Summary: Designers of the built environment can learn so much from the mature field of industrial ecology as they focus increasingly on green or sustainable construction. Natural systems are the ideal model not only for human systems but also for the built environment in which they live and function. The principles of design, energy, the flow of materials, and closed loop behaviour can all be understood in this context. Industrial ecology provides a sound means of systematizing the various ideas which come under the banner of sustainable construction and provides a model for the design, operation and ultimate disposal of buildings. Professionals such as architects, materials suppliers, engineers, planners and construction managers, and students and academics in these disciplines, should find this a valuable tool.