Does anyone else think modern building construction is stupid when it comes to energy efficiency? Exposing entire structures to the sun, forcing the use of AC.

Can we not develop methods to create homes that shield themselves from the sun and serve other purposes in the process? Solar / wind.

Yes, trees, but they are not scalable and insufficient for any significantly large building, forget tall buildings entirely. There are green walls that probably absorb heat - but I am not sure by how much. I have read something about some skyscraper that stays entirely cool without AC via some methods but I can’t remember what they were (something about circulating water up and down throughout the day and using that for air).

I just think we should have enough tools at our disposal to think of some ingenious ways to keep buildings cool without AC - at scale, within reasonable cost and easy implementation. 

What am I missing?

I recall seeing a house design at a solar competition in Irvine where the sun had drape-like canopies that kept it cool. It worked, but looked silly and not easy to manage in wet climates for example.