'This is a timely and practical book for all who wonder how they can make their community more energy-efficient and sustainable. Lots of personal satisfaction to be had as well! There are doable, often novel, things in here for every house, old and new.' - Tony McMichael, Epidemiologist and climate change researcher, Australian National University. 'As an esteemed architect and pioneer of solar house design in Australia, Wrigley not only has his heart in the right place but the knowledge and practical experience to back it up... This book is detailed, practical and thorough.' - Steve Payne (Organic Gardener).

Derek F. Wrigley, OAM, LFDIA, FRAIA, ARIBA, DA studied architecture and town planning at Manchester University in the U.K. In 1948 he emigrated to Australia and became a lecturer at the NSW University of Technology, where he established the first building science course in Australia. In addition to teaching, he has practised as an architect, industrial designer, and solar consultant including designing and building six solar houses in Sydney and Canberra. He was a co-founder of the Industrial Design Council of Australia and was awarded Life Fellowship of the Design Institute Australia in 1980. He is currently retired from formal practice, and is researching applications for solar energy in building and experimenting with low-energy and low-resource retrofitting of existing houses.