What can you do right now, with your funky existing home and a minimum of cash, to save energy and live more comfortably? This book has a wealth of ideas from insulating curtains to solar hot water heaters. Each idea is examined for materials cost, fuel reduction, advantages, disadvanta...
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What can you do right now, with your funky existing home and a minimum of cash, to save energy and live more comfortably? This book has a wealth of ideas from insulating curtains to solar hot water heaters. Each idea is examined for materials cost, fuel reduction, advantages, disadvantages and cost effectiveness. A great step-by-step guide for improving the comfort and efficiency of any building. 83 pages, softcover. Updated in 2002. USA.
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Renovation just got a little less stressful with Green Remodeling. An invaluable resource for homeowners, contractors and architects, this book features simple solutions for remodeling a home room-by-room to be more energy-efficient, resource-conserving and health-conscious. Its easy-to...
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Renovation just got a little less stressful with Green Remodeling. An invaluable resource for homeowners, contractors and architects, this book features simple solutions for remodeling a home room-by-room to be more energy-efficient, resource-conserving and health-conscious. Its easy-to-read format offers complete checklists, expert insights and an extensive resource list. By David Johnston and Kim Master. 368 pages, softcover. Canada.
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Breaking new ground, this long-awaited definitive guide offers tips and techniques for working with versatile, durable earthbags %u2014 whether you want to create a home or a garden wall. Includes information on key elements of construction, building code considerations, costs and a res...
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Breaking new ground, this long-awaited definitive guide offers tips and techniques for working with versatile, durable earthbags %u2014 whether you want to create a home or a garden wall. Includes information on key elements of construction, building code considerations, costs and a resource section. By Kaki Hunter and Donald Kiffmeyer. 288 pages, softcover. Canada.
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Here at last is a start-to-finish book on creating concrete countertops for your kitchen and bathroom. This sturdy, sustainable material works equally well in traditional and modern homes. Fu-Tung Cheng, a master of design and construction, takes you step-by-step through the entire proc...
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Here at last is a start-to-finish book on creating concrete countertops for your kitchen and bathroom. This sturdy, sustainable material works equally well in traditional and modern homes. Fu-Tung Cheng, a master of design and construction, takes you step-by-step through the entire process. You%u2019ll be inspired by the 350 color photos that showcase this versatile medium and the various creative options for customizing with color, polish, stain, stamp and embedded objects. Countertops can even be finished to look like marble, glass or sculpture. Throughout this well-organized book, Cheng offers valuable troubleshooting advice and useful tips on maintaining your countertop. By Fu-Tung Cheng and Eric Olsen. 208 pages, softcover. USA.
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Looking for inspiration and direction in the design or remodel of your home? Clearly written and full of photographs, Patterns of Home brings you the timeless lessons of residential design. The 10 patterns described in the book %u2014 among them, "capturing light" and "the flow through ...
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Looking for inspiration and direction in the design or remodel of your home? Clearly written and full of photographs, Patterns of Home brings you the timeless lessons of residential design. The 10 patterns described in the book %u2014 among them, "capturing light" and "the flow through rooms" %u2014 are drawn from hundreds of principles and presented with clarity by the authors, renowned architects who have designed homes together for more than 30 years. This book will jump-start the design process and make all the difference between a house that satisfies material requirements and one that is a "home." Patterns of Home promises to become the "design bible" for homeowners and architects alike. Lavishly illustrated in the rich Taunton Press style. By Max Jacobson, Murray Silverstein and Barbara Winslow. 288 pages, hardcover. USA.
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This inspiring book presents 20 step-by-step plans including a log cabin, floating water gazebo, yurt, grape arbor, sauna hut, wigwam, river raft and fold-up tree house. Many of these low-cost, outdoor buildings can be built in a few hours or in less than a day and do not require high l...
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This inspiring book presents 20 step-by-step plans including a log cabin, floating water gazebo, yurt, grape arbor, sauna hut, wigwam, river raft and fold-up tree house. Many of these low-cost, outdoor buildings can be built in a few hours or in less than a day and do not require high levels of building skills. Individual creativity can make any of the projects unique personal statements. Includes detailed illustrations. By David and Jeanie Stiles. 160 pages, softcover. USA.
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Used as a textbook in Solar Energy International workshops, Photovoltaics delivers the critical information to successfully design, install and maintain PV systems. It covers solar electricity basics, PV applications and system components, site analysis and mounting; how to size stand-a...
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Used as a textbook in Solar Energy International workshops, Photovoltaics delivers the critical information to successfully design, install and maintain PV systems. It covers solar electricity basics, PV applications and system components, site analysis and mounting; how to size stand-alone and PV/generator hybrid systems; utility-interactive PV systems; system costs; safety issues; and much more. By Solar Energy International staff. 317 pages, softcover. Canada.
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For architects, designers and the rest of us, this introduction to natural building covers how to build economically and environmentally sound houses that are as beautiful as they are comfortable. Organized as an anthology of articles from leaders in various building techniques - from s...
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For architects, designers and the rest of us, this introduction to natural building covers how to build economically and environmentally sound houses that are as beautiful as they are comfortable. Organized as an anthology of articles from leaders in various building techniques - from straw bale and cob to recycled concrete and salvaged materials. Five sections take the reader from an overview of natural building through planning and design, specific techniques, example structures, and then into complementary systems to complete your natural home. Edited by Joseph F. Kennedy, Michael G. Smith and Catherine Wanek. 288 pages, softcover.
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Wondering how used vegetable oil and other vegetable sources can fuel a whole new economy? Biodiesel is making headlines these days as gas prices skyrocket, but the truth is it can also reduce net CO2 emissions by 78 percent compared with petroleum diesel fuel. Learn where this alternat...
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Wondering how used vegetable oil and other vegetable sources can fuel a whole new economy? Biodiesel is making headlines these days as gas prices skyrocket, but the truth is it can also reduce net CO2 emissions by 78 percent compared with petroleum diesel fuel. Learn where this alternative fuel comes from, both historically and technologically. Author Greg Pahl writes about the current use of biodiesel around the world as well as the amazing potential for growth. This book allows for the layperson to fully grasp the technology behind this potential solution for the looming petroleum shortage. 282 pages, softcover.
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This definitive work on water storage includes all you need to know to design, build and maintain water tanks and ponds, and to sustainably manage groundwater storage. It also delves into fire protection and disaster preparedness, and includes the best building instructions we%u2019ve e...
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This definitive work on water storage includes all you need to know to design, build and maintain water tanks and ponds, and to sustainably manage groundwater storage. It also delves into fire protection and disaster preparedness, and includes the best building instructions we%u2019ve ever seen for making your own ferrocement storage tanks. Like Art Ludwig%u2019s other books (p. 63), the value-density of this book is exceptional. As the National Drinking Water Clearinghouse put it, "On the average water system, this book will pay for itself a hundred times over in errors avoided and maintenance savings." 125 pages, softcover. USA.
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