Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series, 9) - Softcover

Johnston; Master

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0865714983 ISBN 13: 9780865714984

Publisher: New Society Publishers, 2004

Synopsis

Whether because of changing lifestyles or simply because houses are becoming outdated, millions of North Americans are renovating their homes every year, spending more money annually on renovation than on new-home construction. But renovations can be fraught with unintended consequences like indoor air pollution. How do you remodel in a healthy, environmentally friendly way?

Green Remodeling is a comprehensive guide. It first points out the advantages of remodeling. Buildings are responsible for 40% of worldwide energy flow and material use; so how you remodel can make a difference. Upgrading furnaces, cabinets and toilets means less fossil fuel pollution, reduced resource depletion and fewer health risks. Green remodeling is more energy-efficient, more resource-conserving, healthier for occupants and creates buildings that are more affordable to build, operate and maintain.

The book then discusses simple green renovation solutions for homeowners, focusing on key aspects of the building, including foundations, framing, plumbing, windows, heating and finishes. Room by room, it outlines the intricate connections that make the house work as a system. For example, how new windows may affect the structure and mechanical systems of the rooms below, the health of the family and the future of old-growth forests. Then, in an easy-to-read format complete with checklists, personal stories, expert insights and an extensive resource list, it covers easy ways to save energy, conserve natural resources and protect the health of loved ones. Addressing all climates, this is a perfect resource for conventional homeowners, as well as for architects and remodeling contractors.

David Johnston was named one of the top 50 remodelers in the U.S. in 1990. He developed the first green remodeling program in the U.S. and is creating a national green certification program for the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. Kim Master is a green building consultant. Both are from Boulder, Colorado.

About this title

Review:

"...a must-have book for anyone about to build a new home or remodel." -- Vancouver Sun, Saturday December 4th, 2004.

Synopsis:

This is a comprehensive guide. It first points out the advantages of remodelling. Buildings are responsible for 40 per cent of world-wide energy flow and material use; so how you remodel can make a difference. Upgrading furnaces, cabinets and toilets means less fossil fuel pollution, reduced resource depletion, and fewer health risks. Green remodelling is more energy-efficient, more resource-conserving, healthier for occupants and more affordable to create, operate and maintain. The book then discusses simple green renovation for homeowners, focussing on key aspects of the building including foundations, framing, plumbing, windows, heating and finishes. Then, in an easy-to-read format complete with checklists, personal stories, expert insights and an extensive resource list, it concerns easy ways to save energy, conserve natural recourses, and protect the health of loved ones.

About this edition

• Publisher: New Society Publishers
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0865714983
• ISBN 13: 9780865714984
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 400