An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.
Benjamin Franklin
Building
Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House
Two innovative architects take a unique approach to green building: take an existing house and remodel it to incorporate benefits from nature present in the surrounding environment.
This is the number one book to read if you are considering green building or remodeling. This context of integration with nature in the place you live provides a foundation for all other decisions made regarding design and materials. This book tells specifically how to bring natural light from the sun, natural cooling from breezes, natural insulation from earth and more into your home along with practical direction for making the most of your space and choosing natural materials. Suggestions are divided into simple things you can do today, and longer-term projects to plan for tomorrow. Pages are filled with gorgeous photographs and helpful drawings. Text is easy to read and alternates between explaining the concepts and demonstrating them in real-life examples. I am going to use this book as the basis for my own remodel.
Green Building Products
The place to start if you are looking for green building materials.
While other books give the theory behind green building, this directory provides descriptions and manufacturer contact information for more than 1400 "environmentally preferable" building products and materials, in a format that is easy to use for homeowners. A great resource to put in the hands of your architect or builder, as it is arranged like a set of building "specs" and each chapter opens with a discussion of the primary environmental considerations and the criteria for choosing green products in that category. The authors also publish the GreenSpec Directory of green building products for architects and designers and Environmental Building News. If you are planning green construction or a remodel, this book is an essential resource.
Prescriptions for a Healthy House
A nuts-and-bolts book that addresses every aspect of building a house from a Bau-Biologie perspective.
Within chapters arranged like an architect's specifications, this book covers everything from theory to product specifications, and leads you through the process. If you are building a healthy house, and need all the details, this book to get.
The Good House Book
An overview of what is needed to build a Bau-Biologie house using natural materials and integrating the structure with the site.
It describes all the alternative natural building methods and discusses how to construct a house as a living organism. Includes full color photographs of natural houses on almost every page, visits to cutting-edge natural houses built in the USA, and interviews with natural builders.
The New Natural House Book
A clear and inspiring overview of the possibilities for creating a natural home.
David Pearson was one of the very first students of Bau-Biologie in the English-speaking world. His original Natural House Book, first published in 1989, was the first book in English to outline the possibilities for use of natural materials in building, and established the field of green building worldwide. Part One gives an excellent explanation of the interaction between the home and its external environment, discusses the home's components and natural materials, and the third part with the design of the home room by room. Inspiring color photos and drawings are on every page. This update of the classic contains new resource listings, more gorgeous photos and the latest and best developments in natural construction.
