Green Remodeling Resources Guide
Regularly updated with useful information on green building and remodeling ideas, materials and methods.
Blogs • Books • Electronic Media • Magazines & Newsletters • Websites
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- Eco-Ranch in the Midwest ~ http://ecoranch.blogspot.com/ "One ordinary family's quest to 'green' their 1950s ranch house in a part of the country where green technology and green products aren't easy to come by." Whether or not you're actively considering green options for your next project, you'll enjoy this informative and entertaining site, especially if, like this blogger, you're the owner of an older ranch style house.
- Homeowner's Blog - "Home improvement with an eye toward sustainability" ~ http://www.catskillhouse.us/blog/ - This blogger in the Catskills is tackling renovations and improvements on a 1965 "run down ranch house,"with, as the tag line says, eye toward sustainability. The blog is wide and deep, with daily entries and an extensive index on subjects ranging from the practical to the philosophical, and all worth a read. We're hooked.
- Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies
by Eric Corey Freed. Published by For Dummies (2007). Fun and informative,
expert green advice from a trustworthy brand. Great for newcomers to
greenbuilding as well as those wishing to expand their knowledge beyond
the basics, or anyone who needs a truly practical and useful guide.
For basic and advanced remodeling and new building projects. - Green Building Products: The GreenSpec Guide to Residential
Building Materials
edited
by Alex Wilson and Mark Piepkorn. Published by New Society Publishers
(2006). Over 1400 descriptive listings for green products for every
phase of residential construction. "Products are grouped by function,
and each chapter begins with a discussion of key environmental considerations
and what to look for in a green product." - Green Building Resource Guide (Softcover) by John Hermannsson
AIA.
Published
by The Architectural Machine (1997). Not so new but still very useful.
Contains over 600 materials and products screened for their usefulness,
not merely for their green content. Information is classified by product
index, manufacturer's index, and by construction divisions. The guide's
unique feature is a price indexing system that compares the cost of
the green product with the cost of the standard building product it
replaces. Available in hard copy or searchable CD. - Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House
(Softcover)
by Carol Venolia & Kelly Lerner. Published by Lark Books (2006). Selected
as a finalist for the 2007 Nautilus Book Awards. In beautifully illustrated
case studies, Venolia and Lerner show it's possible to go green by renovating
an existing home. And you don't have to jump in with both feet and a
fistful of dollars to get started: the book offers ideas from the simple
-- that you can get started on right away -- to the more complex. - The Green House:New Directions in Sustainable Architecture
(Hardcover)
by
Alanna Stang and Christopher Hawthorne. Published by Princeton
Architectural Press (2005). Described by Architectural Record
as "a handsome resource guide and inspiration for designers and
their clients," this beautifully photographed book would be more
of an idea stimulator than a practical, hands-on guide, but it does
present of an international variety of green-built projects, both urban
and remote. - The Green Self-Build Book (Softcover) by Jon Broome.
Published
by Green Books, Ltd. (2007). Architect and self-builder Jon Broome's
years of experience and expertise show through in this carefully crafted,
practical book for non-professionals who are considering in or simply
want to learn more about what's involved in doing a green self-build.
The book gives a thorough discussion of design issues, sustainable methods
of construction, and sources of materials and components. There's also
discussion of the "policy implications of a wider commitement to a more
sustainable development process." - The Home Energy Diet: How to Save Money by Making Your House
Energy-Smart
by
Paul Scheckel. Published by New Society Publishers (Mother Earth News
Wiser Living - 2005). Energy auditor Paul Scheckel explains how homes
use and lose energy through electricity, hot water, heating and air
conditioning, and windows, walls and insulation, and teaches how to
quantify energy consumption and cost so you can make better informed
decisions about improvements and upgrades. Lots of personal anecdotes
and humor. - The New Ecological Home: A Complete Guide to Green Building
Options (Chelsea Green Guides for Homeowners)
(Paperback)
by Dan Chiras. Published by Chelsea Green Publishing Company (2004).
Practical information for prospective home-buyers, owner-builders, or
anyone looking to learn more about green building techniques and materials.
Chapters include: The Healthy House, Green Building Materials, Wood-Wise
Construction, Energy Efficiency, Earth-Sheltered Architecture, Passive
Solar Heating and Passive Cooling, Green Power: Electricity from the
Sun and Wind, Water and Waste: Sustainable Approaches, and Environmental
Landscaping. - The Passive Solar House: The Complete Guide to Heating and Cooling
Your Home
by James Kachadorian (Hardcover). Published by Chelsea Green Publishing
Company (2006). The author is a civil engineer with degrees from MIT
and Worcester Polytechnic, and founder of Green Mountain solar "kit"
homes. This latest edition of the book features PC-compatible software
that supplements the design process "by allowing homeowners/designers
to enter the specifications of their design and see how changing a variable
will affect its energy efficiency." The advice in the book is applicable
to a variety of climates, architectures, and budgets. - Redux: Designs That Reuse, Recycle,
and
Reveal (Hardcover) by Jennifer Roberts. Published by Gibbs Smith
(2005). Rather than looking for new "green" materials, why
not apply the old wisdom of "reuse and recycle" to your remodeling
and building projects. Roberts shows several innovative examples of
projects that did just that. As with all of her books, Roberts made
sure to include ample resources so you can follow up on your inspiration. - Electronic Media
- Building With Awareness - The Construction of a Hybrid Home (2005) Director: Ted Owens, studio: Syncronos Design Inc. A how-to DVD on design and construction of a straw bale home, with plenty of hands-on demonstrations, professional videography in full-screen digital sound and color. Program features include straw bale construction with rubble trench foundation, post and beam framing, adobe walls and earth plasters, roof framing and insulation, rainwater cisterns, photovoltaic electrical system, wiring for straw bale and adobe, and more. Run Time: 162 minutes ASIN: B0007RDR7E
- Magazines & Newsletters
- Dwell Magazine ~
Design
ideas for urban living (interiors and exteriors) with environmental
awareness. Click on image for more details and subscription information. - Environmental Building News ~ a monthly newsletter on environmentally responsible building design and construction. Published by Building Green, Inc., the newsletter, accepts no advertising or sponsorships, is "broad in its coverage, yet specific and practical in its content." For subscription information, link to http://www.buildinggreen.com/ecommerce/ebn.cfm or call (802) 257-7300. Editorial office: 122 Birge Street, Suite 30, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
- Natural Home Magazine ~ "Natural Home offers today's
health-conscious,
environmentally concerned homeowners the information they need to practice
earth-inspired living. Natural Home & Garden brings together the
best in home design, earth-friendly decor, the latest green products
and services, and natural living." Click on image for more details
and subscription information. -
Verdant Magazine ~ A lifestyle magazine featuring a range of
green
ideas from "design, art and fashion trends to news summaries
and authoritative product reports." http://www.verdantmag.com/
- Websites
- Construction and Demolition Recycling Magazine (website) ~ Geared toward the contstruction and demolition professional, but if you're getting ready for a major remodel or addition, you can search their "businesscard" section by category to find professionals in areas such as onsite construction recycling, carpet recycler, and gypsum/drywall recycler: http://www.cdrecycler.com/cards/
- ENERGY STAR ~ The US Environmental Protection Agency sponsored
program that promotes energy efficiency in products, in the home and
in business. The ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes program certifies qualified
new homes and remodels based on stringent energy-efficiency criteria.
Certification is through the utilities, home energy raters, and other
partners. For more information on the home qualification program go
to http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_homes
.hm_earn_star
- For ENERGY STAR Qualified Products: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?
fuseaction=find_a_product
- For the ENERGY STAR page, Common Home Problems and Solutions: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=
home_improvement.hm_improvement_solutions - Green Building Certification Programs ~ The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) has a listing of national and state level certification programs: http://www.pathnet.org/sp.asp?id=20978
- International Straw Bale Building Registry ~ http://sbregistry.greenbuilder.com/ Database being built by Greenbuilder.com, The Last Straw Journal, The Straw Bale Association of Texas, the Development Center for Appropriate Technology, and a number of regional strawbale organizations.
- LEED for Homes ~ Explanation of the LEED certification program for homes, description of the standards, and help finding a LEED for Homes Provider, at the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED for Homes page.
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) ~ Their website features an area for consumers planning on building a new home or taking on a remodeling project. Link to a variety of greenbuilding resources through their Greenbuilding page. Also view articles about their ongoing work on a national greenbuilding standard.
- Naturalremodeling.com ~ the website that goes with the book, Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House (see Books, above). Go to: http://www.naturalremodeling.com/
- Tox Town ~ A comprehensive online library of information on toxic chemicals and environmental health risks sponsored by the National Library of Medicine. Searchable by keyword or section (i.e., town, city, farm, port). Guidance also available for teachers. Site accessible in Spanish. http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/
- U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) ~ The resource-rich website of one of the most reputable green building non-profits in North America. Information resources for every level of expertise: http://www.usgbc.org
Click on images for more information.