Himmelwright was an environmentalist before his time whose belief in sustainable building practices is strongly stated in his preface to "A Model Fire-Proof Farm House." He wrote:  "A new epoch in home building is at hand. The wasteful, shortsighted and ephemeral methods of the past have become intolerable, and on account of our depleted timber supply, will soon be impossible.The conservation of the world's natural resources is attracting universal attention, and will undoubtedly receive a large portion of the best thought and consideration of the present generation. The conservation of individual resources and energy will follow as a natural consequence, and that is the keynote of this volume. "The reckless destruction of our forests by the early settlers, supplemented by the wasteful practices of the large lumber companies, and finally, the enormous destruction by forest fires, have brought about greatly changed conditions. Our timber supply has been depleted to such an extent that according to statistics prepared by the United States Government, we take from our forests each year, not counting loss and waste, three and one half times their yearly growth; in other words, we use forty cubic feet per acre for each twelve cubic feet grown. We use two hundred and sixty cubic feet per capita, while Germany uses thirty-seven and France thirty-five. The large per capita consumption in the United States is attributable partly to our great fire losses, but principally to the ephemeral and flimsy character of our buildings. If the present rate of demand and supply is not changed, our timber resources will be entirely exhausted in a few years. Such a result would have far reaching consequences, and would be a national calamity. This can be averted, (1) by substituting incombustible and more durable materials for wood, and (2) by employing proper safeguards and appliances, thus preventing a large part of the annual fire loss. "Twenty to fifty years ago when timber was abundant and the best only was selected for building purposes, much more durable houses were built than at present. Large sized and heavy pieces were used for the framing and the beams. These were frequently hewn by hand, so as to utilize the heart which is the best and most durable part of the timber. "The cost of lumber is now from two to five times as great as formerly, and the quality is generally much inferior. Wood or "frame" buildings, as now constructed, are serviceable only for periods of from twenty to fifty years. After this comparatively short term, they become unsafe for human habitation and can be utilized only for a few years more for storage, after which, if not demolished, they decay, become dangerous, and finally fall to pieces.