Green Building for Dummies
I could have predicted this. The publishing of the book “Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies” marks the point in time when green building went mainstream. This Dummies book gives a cheerful and breezy overview of what you can do to make your next building project green. It does not go into great detail on solar and passive solar design, for a more detailed look at these subjects you should check out “The Passive Solar Energy Book” by Ed Mazria. The checklists included in this book will keep you from making big “green mistakes” but they will not guarantee you a building you want to live in.
More important than the checklists so favored by green builders is the design of a building. A good green building first has “good bones” that is to say it has good proportions. A building needs to be a deliberate composition of shadow and light, texture and contrast.
Before purchasing a green building checklist you may want to think about what makes a building feel good to be in, what buildings delight you, and how the buildings you like love got to be that way.
The Green Building for Dummies Book:
Want to build responsibly, reduce waste, and help preserve the environment? Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies is your friendly, step-by-step guide to every facet of this Earth-friendly method of construction. Building a home—even a green home—uses plenty of resources and energy. This practical, hands-on book shows you how to build or remodel conscientiously, whether your dream home is a simple remodel or a brand-new multimillion-dollar mansion.
You’ll start by identifying green materials and sizing up potential systems and construction sites. You’ll weigh the pros and cons of popular green building methods and identify opportunities for saving money in the long run. Need to find some green professionals to assist you in your venture? We’ll help you do that, too. This book will also help you discover how to:
- Understand the lifecycle of building materials
- Choose the right system for your green building project
- Put together a green team
- Work within your budget
- Use green building methods and sustainable systems
- Speed construction and reduce energy use and waste
- Refinish old fixtures and materials
- Beware of asbestos and lead-paint hazards
- Avoid costly mistakes
Complete with lists of ten green things to do on every project and ten things you can do right now in your home in order to go green, Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies is your one-stop guide to planning and building the home you’ve always wanted.
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:07 pm
I agree that green starts with design. It’s much more effective to “get green” from the ground up, as opposed to making an existing building green. However, every liitle bit helps, so Go Green!
July 10th, 2009 at 6:04 am
I think it is fantastic how we are using renewable energy and going green in so many ways. I think we also need to do things like reducing our energy usage, like installing geothermal heat pumps to replace high energy heating and cooling systems.