Green Home Building

A comprehensive guide to building green on any budget. According to conventional wisdom, building a green home is an expensive endeavor. The standard approach treats green as an add-on, tacking "premium" products, finishes, and equipment onto a traditional home design. As a result, many green home projects end up over budget or fail to achieve their environmental and performance goals. Green Home Building explodes the myth that green homes have to cost more. Using proven methods based on applied building science, the authors show how to: Lower base construction costs to provide funding for high performance upgrades Achieve a net-zero energy home, including "zero-ing" water, waste, carbon, and associated costs within fifteen years Live affordably into the future, despite anticipated rising costs for fuel, water, materials, taxes, and health care This comprehensive guide to building green on any budget defines the strategies that maximize the return on green investments. Written for anyone who has ever been swayed by the argument that the price tag limits how green a home can be, Green Home Building is a must-read for builders, contractors, architects, designers, and homeowners. Miki Cook is a green building and sustainability consultant who has dedicated her career to educating contractors and the public on the strategies, methods, and benefits of green homes. Doug Garrett has trained thousands of homebuilders, architects, and sub-contractors to build energy-efficient homes using applied building science to improve comfort, durability, and healthfulness while meeting or exceeding the energy code.

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.

GREEN BUILDING: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES IN RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION, International Edition provides a current, comprehensive guide to this exciting, emerging field. From core concepts to innovative applications of cutting-edge technology and the latest industry trends, this text offers an in-depth introduction to the construction of "green" homes. Unlike many texts that adopt a product-oriented approach, this book emphasizes the crucial planning, processes, and execution methods necessary for effective, environmentally sound construction. This text demonstrates that Earth-friendly products and energy-efficient materials take planning in order to make a building truly green. This visionary text helps students and professionals develop the knowledge and skills to "think green" from start to finish, empowering and inspiring them to build truly sustainable homes.

The World’s Greenest Buildings tackles an audacious task. Among the thousands of green buildings out there, which are the best, and how do we know? Authors Jerry Yudelson and Ulf Meyer examined hundreds of the highest-rated large green buildings from around the world and asked their owners to supply one simple thing: actual performance data, to demonstrate their claims to sustainable operations. This pivotal book presents: an overview of the rating systems and shows "best in class" building performance in North America, Europe, the Middle East, India, China, Australia and the Asia-Pacific region practical examples of best practices for greening both new and existing buildings a practical reference for how green buildings actually perform at the highest level, one that takes you step-by-step through many different design solutions a wealth of exemplary case studies of successful green building projects using actual performance data from which to learn interviews with architects, engineers, building owners and developers and industry experts, to provide added insight into the greening process This guide uncovers some of the pitfalls that lie ahead for sustainable design, and points the way toward much faster progress in the decade ahead.

Build your home the 'green' way to reduce running costs, be more self-sufficient and create a more comfortable home. Whether you want a turf roof, solar-powered hot water, or a super-insulated house, this book demonstrates that green is the way forward. Written by award-winning architect Jon Broome, The Green Self-Build Book provides an accessible overview of the different methods of sustainable and eco-friendly construction techniques. Covering the essential elements of design and the self-build process, this practical book includes information on sustainable foundations, floor finishes and insulation. Jon also shares insights on how to build for comfort and health. Inspiring case studies of green building projects using earth, straw, steel and timber are also included. Packed with attractive colour photos throughout, this is an essential resource for anyone who is planning a self-build project or involved in housing.

"Green construction is the building trend of the decade. In direct response to the growing demand for sustainable, healthy, and energy-efficient homes, David Johnston and Scott Gibson present the most forward-thinking theories and the best proven methods of new and remodeled green construction. They begin with down-to-earth explanations of green building basics and move on to site planning, materials selection, energy efficiency, and indoor air quality -- detailing along the way every step in design and construction, from framing to finishes" -- back cover.

Green building is the fastest-growing trend to hit since the Internet, bringing with it an enormous range of new products, systems and technologies. Green Building A to Z is an informative, technically accurate and highly visual guide to green building, for both decision-makers and interested citizens. It begins with an introduction to the importance of green buildings and a brief history of the green building movement, outlines the benefits and costs of green buildings, and shows how you can influence the spread of green buildings. The book touches on key issues, such as enhancing water conservation, reducing energy use and creating a conservation economy. Green Building A to Z examines all aspects of green buildings from: Architecture 2030 to Locally sourced materials to Natural ventilation to Solar energy to Zero-net energy buildings More than just a reference, this book emphasizes the importance of green buildings and green developments for a sustainable future. It will be an invaluable resource for businesspeople, homeowners, product manufacturers, developers, building industry professionals and government officials.

A guide to designing and building the environmentally friendly, energy efficient home of your dreams. More and more homeowners today want houses that are healthy to live in and cause minimal damage to the environment. That’s what green building is all about. Your Green Home is written for homeowners planning a new home—whether you are working with an architect or builder, or serving as your own general contractor. Intended to improve the overall environmental performance of new houses being built, the book sets out to answer some of the big-picture questions relating to having a home designed and built-and getting what you want. Your Green Home covers: Home location and its relationship to the community Site design Construction systems Building design to optimize energy performance Renewable energy systems Material selection Indoor environmental quality Water efficiency Material selection Written by the founder of BuildingGreen—North America’s premier green building authority—this book will prove useful not only to future homeowners, but also to designers and builders seeking to meet this demand. Building professionals well-versed in green building may find this a useful book to give to potential clients to convey the scope and principles of green building.