Sustainability means meeting the needs of today without compromising future generations. Sustainable Construction aims to apply this principle to the construction industry, by providing ways of buildings that use less virgin material and less energy, cause less pollution and less waste.

A green wall is a wall, either free-standing or part of a building, that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and, in some cases, soil or an inorganic growing medium. The vegetation for a green façade is always attached on outside walls.

A green roof is classed as any intentionally vegetated roof surface, where the roof is either deliberately planted or seeded or is left to colonise naturally. Green roofs can be factored into the initial design of a development at an early stage, but can also be retrofitted onto established buildings.