Architect Allan Shope follows these 5 principles when designing:

1. The building should reflect its time and place through the use of local vernacular materials.
2. The building should be low maintenance for its lifetime.
3. The building should be environmentally healthy, both for its inhabitants and for the surrounding wildlife.
4. The building should produce as much energy as it uses.
5. The building should express the power of architecture to contribute to the daily experience.

Source: shopearchitect.com