Integrating architecture and nature is the ultimate marriage of mind and heart. As an artist and architect, Marc Whitman is both NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified focusing the majority of his architectural career on decarbonizing the built environment. Although “sustainable building” is still a relatively new concept, architecturally-speaking, “we’ve been interested in that from the get-go,” Marc said. “We’ve been doing green projects for decades.” Philosophically, “It is the social responsibility of the architect to develop projects which not only blend into the fabric of the community but also the environment,” he added. Green building and sustainable design is the way of the future. The principles behind LEED help guide Marc’s designs — for example, replacing materials that have chemicals that can off-gas and pollute indoor air quality. It can be economical as well, saving the client money down the line with energy-efficient and low carbon building materials. Educating his clients of their options in the design process is invaluable. Some options are just a matter of swappin...g one material for another. “Some things don’t cost anything,” he pointed out. As California’s green building codes have gotten stricter, Whitman Architectural Design has been able to stay ahead of the curve.