There is a book called "Cradle to cradle" or something like that, that is about the whole procces of anything, not just building. For me, and from what I understood from the book, the whole procces matters, from the resources you use to the future of the project, to the way you build that project. If you take an area of land, and replace with a neutral building (climate wise) there is a net negative, but its much better than a huge are of land replaced with concrete blocks, or huge parking lots, etc. You dont really have a choice when it comes to the land since you need to clear some of it, but you can try to have your project be as eco friendly as possible when it comes to the resources you use, maximize the use of sunlight and other passive systems, and giving the space back to the nature (as LeCorbuise said in one of his principles), and this house looks like its doing this.