Make sure your project is appropriate for where you live
Face it – certain materials and methods are better suited for specific geographical locations. Thick adobe walls with heavy thermal mass, for example, will help to modify the drastic changes in temperature that take place in the arid Southwest. That style of architecture suits desert climates well. The same massive style of construction would be ill advised for our humid heat of South Florida, however. Here, lightweight construction designs and screened-in porches that let in cooling breezes are more suitable & appropriate.
Likewise, a wall of glass might seem like a wonderful design choice for your new house. But before you have those new windows installed, make sure to consider the physical orientation of your house. If those large windows face south and aren’t properly shaded by an overhang, you may discover your home becomes unbearably hot and difficult to air condition in the summer.
A building plan and the materials used in that building need to be appropriate to the site.