Books About Green Construction
Birkeland,
Janis. Design for Sustainability: A Sourcebook of Integrated Eco-Logical
Solutions. London: Earthscan, 2009. Print.
Costa,
Duran S. Eco House: Practical Ideas for a Greener, Healthier Dwelling. Richmond
Hill, Ont: Firefly Books, 2010. Print.
Comprehensive
resource on ecological health in the home and how to achieve it. Called the
"new architecture for the new world," sustainable building is firmly
established as an important influence on residential design. Eco House is a
complete guide to the structural features and interior and exterior elements
that make a house healthy for its residents and for Earth. From solar roofs to
sinks that flush the toilet by recycling their gray water, there are any number
of options, expensive and inexpensive, that can turn a home into an
"eco-house. "The book covers all of the essentials of sound
bioclimatic design: Structures that works with sun and wind directions Optimum
ventilation and heat recovery Green roof insulation and cooling Solar heating
Geothermal heating and cooling Radiant heating Pellet-fuel heating and
ventilation Photoelectric power Turbine wind power Rainwater-cistern and
gray-water plumbing. This
practical reference also takes readers on a room-by-room tour of hundreds of
eco-friendly lifestyle options, including how to clean with chemical-free
products. Homeowners can make one
change or plan an entire refit to take their house off the grid -- nothing is
too little. In addition to the well-known measures, such as straw bales and
solar panels, Eco House describes the many newer options available, providing
photographs and illustrations as well as a directory of manufacturers. These
include thermal and acoustic bricks, living walls, vegetable-fiber insulation
and solar-sourced indoor lighting.
This is a fascinating volume packed with descriptive photographs and the
most current expert information.
Galloway,
Terry R. Solar House: A Guide for the Solar Designer. Jordan Hill, Oxford:
Architectural Press, 2007. Print.
Synopsis:
Covering the full life span of the project, from siting issues through specific
design features to maintenance of the property and equipment, this is a
comprehensive guide to designing, planning and building a solar house. The
author uses his experience of living in a solar house to inform the reader of
the technology and practices needed for the design, operation and maintenance
of the solar home. Each of the technologies of the house, such as space heating
and cooling, domestic hot water and electric power technologies, are critiqued
from the point of view of the owner/resident, with the author using his thirty
years experience of living in a solar home. This provides homeowners who are
thinking of going solar with first hand evidence of best practice, and provides
the architect and designer with the knowledge of how to best satisfy their
clients needs.* Provides essential information for the solar designer and
contractor * Gives an insight into the authors experience of living in a solar
house to advise on best practice * Informs about the latest technology and
methods for maintenance of the solar home.
Gevorkian,
Peter. Alternative Energy Systems in Building Design. New York: McGraw-Hill,
2010.
This GreenSource
book is a comprehensive design reference for architects, providing pragmatic,
hands-on design and installation guidelines alternative energy systems
technologies.
Gottfried,
David. Greed to Green: The Transformation of an Industry and a Life. Berkeley,
CA: WorldBuild Publishing, 2004. Print.
Imhoff,
Dan. Building with Vision: Optimizing and Finding Alternatives to Wood.
Healdsburg, Calif: Watershed Media, 2001.
Johnston,
David, and Scott Gibson. Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and
Energy-Efficient Home Construction : a Builder's Guide. Newtown (CT: Taunton
Press, 2008. Print.
A
reference on green, sustainable and energy-efficient home construction.
Starting with explanations of the concepts and fundamentals of green, healthy
and energy-efficient construction, it takes readers through the construction
process, offering expert advice at various decision points.
Owen,
David. Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less
Are Keys to Sustainability. New York: Riverhead Books, 2009. Print.
Upending
the environmentalist viewpoint that urban areas are "anti-green," New
Yorker staff writer David Owen argues that sustainability is achieved in areas
like New York City, while open space, backyard compost heaps, locavorism and
high-tech gadgetry like solar panels and triple-paned windows are formulas for
wasteful sprawl and green-washed consumerism.
Hemenway,
Toby. Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture. White River Junction,
Vt: Chelsea Green Pub, 2009. Print.
Whatever
size yard or garden you have to work with, you can apply basic permaculture
principles to make it more diverse, more natural, more productive, and more
beautiful. Best of all, once it’s established, an ecological garden will reduce
or eliminate most of the backbreaking work that’s needed to maintain the
typical lawn and garden.
Lancaster,
Brad, and Joe Marshall. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond: Volume 1.
Tucson, Ariz: Rainsource Press, 2009. Print.
Lancaster,
Brad, and Joe Marshall. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond: Volume 2.
Tucson, Ariz: Rainsource Press, 2010. Print.
"Earthworks
are one of the easiest, least expensive, and most effective ways of passively
harvesting and conserving multiple sources of water in the soil. Associated
vegetation then pumps the harvested water back out in the form of beauty, food,
shelter, wildlife habitat, and passive heating and cooling strategies, while
controlling erosion, increasing soil fertility, reducing downstream flooding,
and improving water and air quality.
Building on the information presented in Volume 1, this book shows you
how to select, place, size, construct, and plant your chosen water-harvesting
earthworks. It presents detailed how-to information and variations of a diverse
array of earthworks, including chapters on mulch, vegetation, and greywater
recycling so you can customize the techniques to the unique requirements of
your site."--Publisher's website
Long,
Charles K. The Stonebuilder's Primer: A Step-by-Step Guide for Owner-Builders.
Willowdale: Firefly Books, 2006. Print.
Ludwig,
Art. Water Storage: Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers and Ponds: for Domestic Supply,
Fire, and Emergency Use. Santa Barbara, CA: Oasis Design, 2009. Print.
"Describes
how to store water for home, farm, and small communities."--P. ii.
Snell,
Clarke, and Tim Callahan. Building Green: A Complete How-to Guide to Alternate
Building Methods: Earth Plaster, Straw Bale, Cordwood, Cob, Living Roofs. New
York: Lark Books, 2009. Print.
"An
alternative, or green, home is built with an understanding of how the specific
site can match the needs of the owners and result in a dwelling that is
attractive and environmentally responsible. With lively and detailed writing,
plus more than 1,200 how-to photos, this bestselling book takes you through the
construction of a small building that incorporates a wide spectrum of
alternative techniques and materials. Now available in a new edition, you'll
find a revised introduction that places the book within the context of the
green building field, touches upon its success, and provides a link to
extensive online resources collected and updated by the authors. Here is the
perfect guide to creating your own thoughtfully planned and designed green
home"--Cover, p. 4.
Stang,
Alanna, and Christopher Hawthorne. The Green House: New Directions in
Sustainable Architecture. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2010. Print
Alanna
Stang and Christopher Hawthorne have traveled to the farthest reaches of the
globe to find all that is new in the design of sustainable or "green"
homes. The result: more than thirty-five residences in fifteen countries - and
nearly every conceivable natural environment - designed by a combination of
star architects and new practitioners.
Weismann,
Adam, and Katy Bryce. Using Natural Finishes: Lime- & Earth-Based Plasters,
Renders & Paints : a Step-by-Step Guide. Totnes: Green, 2008. Print.
Provides
step-by-step instructions for applying natural finishes, including plasters,
renders, and paints.
Yudelson,
Jerry. The Green Building Revolution. Washington: Island Press, 2008. Print.
"The
Green Building Revolution introduces readers to the basics of green building
and to the projects and people that are advancing this movement. It shows
readers why and how to start thinking about designing, building, and operating
high-performance, environmentally aware (primarily LEED-certified) buildings on
conventional budgets."--Jacket.