Floors leads to 
Carpets), by eco-outcomes (eg ‘water efficient’ or ‘low VOC’) and keywords. The outcomes 
search also enables searching by individual ratings tools such as BASIX and Green Stars.
What it covers
 
Ecospecifier assesses and presents information on sustainable, healthy materials, products 
and technology as well as materials relevant to building design construction, fit-out and 
operational functions relevant to many professionals, including facilities managers: 
• 
Residential – new single- and multi-unit dwellings as well as alterations and additions 
• 
Commercial – offices, retail, hospitality, ecotourism, healthcare, care for the elderly, etc 
• 
Educational facilities 
• 
Industrial and process technology
• 
Renewable energy generation
Ecospecifier has recently introduced a geographical search function as it expands its vision 
to include other countries and will continue to expand its product base, rigour and depth 
of life-cycle assessment, as well as developing further aids to specifiers such as a Green 
Specification.

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Boxes
Box 30 Evolution towards Positive Development
The following suggests an evolution in development. Traditional development control systems 
aim to reduce the collateral damage of development by devices like ‘exactions’ (fees or offsets) 
that transfer some of the internalities (public benefits transferred at below cost to a devel
-
opment) back to the community. The green solution at present is to close loops or design 
systems that are essentially ‘no loop’ because they draw on natural systems instead of industrial 
ones. However, we need to design to reverse impacts (ie improve the health of the air, water, 
soil and people) 
and
increase eco-productivity. We also need to go further to support nature 
and ecosystems as living things.
We need to challenge the planning, management and design legacy that hides or justifies 
externalities, internalities and expropriations. One way to assist this is to ensure that mea
-
surements include the time involved in restoring ecosystem functioning (ie ecological waste) 
[Chapter 4].