Above:
Green Remodeling
All books in the category Green DIY and Home Improvement
by: David R. Johnston, Kim Master
Topics include:
Whether because of changing lifestyles or simply because houses are becoming outdated, millions of North Americans are renovating their homes every year, spending more money annually on renovation than on new-home construction.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 the Author
David Johnston has been developing green building programs for the last 10 years. Named one of the top 50 remodelers in the country by Remodeling Magazine in 1990, he developed the first green remodeling program in the country in Boulder, Colorado, trains remodelers across the US, and is creating a national green certification program for the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. He is President of What's Working and Lightworks Construction, Inc..
Reviews:
A+ Informative jumping off point for people interested in environmental and social responsibility
I didn't read it cover to cover but it was not the type of book to be read like that. All in all I'd say it does a good job covering what is a pretty broad topic; there are so many "green" strategies out there and it is hard to discuss them all. I thought it did a good job on the three or so different main categories and it connected them back to the common denominator. Save, protect, and preserve natural resources. It covers site and land usage, energy and water conservation, and interior and exterior material usage. The author took the difficult path of trying to sell `green' building as potentially cost effective, whereas in reality I think it is important to realize that capital costs will definitely be higher and it is hard to predict/confirm short term viable pay-backs. Once you put a value on your conscience and the long term big picture it makes obvious sense, reasonable pay-backs are definitely attainable but they come from diligent work and coordinated evaluation and integration.
The author's section describing his own `Green Remodeling' projects was a great introduction in general to the integrated design/build process especially for people who are not accustomed to the ebb and flow of a construction project. His `green' strategies won't necessarily work for all of us, but I think he makes that clear too, the more significant thing to take from this section is the mentality of patience and acceptance that it will take to stay focused on and achieve your goals as an owner.
He did a good job describing and detailing a huge portion of all the `green' building approaches, including all kinds of energy efficient systems, ways to address occupant comfort and health, and how to ponder and address social and environmental responsibility in every design decision. He developed sections on all the various rooms in a house so that the reader could evaluate what they really want from their construction project and then how to address each and achieve success within the specific project's constraints (time, budget, and goals). He gave good ideas: like to lay extra conduit in trenches so that at a later date you have an efficient way of expanding capacity without having to waste resources to repeat a job.
I would be confidant in recommending this book to anyone focused on having a positive influence on environmental responsibility. I didn't think it was the most grammatically well written book I've read but it doesn't need to be. In real life it should be used as a reference and ultimately be covered with coffee stains, grease, and saw dust. As one evaluates green design strategies it is important to recognize that there is some disparity between approaches, some things you can do don't even cost a penny, whereas others require a substantial capital investment, neither one is necessarily more `green' then the other but it is the cognizant evaluation of each and focused approach that will ultimately promote a healthier environment in your own backyard and around the world. Take `em or leave `em, but consider and evaluate them all as integrated parts of the systems of your project, the systems of your own life style, the systems of your local community, and the systems of the world.
