Building a Sustainable Home


Book Description

The green building movement has produced hundreds of “how-to” books and websites that are filled with tips about green building and what homeowners should do to go green. While helpful and informative, when it comes to making actual purchasing and installation decisions, these books do not make it any easier for a homeowner to prioritize against a budget. Here, Schifman shares her knowledge and experience for others to use in their journey toward a greener way of living. Whether the reader is building a new home or doing a minor remodel, a homeowner needs a framework by which to guide their decisions. These decisions are based on values, and the author posits that there are really only three reasons to go green: For Our Health: By building more sustainably, we reduce our exposure to harmful chemicals and toxins. For Our Wealth: By building a more durable home and being more efficient with resources like water and electricity, we reduce our monthly utility bills and ongoing maintenance expenses. For Our Soul: Collectively doing the right thing for our planet does make a difference—and that is soul-nourishing. Learn the logistics of choosing windows, insulation, appliances, and lighting. Find out about FSC certified wood and about using reclaimed materials. Here is everything you need to make your home sustainable.




Sustainable House


Book Description

Including Australian and internal examples of sustainable building, this book is packed with practical information to help every home renovator or builder. ---back cover.




21st Century Sustainable Homes


Book Description

Latest in sustainable housing design trends from around the world.




A Primer on Sustainable Building


Book Description

Written for architects, developers, general contractors, landscapers, and home owners, this book demonstrates how a holistic approach to design can result in a building even better than the sum of its parts. Topics include site and habitat restoration, transportation integration, edible landscapes, energy-efficient design, materials selection, indoor air quality, and cost implications, plus an extensive bibliography and source lists.




Essential Sustainable Home Design


Book Description

Design your own sustainable home Many people dream of building a beautiful, environmentally friendly home. But until now there has been no systematic guide to help potential builders work through the complete process of imagining, planning, designing, and building their ideal, sustainable home. Essential Sustainable Home Design walks potential homebuilders through the process starting with key concepts, principles, and a project vision that will guide the house to completion. Coverage includes: How to clarify your ideas and create a practical pathway to achieving your dream A criteria matrix to guide design, material, and systems decisions Creating a strong, integrated design team and working with professionals and code officials to keep the project on track from start to finish. Key building science concepts that make for a high-performance, durable building Primer on building logistics, material sourcing, and protocols to ensure that the initial vision for the project comes to fruition. One-page summaries and ratings of popular sustainable building materials and system options. Ideal for owner-builders and sustainable building contractors working with clients aiming to design and build a sustainable home. Chris Magwood has designed and built some of the most innovative, sustainable buildings in North America, including the first off-grid, straw bale home in Ontario. He is co-founder and director the Endeavour Centre for Innovative Building and Living and co-editor of the Sustainable Building Essentials series. Chris is the author of Essential Prefab Straw Bale Construction, Essential Hempcrete Construction, Straw Bale Details, More Straw Bale Building , and Making Better Buildings .




150 Best Sustainable House Ideas


Book Description

150 Best Sustainable House Ideas features the latest innovations in environmentally friendly home design. From heating and cooling solutions to wind energy systems, solar paneling, thermal glazing, and even Trombe walls, the ideas featured inside are complemented by photographs and architectural plans of gorgeous, sustainable houses around the world.




Modern Sustainable Residential Design


Book Description

"The world of residential building is poised to do great things. The guidance, information, materials and technology, while ever-evolving, are in place. Now it's the hearts and minds that must follow. Modern Sustainable Residential Design is a comprehensive, user-friendly guide that can help. So let's get started." —From the Foreword by Allison Arieff, The New York Times "By Design" columnist Books and articles celebrating sustainable or green residential design have become commonplace. This book is different. Written for design professionals, William Carpenter's Modern Sustainable Residential Design not only explores the fundamental design principles of sustainable homes, it provides a practical guide to implementing them. This guide offers lessons for architects, interior designers, and builders who want to conceptualize and implement sustainable design strategies in modern residential design. It outlines solutions for incorporating sustainable aspects into a home design from conceptualization to implementation. Detailed design analyses range from groundbreaking contemporary buildings such as Pugh + Scarpa's Solar Umbrella House to Ray Kappe's LivingHome, illuminating some of the most innovative sustainable strategies in the United States and abroad.




Sustainable Housing


Book Description

Sustainable housing is generally used to describe housing that is environmentally friendly and resource-efficient over the lifetime of the building. Homes are designed to have the least possible negative impact on the environment. This means energy efficiency, avoiding environmental toxins, and responsibly using materials and resources while having positive physical and psychological effects on inhabitants. This book presents a comprehensive overview of sustainable housing, starting from legislation and ending with the design and configuration of homes.




Sustainable Housing


Book Description

Written by experts using case studies of latest practice, Sustainable Housing brings new perspectives on residential sustainability and is based upon the 'Housing and Sustainability' conference at the RIBA in 1998.




Making Better Buildings


Book Description

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