The present worldwide socio economical system created the actual situation where almost two third of world population lives under the minimum living conditions which have been established by the United Nations criteria. To overcome these deficiencies, there is an urgent need to establish a new paradigm for promoting conservation and environmental sustainability. This paper presents the evaluation criteria for this major concern. The main variables considered are: sufficient availability, renewability, adequate physical-mechanical characteristics, cost efficiency, easy access, simple production, local technology adapted to local conditions, and durability. The non-conventional materials and technologies (NOCMAT) minimize adverse impacts into the environment and also provide adequate products for a market increasingly competitive. Thus, very strict norms and clean technologies should be implemented. Positive results in Brazilian research institutions have been developed on the use of NOCMAT (bamboo, vegetable fibers, bio-composites, recycled conventional materials, etc.) since 1979 at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio, Department of Civil Engineering). Nevertheless, these NOCMAT are not yet sufficiently disseminated and employed in the country due to the lack of sufficient investments. Thus, government incentives and private initiatives must be increased substantially to change this panorama in Brazil.