Fundamentals of Innovative Sustainable Homes Design and Construction


Book Description

This book offers ideas and practices on contemporary design concepts and illustrates them with plans and photographs of outstanding examples. Current planning and design modes of dwellings and neighborhoods are facing challenges of philosophy and form. Past approaches no longer sustain new demands and require innovative thinking. The need for a new outlook is propelled by fundamental changes that touch upon environmental, economic and social aspects. The depletion of non-renewable natural resources and climate change are a few of the environmental challenges. Increasing costs of material, labor, land and infrastructure have posed economic challenges with affordability being paramount among them. Social challenges are also drawing the attention of designers, builders and homeowners. Walkable communities, aging in place and multigenerational living are some of the concepts considered. In addition, live-work environments have become part of the economic reality for those who wish to work from home—which has become possible through digital advances. The text would be of interest to scholars working in: architecture, urban planning, and construction.







Fundamentals of Sustainable Urban Design


Book Description

This book begins with an introduction describing current societal transformations that merit new urban designs, including depletion of non-renewable natural resources, elevated levels of greenhouse gas emissions, large numbers of aging “Baby Boomers,” and climate change. Dr. Friedman then examines these challenges through thirty chapters of interest to urban designers, architects, civil and construction engineers, and town planners. Each of these topics represents an aspect of urban design and describes an innovative solution and offers a detailed description of underlying principles. The highly illustrated text presents innovative urban design strategies based on sustainable principles. Integrated with each chapter are several international case studies illustrating design implementations.




Choice, Adaptability and Circularity in Housing


Book Description

Current planning and design modes of residential environments are facing challenges of philosophy and form. Past approaches no longer sustain new demands and call for innovative thinking. In a world that is becoming highly urbanized, the need for a new outlook is propelled by fundamental global changes that touch upon environmental, economic, and social aspects. This book addresses these contemporary social transformations and trends. It argues that homes need to offer greater choice in the preoccupancy stage, adaptability once the occupant moves in, and, when the structure or its subcomponents end its useful life, facilitate circularity. The book begins with an introductory chapter that sets the stage for the ones that follow and describes current societal transformations which merit a new conceptual approach. A chapter on the history of flexible and adaptable design follows. Each of the following chapters stands for an aspect of home’s design and construction to offer innovative solutions to the challenges that are posed at the outset. The chapters include designing for affordability, aging in place, modularity, circularity, and lower-income communities. Each of the chapters is accompanied by a case study to illustrate these innovative trends and ideas.




The New Net Zero


Book Description

The new threshold for green building is not just low energy, it's net-zero energy. In The New Net Zero, sustainable architect Bill Maclay charts the path for designers and builders interested in exploring green design's new-frontier net-zero-energy structures that produce as much energy as they consume and are carbon neutral. In a nation where traditional buildings use roughly 40 percent of the total fossil energy, the interest in net-zero building is growing enormously--among both designers interested in addressing climate change and consumers interested in energy efficiency and long-term savings. Maclay, an award-winning net-zero designer whose buildings have achieved high-performance goals at affordable costs, makes the case for a net-zero future; explains net-zero building metrics, integrated design practices, and renewable energy options; and shares his lessons learned on net-zero teambuilding. Designers and builders will find a wealth of state-of-the-art information on such considerations as air, water, and vapor barriers; embodied energy; residential and commercial net-zero standards; monitoring and commissioning; insulation options; costs; and more. The comprehensive overview is accompanied by several case studies, which include institutional buildings, commercial projects, and residences. Both new-building and renovation projects are covered in detail. The New Net Zero is geared toward professionals exploring net-zero design, but also suitable for nonprofessionals seeking ideas and strategies on net-zero options that are beautiful and renewably powered.




Making Better Buildings


Book Description

Sustainable building from the ground up - the pros and cons of the latest green and natural materials and technologies




Blueprint for Greening Affordable Housing


Book Description

Blueprint for Green Affordable Housing is a guide for housing developers, advocates, public agency staff, and the financial community that offers specific guidance on incorporating green building strategies into the design, construction, and operation of affordable housing developments. A completely revised and expanded second edition of the groundbreaking 1999 publication, this new book focuses on topics of specific relevance to affordable housing including: how green building adds value to affordable housing the integrated design process best practices in green design for affordable housing green operations and maintenance innovative funding and finance emerging programs, partnerships, and policies Edited by national green affordable housing expert Walker Wells and featuring a foreword by Matt Petersen, president and chief executive officer of Global Green USA, the book presents 12 case studies of model developments and projects, including rental, home ownership, special needs, senior, self-help, and co-housing from around the United States. Each case study describes the unique green features of the development, discusses how they were successfully incorporated, considers the project's financing and savings associated with the green measures, and outlines lessons learned. Blueprint for Green Affordable Housing is the first book of its kind to present information regarding green building that is specifically tailored to the affordable housing development community.




Housing 2.0


Book Description

Home is the ultimate consumer product. It has to be. We spend nearly 70 percent of our lives in our homes. Which leads to the "why" forHousing 2.0: Home is where life happens. Moreover, housing is one our nation's largest industries with a profound impact on our national economy. However, five crises are historically converging on the industry causing exponentially increasing pain. Housing 2.0 is about connecting the dots by identifying four market-ready innovations that will effectively mitigate these crises. In essence, it is a guide how to prepare for the inevitable disruption looming ahead.And it all begins by shifting the housing industry to a user experience optimization business model. Housing 2.0 uniquely serves this transitionwith an actionable framework for consistently delivering homes that meet and exceed homebuyer expectations. It includes:? 19 strategies for optimizing 5 key user experiences? 150+ proven user experience best practices? 400+ pages of meticulously organized content? 360+ citations supporting key findings and recommendations? Hundreds of charts, graphs, and illustrations? Eight thought leaders essays providing expert insights in key principlesAdapting the Housing 2.0 framework provides an opportunity to build homes with substantially greater user value at significantly lower cost.This finding is supported by detailed tabulations throughout the book and empirical case studies in the final chapter. But one warning. Housing 2.0 is a lot to take in all at once. Do not be overwhelmed by all of the exciting opportunities provided to optimize how we build communities and individual homes. Instead, every housing organization should be inspired to start getting on their own optimization path. One wherethey customize the comprehensive Housing 2.0 framework for their regional constraints and business constraints, and then start applying it to actual projects. Towards that end, all housing professionals are invited to join Housing 2.0 Workshops and Action Groups provided by Green Builder Media and to start their own journey to user experience leadership. Housing 2.0 is about homes where life happens better.




ICSDEC 2012


Book Description




Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building


Book Description

The Fully Updated, Indispensible Study of Sustainable Design Principles Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building is the first textbook to merge principles, theory, and practice into an integrated workflow. This book introduces the technologies and processes of sustainable design and shows how to incorporate sustainable concepts at every design stage. This comprehensive primer takes an active learning approach that keeps students engaged. This book dispenses essential information from practicing industry specialists to provide a comprehensive introduction to the future of design. This new second edition includes: Expansive knowledge—from history and philosophy to technology and practice Fully updated international codes, like the CAL code, and current legislations Up-to-date global practices, such as the tools used for Life-Cycle Assessment Thorough coverage of critical issues such as climate change, resiliency, health, and net zero energy building Extensive design problems, research exercise, study questions, team projects, and discussion questions that get students truly involved with the material Sustainable design is a responsible, forward-thinking method for building the best structure possible in the most efficient way. Conventional resources are depleting and building professionals are thinking farther ahead. This means that sustainable design will eventually be the new standard and everyone in the field must be familiar with the concepts to stay relevant. Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building is the ideal primer, with complete coverage of the most up to date information.