Book excerpt: In every age, science and technology have advanced human civilization. From architecture to engineering, medicine to transportation, humans have invented extraordinary wonders. People have been constructing buildings for thousands of years. But in modern times, people have become more interested in new kinds of building techniques. They want to make buildings that are “green,” or good for the environment. Some green builders make houses out of recycled materials. Others make buildings that use the sun and wind for heating and cooling. In some places, whole communities are based on green building technology. In this book, we’ll explore seven wonders of green building technology. We’ll learn about Earthships, which collect rain for drinking water and make heat and electricity from the sun’s rays. We’ll visit Menara Mesiniaga, a skyscraper in Malaysia that is cooled by fresh tropical breezes. We’ll explore BedZED, a green community in the United Kingdom that has gardens on rooftops, and we’ll visit Samso, an island in Denmark that makes its own electricity from wind turbines. These and other buildings and communities are leading the way to a new, greener future.