"I was absolutely not going to build them the kind of rebar-reinforced cement homes that cost millions each," says Hsieh. He explains that, cost aside, rebar and cement are energy intensive products that generate a great deal of pollution in their manufacture. And when homes of this type are later torn down, they leave behind only a pile of useless rubble. It's an incredible waste of energy.
「我絕對不為他們蓋要花好幾百萬元的鋼筋水泥房，」謝英俊說，鋼筋與混凝土的生產過程都屬高耗能、高污染，日後拆除時又只能變成一堆廢土垃圾，浪費能源莫此為甚，於是他大膽採用當時台灣建築界仍很陌生的輕型鋼。