What is meant by the principle of "warding off evil is better than attracting good," and what is an example of it?

This is a great principle, and scholars have mentioned examples of it, including: not opening a window that overlooks the neighbor's women's quarters, and not creating anything that harms the neighbor, such as a mill that weakens the building, or an oil press, or an oven that prevents habitation, or a latrine, or a drain, or a rubbish dump that harms the wall; in which case, the owner of the wall can compel its removal. In these examples, averting harm is given precedence over achieving benefit.