Author(s): Daniel D Chiras

Home Improvement

Shelter, like many other elements of human existence, comes at an extraordinary cost to our planet and its inhabitants. In the US alone, construction of 1.2 million new homes a year results in a massive drain on the Earth's natural resource base. Today, nearly 60 percent of all timber cut in the US is used in building houses. Not to mention construction wastes and the huge amounts of resources used in the day-to-day operation of the "modern" household. In addition to environmental costs, there are the personal economic costs -- the thousands of dollars each home owner spends each year to heat, cool, and power our homes.Today, a new generation of architects and builders is emerging, intent on creating homes that meet human needs for shelter while causing only a fraction of the environmental impact of conventional housing. The New Ecological Home provides an overview of green building techniques, materials, products, and technologies that are either currently available, or that will be in the near future. Author Dan Chiras provides a wealth of up-to-date, practical information for home buyers, owner-builders, and anyone interested in building for a sustainable future.Included are chapters on: The Healthy HouseGreen Building MaterialsWood-Wise ConstructionEnergy EfficiencyEarth-Sheltered ArchitecturePassing Solar Heating and Passive CoolingGreen Power: Electricity from the Sun and WineWater and Waste: Sustainable ApproachesEnvironmental Landscaping First published 2002.