This resource guide contains chapter-by-chapter
listings of books, articles, videos, magazines, newsletters, magazines,
organizations, and suppliers. As you look through the Guide, you will
notice that I have divided the listings for several couple chapters into
several categories due to the large number of resources. I think this
will make it easier for readers to find specific information. Because
addresses, phone numbers, and Web sites change, I've tried wherever possible
to provide multiple access points for each resource. If a Web site or
phone number is no longer in service, you may want to try writing.
Chapter 3 - The Healthy House
Chapter 4 -- Green Building
Chapter 5 - Using Less Wood
Chapter 6 -- Energy Conservation
Chapter 7 - Accessibility, Adaptability, and Ergonomic Design
Chapter 8 -- Alternative Architecture
Chapter 9 -- Natural Building
Chapter 10 -- Earth-Sheltered Housing
Chapters 11 and 12 -- Passive Solar Heating and Cooling
Chapter 14 -- Water and Waste
Chapter 15 -- Environmental Landscaping
Chapter 1 -- Green Building
Chiras, Daniel D. Lessons from Nature: Learning
to Live Sustainably on the Earth. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 1992.
For those interested in learning more about principles of ecological sustainability.
Chiras, Daniel D. "Principles of Sustainable
Development: A New Paradigm for the Twenty-First Century," Env. Carcinogenesis
and Ecotoxicology Reviews, Vol. C13 (2), 1995, 143 - 178. A detailed exploration
of the social, economic, and environmental principles of sustainability.
Borer, Pat and Cindy Harris. The Whole House Book:
Ecological Building Design and Materials. Powys, England: Centre for Alternative
Technology publications, 1988. A detailed treatment of green building.
Dickinson, D. Small Houses for the Next Century. New York: McGraw-Hill,
1995. One of several books on the subject. Full of good information.
Susanka, Sarah. The Not So Big House, Newtown, Ct:
Taunton Press, 1997. A highly popular introduction to the art of building
small houses with floor plans and many exquisitely beautiful photos..
Susanka, Sarah. Creating the Not So Big House, Newtown,
Ct: Taunton Press, 2000. A follow-up to Susanka's popular book listed
above.
Sustainable Buildings Industry Council. Green Building
Guidelines: Meeting the Demand for Low-Energy, Resource-Efficient Homes.
Washington, D.C.: SBIC, 2002. General guide to green building, covering
many important topics.
Magazines and Newsletters
Mother Earth News. 1503 SW 42nd St., Topeka, Ks
66609. Tel: (800) 678-5779. Web site: www.motherearthnews.com. Publishes
a wide assortment of stories on green building from natural building to
solar and wind energy to natural swimming pools to green building materials.
Environmental Building News. BuildingGreen, Inc.,
122 Birge Street, Suite 30, Brattleboro, Vt. 05301. Tel: (803) 257- 7300.
Web site: www.BuildingGreen.com. The nation's leading source of objective
information on green building, including alternative energy and back-up
heating systems. Archives containing all issues published from 1992 to
2001 are available on a CD Rom.
Environmental Design and Construction. 81 Landers
Street, San Francisco, Ca. 94114. Tel: (415) 863-2614. Web site: www.EDCmag.com.Publishes
numerous articles on green building; geared more toward commercial buildings.
Natural Home. 201 Fourth St., Loveland, Co. 80537.
Web site: www.naturalhomemagazine.com. Publishes numerous articles on
green building, especially natural building and healthy building products,
with lots of inspiring photographs.
Organizations
American Institute of Architects. 1735 New York
Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20006. Tel: (800) 242 - 3837. Web site: www.aia.org.
Their National and State Committees on the Environment are actively promoting
green building practices, and have been for many years.
BuildingGreen, Inc. 122 Birge St., Suite 30, Brattleboro,
Vt. 05301. Tel (800) 861-0954. Web site: www.BuildingGreen.com. Publishes
Environmental Building News, GreenSpec Directory (a comprehensive listing
of green building materials, Green Building Advisor (a CD Rom that provides
advice on incorporating incorporating green building materials and techniques
in residential and commercial applications), and Premium Online Resources
(a web site containing an electronic version of its newsletter.
Building Industry Professionals for Environmental
Responsibility. 5245 College Ave., #225, Oakland, CA 94618. Web site:
www.biperusa.biz. A national nonprofit organization that promotes environmentally
sustainable building.
Center for Resourceful Building Technology. P.O.
Box 100, Missoula, Mt. 59806. Tel: (406) 549-7678/ Web: www.crbt.org.
A Project of the national Center for Appropriate Technology. Promotes
environmentally responsible construction.
Ecological Building Network. 209 Caledonia Street,
Sausalito, Ca. 94965-1926. Tel: (415) 331-7360. Web site: www.ecobuildnetwork.
Seeks ways to build environmentally sustainable shelter in wealthy industrial
and nonindustrial nations.
National Association of Home Builders Research Center.
400 Prince George's Blvd., Upper Marlboro, Md. 20744. Tel: (301) 249-4000.
Web site: www.nahbrc.org. A leader in green building, including energy
efficiency. Sponsors important conferences, research, and publications.
For a listing of their books contact www.builderbooks.com.
Chapter 2 -- Site Selection and Protection
Publications
Center for Resourceful Building Technology Staff.
Reducing Construction and Demolition Waste. Missoula, Mt.: National Center
for Appropriate Technology, Center for Resourceful Building Technology,
1995. A guide for builders and homeowners on jobsite recycling.
Chiras, Daniel D. The Natural Home: A Complete Guide
to Healthy, Energy-Efficient, Environmental Homes. Chelsea Green: White
River Junction, Vt., 2000. Chapter 13 contains more detailed coverage
of a number of aspects of site selection briefly mentioned in this book.
Clark, S. The Real Goods Independent Builder: Designing
and Buildng a House Your Own Way. White River Junction: Vt.: Chelsea Green,
1996. Check out the chapters on choosing a site and site planning.
Rousseau, D. and Wasley, J. Healthy by Design: Building
and Remodeling Solutions for Creating Healthy Homes. 2nd ed. Point Roberts,
Wa.: Hartley and Marks Publishers, 1999. This book offers a great deal
of advice on site selection.
Smith, M. G. The Cobber's Companion: How to Build
Your Own Earthen Home. The Cob Cottage: Cottage Grove, OR, 1998. This
book has an excellent section on siting a home.
Online Publications
Bernard, K.E. and Dennis, C. and Jacobi, W. R. Protecting
Trees During Construction. Available from Colorado State University Extension
Service at www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/GARDEN/07420.html.
Johnson, Gary R. Protecting Trees from Construction
Damage: A Homeowner's Guide. Available on-line from the University of
Minnesota Extension Service at www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/DK6135.html.
Organizations
The National Arbor Day Foundation, Building With
Trees Program (in cooperation with the National Association of Home Builders).
100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE 68410. Web site: www.arborday.org/Programs/BuildWTrees.html.
For information on ways to protect trees during construction.
Chapter 3 - The Healthy
House
Publications
American Lung Association, Environmental Protection
Agency, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and American Medical Association.
Indoor Air Pollution: An Introduction for Health Professionals. Publication
No. 1994-523-217/81322, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office,
1994. Dynamite reference for more detailed information on the health effects
of the most common indoor air pollutants.
Borer, Pat, and Cindy Harris. The Whole House Book:
Ecological Building Design and Materials. Powys, England: Centre for Alternative
Technology Publications, 1998. Contains a wealth of information on building
healthy, environmentally friendly homes.
Baker-Laporte, Paula, Erica Elliot, and John Banta.
Prescriptions for a Healthy House: A Practical Guide for Architects, Builders,
and Homeowners. 2nd ed. Gabriola Island, B.C.: New Society Publishers,
2001. Contains a great amount of useful information.
Bower, John. The Healthy House: How to Buy One,
How to Build One, How to Cure a Sick One. 3rd ed., Bloomington, In.: The
Healthy House Institute, 1997. A detailed guide to all aspects of home
construction.
_____ and Lynn Marie Bower. The Healthy House Answer
Book: Answers to the 133 Most Commonly Asked Questions. Bloomington, In.:
The Healthy House Institute, 1997. Great resource for those who just want
to learn the basics.
Davis, Andrew N. and Paul E. Schaffman. The Home
Environmental Sourcebook: 50 Environmental Hazards to Avoid When Buying,
Selling, or Maintaining a Home. New York: Henry Holt, 1996. Overview of
the sources of health hazards in homes.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Inside
Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality. Washington, D.C.: EPA, 1995. Very
helpful on-line publication for those interested in learning more about
indoor air quality issues and solutions. You can access it at www.epa.gov/iaq/insidest.html
_____. Indoor Air Pollution: An Introduction for
Health Professionals. Washington, D.C.: EPA, 1994. A detailed guide on
air pollution and health effects. Very valuable for diagnosing problems
caused by indoor air pollution. Also contains an extensive bibliography
of research papers on the subject. Available at: .www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/hpguide.html
_____. Model Standards and Techniques for Control
of Radon in New Residential Buildings. Washington, D.C.: EPA, 1994. This
on-line document provides detailed and fairly technical information on
ways to prevent radon from becoming a problem in new construction. Available
at: www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/pubs/newconst.html.
_____. A Citizen's Guide to Radon. The Guide to
Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon. 2nd ed. Washington, D.C.:
EPA, 1992. A very basic on-line introduction to radon. Available at: www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/pubs/citguide.html
_____. What You Should Know About Combustion Appliances
and Indoor Air Quality. Washington, D.C.: EPA, undated. A great introduction
to the effects of indoor air pollutants from combustion sources. Available
at: www.epa/iaq/pubs/combust.html.
_____ and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality. EPA Document No. 402-K-93-007.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1995.
Organizations
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI).
4301 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 425, Arlington, Va. 22203. Tel: (703) 524-8800.
Web site: www.ari.org. Information on in-duct air filtration/air cleaning
devices.
American Academy of Environmental Medicine. 10 E.
Randolph Street, New Hope, Pa. 18938. Tel: (215) 862-4544. Contact them
for the name of a physician who is qualified to diagnose and treat multiple
chemical sensitivity.
American Academy of Otolaryngologic Allergists.
8455 Colesville Road, #745, Silver Springs, Md. 20901. Tel: (301) 588-1800.Contact
them for the name of a physician qualified to diagnose and treat multiple
chemical sensitivity.
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and
Air Conditioning (ASHRAE). 1791 Tullie Circle, NE, Atlanta Ga. 30329.
Web site: www. Ashrae.org. Provides information on air filters.
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM).
20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Il. 60606. Tel: (312) 984-5800, ext. 308.
Web site: www.aham.org. For information on standards for portable air
cleaners.
Conservation and Renewable Energy Inquiry and Referral
Service, U.S. Department of Energy. . P.O. Box 3048, Merrifield, Va. 22116.
Tel: (800) 523-2929. Information on air-to-air heat exchangers
The Healthy House Institute. 430 N. Sewell Road,
Bloomington, In. 47408. Tel: (812) 332-5073. Web site: http://hhinst.com/index.html.
Offers books and videos on healthy building.
Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse. P.O.
Box 37133, Washington, D.C. 20013-7133. Tel: (800) 438-4318. Distributes
EPA publications, answers questions, and makes referrals to other nonprofit
and government organizations.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Referral and Resources.
508 Westgate Road, Baltimore MD 21229. Te: (410) 362-6400. Web site: http://www.mcsrr.org/
Professional outreach, patient support, and public advocacy devoted to
the diagnosis, treatment, accommodation, and prevention
of multiple chemical sensitivity Disorders.
National Radon Hotline. Tel: (800) SOS-RADON. Web
site: www.epa.gov/iaq/contacts.html. Calling this number or contacting
their web site will give you access to local contacts who can answer radon
questions.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Washington,
DC 20207-0001. Tel: (800) 638-CPSC. Web site: http://www.cpsc.gov/ Contact
them for information on potentially hazardous products or to report one
yourself.
Suppliers
See list of green building material suppliers below.
Chapter 4 -- Green Building Materials
Publications
American Institute of Architects. The Environmental
Resource Guide. Washington, D.C.: AIA, 1992. A massive publication that
provides detailed life cycle analyses of many construction materials.
Unfortunately, it is now out of print. For a copy, contact the AIA, listed
above.
Chappell, Steve K., ed. The Alternative Building
Sourcebook. Fox Maple Press: Brownfield, Me., 1998. Lists over 900 products
and professional services in the area of natural and sustainable building.
Chiras, Dan. "Green Remodeling: Keeping it
Clean. Solar Today, May/June, 2001, 24 - 27. Describes a strategy for
remodeling a home to prevent indoor air pollution.
City of Austin Green Builder Program. Sustainable
Building Sourcebook. Austin: City of Austin Green Builder Program. Excellent
resource available on-line at www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook.
Hermannsson, John. Green Building Resource Guide.
Newtown, Ct.: Taunton Press, 1997. A goldmine of information on environmentally
friendly building materials. Reader beware: not all building materials
in books such as this pass the sustainability test.
Holmes, Dwight, Larry Strain, Alex Wilson, and Sandra
Leibowitz. GreenSpec: The Environmental Building News Product Directory
and Guideline Specifications. BuildingGreen, Inc.: Brattleboro, Vt., 1999.
Guideline Specifications make this an extremely valuable resource for
commercial builders and architects.
Lawrence, Robyn Griggs. "Classy Trash," Natural Home, July/August 2002, 44-51. Great story about a home built
from waste paperboard and plastic.
Pearson, David. The Natural House Catalog. Everything
You Need to Create An Environmentally Friendly Home. New York: Simon and
Schuster, 1996. Information on building and furnishing a home, including
a list of environmentally friendly products and services.
Spiegel, Ross, and Dru Meadows. Green Building Materials:
A Guide to Product Selection and Specification. New York: John Wiley and
Sons, 1999. The newest entry into the green building materials books.
Manufacturers
Publications
Because there are many manufacturers of healthy,
green building materials, please refer to GreenSpec, Green Building Resource
Guide, Green Building Materials, or Sustainable Building Sourcebook (listed
above) for information on specific products and their manufacturers.
Online Sources
For online information on manufacturers, contact
Austin's Green Building program at www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/
You can also contact the Center for Resourceful
Building Technology's e-Guide, which provides a searchable database on
green building materials and their manufacturers at www.crbt.org.
The National Park Service Sustainable Design and
Construction Database provides brief reviews of over 1,300 products from
over 550 manufacturers at www.nps.gov/dsc/dsgncnstr/gpsd.
Yet another online source is Oikos Green Building
Product Information at www.oikos.com/products.
Wholesale and Retail Outlets
Building for Health Materials Center. P.O. Box 113,
Carbondale, Co. 81623. Tel: (970) 963-0437. Web Site: www.buildingforhealth.com.
Offers a complete line of healthy, environmentally safe building materials
and home appliances including straw bale construction products; natural
plastering products; flooring; natural paints, oils, stains, and finishes;
sealants; and construction materials. Offers special pricing for owner-builders
and contractors.
EcoBuild. P.O. Box 4655, Boulder, CO 80306 Tel:
(303) 545-6255. Web: www.eco-build.com. This company located in Boulder,
Co. works specifically with builders and general contractors, providing
consultation and green building materials at competitive prices.
Eco-Products, Inc. 1780 55th Street, Boulder, Co. 80301. Tel: (303) 449-1876.
Web site: www.ecoproducts.com. Offers a variety of green building products
including plastic lumber.
Eco-Wise. 110 W. Elizabeth, Austin, Tx. 78704. Tel:
(512) 326-4474. Web site: www.ecowise.com. Carries a wide range of environmental
building materials, including Livos and Auro nontoxic natural finishes
and adhesives.
Environmental Building Supplies. 1331 NW Kearney
Street, Portland, Or. 97209. Tel: (503) 222-3881. Web site: www.ecohaus.com.
Green building materials outlet for the Pacific Northwest.
Environmental Construction Outfitters. 44 Crosby
Street, New York, N.Y. 10012. Tel: (800) 238-5008. Web site: www.environproducts.com.
Sells an assortment of green building materials.
Environmental Home Center. 1724 4th Ave. South,
Seattle, Wa. 98134. Tel: (800) 281-9785. Web site: www.built-e.com. Offers
a variety of green building materials.
Real Goods. 13771 S. Highway 101, Hopland, Ca. 95449. Tel: (800) 919-2400.
Web site: www.realgoods.com Sells a wide range of environmentally responsible
products for homes from solar and wind energy equipment to water efficiency
products to air filters and environmentally responsible furnishings.
Planetary Solutions. 2030 17th Street, Boulder,
Co. 80302. Tel: (303) 442-6228. Web Site: www.planetearth.com. Long-time
green building material supplier. Offers paints, flooring, tile, and much
more.
Chapter 5 - Using Less Wood
Publications
Edminster, Ann and Sami Yassa. Efficient Wood Use
in Residential Construction: A Practical Guide to Saving Wood, Money,
and Forests. New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, 1998. Describes
how to reduce lumber use by 30 percent without compromising the structural
integrity of a home. Available in print and online at www.nrdc.org/cities/building/rwoodus.asp
Imhoff, Dan. Building with Vision: Optimizing and
Finding Alternatives to Wood. Healdsburg, Ca.: Wastershed Media, 2001.
Covers many important ways to reduce wood use.
National Association of Home Builders. Alternative
Framing Materials in Residential Construction: Three Case Studies. Upper
Marlboro, Md.: NAHBRC, 1994. Available from the National Association of
Home Builders Research Center see listing above.
Randall, Robert (ed.) Residential Structure and
Framing: Practical Engineering and Advanced Framing Techniques. Upper
Willison, Vt: Journal of Light Construction, 1999. A collection of articles
from the Journal of Light Construction on a wide range of topics, including
engineered lumber, advanced framing, and steel framing.
Organizations
Forest Stewardship Council U.S. provides information
on FSC-certified lumber. Web site: www.smartwood.org
Chapter 6 -- Energy Conservation
Creating an Energy-Efficient
Building Envelope
Publications
Chiras, Dan. "Minimize the Digging: Frost-Protected
Shallow Foundations," The Last Straw 38 (Summer 2002), p. 10. A brief
overview of frost-protected shallow foundations.
Chiras, Dan. "Retrofitting a Foundation for
Energy Efficiency, The Last Straw 38 (Summer 2002), p. 10. Describes ways
to retrofit foundations to reduce heat loss.
Carmody, John, Stephen Selkowitz, and Lisa Heschong.
Residential Windows: A Guide to New Technologies and Energy Performance.
New York: Norton, 1996. Extremely important reading for all passive solar
home designers.
Fine Homebuilding. The Best of Fine Homebuilding:
Energy-Efficient Building. Newtown, Ct: Taunton Press, 1999. A collection
of detailed, somewhat technical, articles on a wide assortment of topics
related to energy efficiency including insulation, energy-saving details,
windows, housewraps, skylights, and heating systems.
Hurst-Wajszczuk, Joe. "Save Energy and Money
- Now," Mother Earth News, October/November 2001, 24 - 33. Useful
tips on saving energy in new and existing homes.
Loken, Steve. ReCraft 90: The Construction of a
Resource-Efficient House. Missoula, Mt.: National Center for Appropriate
Technology, Center for Resourceful Building Technology, 1997. Field notes,
lessons learned, and other information obtained from experience building
a demonstration home in Missoula, Montana.
Lstiburek, Joe, and Besty Pettit. EEBA Builder's
Guide-Cold Climate. Minneapolis, Mn.: Energy Efficient Building Association,
1999. Superb resource for advice on building in cold climates.
_____. EEBA Builder's Guide-Mixed Humid Climate.
Minneapolis, Mn.: Energy Efficient Building Association, 1999. Superb
resource for advice on this climate.
_____. EEBA Builder's Guide-Hot-Arid Climate. Minneapolis,
Mn.: EEBA, 1999. Superb resource for advice on building in hot arid climates.
Magwood, Chris, ed. "Roofs and Foundations," The Last Straw 38 (September 2002). An excellent resource for those who
want to learn about energy- and material-efficient foundations.
Mumma, Tracy.Guide to Resource Efficient Building Elements. Missoula,
Mt: National Center for Appropriate Technology, Center for Resourceful
Building Technology, 1997. A handy guide to materials that help improve
the efficiency of homes and other buildings. Available in updated versions
online and free at www.crbt.org.
National Association of Home Builders Research Center.
Design Guide for Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations. Upper Marlboro,
Md.: NAHB Research Center, 1996. Also available on-line, as indicated
in the text in chapter 2.
Pahl, Greg. Home Heating Basics. White River Junction,
Vt: Chelsea Green, 2003. A useful overview of home heating.
Scheckel, Paul. Home Energy Basics. White River
Junction, Vt: Chelsea Green, 2003. An overview of energy consumption and
conservation in homes.
Sikora, Jeannie L. Profit from Building Green: Award
Winning Tips to Build Energy Efficient Homes. Washington, D.C.: BuilderBooks,
2002. A brief, but informative overview of energy-conservation strategies.
Wilson, Alex. "Windows: Looking through the
Options," Solar Today May/June, 2001, 36 - 39. A great overview of
windows with a useful checklist for those in the market to buy new windows.
Wilson, Alex, Jennifer Thorne, and John Morrill.
Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 7th ed. Washington, D.C.: American
Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, 1999. Excellent book, full of
information on energy-saving appliances.
Yost, Harry. Home Insulation: Do It Yourself and
Save as Much as 40%. Pownal, Vt.: Storey Communications, 1991. Extremely
useful book to read for anyone building his or her own home.
Organizations
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
1001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 801, Washington, D.C. 20036. Tel: (202)
429-0063, Web site: www.aceee.org. Numerous excellent publications on
energy efficiency, including Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings.
Building America Program. U.S. Department of Energy.
Office of Building Systems, EE-41, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
D.C. 20585. Tel: (202) 586-9472. Leaders in promoting energy-efficiency
and renewable energy to achieve zero energy buildings.
Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association.
Your place to "shop" for information on cellulose insulation.
133 S. Keowee St., Dayton, Oh. 45402. Tel: (937) 222-2462. Web site: www.cellulose.org.
Consumers Union. Tel: (800) 500-9760. Web site:
www.consumerreports.org. Publishes Consumer Reports and Consumer Reports
Annual Buying Guide, which rates appliances for reliability, convenience,
and efficiency.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse.
P.O. Box 3048, Merrifield, Va. 22116. Tel: (800) 363-3732. Great source
of a variety of useful information on energy efficiency.
Energy Efficient Building Association. 490 Concordia
Ave., P.O. Box 22307, Eagen, Mn. 55122. Tel: (651) 268-7585. Web site:
http://www.eeba.org/. Offers conferences, workshops, publications and
an on-line bookstore.
Insulating Concrete Forms Association. 1807 Glenview
Rd., Suite 203, Glenview, Il. 60025. Tel: (847) 657-9730. Web site: www.forms.org.
A great place to begin your research on ICFs.
National Fenestration Ratings Council. 1300 Spring St., Suite 120, Silver
Springs, Md. (301) 589-6372. Web site: www.nfrc.org. For information on
energy efficiency of windows.
National Insulation Association. 99 Canal Center
Plaza, Suite 222, Alexandria, Va. 22314. Tel: (703) 683-6422. Web site:
www.insulation.org. Offers a wide range of information on different types
of insulation.
U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Agency's ENERGY STAR program. Tel: (888) 782-7937. Web site: www.energystar.gov.
Energy-Efficient Heating
Systems
Publications
Fine Homebuilding. Energy-Efficient Building. Newtown,
Ct: Taunton Press, 1999. Contains a collection of extremely useful articles
on mechanical heating systems.
Fust, Art. "A Simple Warm Floor Heating System," The Last Straw, 32 (Winter 2000), 25-26. Contains much useful information
on radiant floor heat.
Grahl, Christine L. "The Radiant Flooring Revolution," Environmental Design and Construction (January/February 2000), 38-40.
Superb introduction to radiant-floor heating.
Hyatt, Rod. "Hydronic Heating on Renewable
Energy," Home Power 79 (October/November 2000), 36-42. Provides a
lot of practical advice on building your own radiant-floor heating system
and powering it with photovoltaic panels.
Malin, Nadav, and Alex Wilson. "Ground-Source
Heat Pumps: Are They Green?" Environmental Building News 9 (July/August
2000), 1, 16-22. Detailed overview of the operation and pros and cons
of ground-source heat pumps.
National Renewable Energy Lab. "Geothermal
Heat Pumps," published on-line at http://www.eren.doe.gov/erec/factsheets/geo_heatpumps.html.
Great overview of ground-source heat pumps.
O'Connell, John, and Bruce Harley. "Choosing
Ductwork," Fine Homebuilding June/July 1997, 98-101. Essential reading
for anyone interested in installing a forced air heating system.
Siegenthaler, John. "Hydronic Radiant-Floor
Heating," Fine Homebuilding, October/November 1996, 58-63. Extremely
useful reference. Well written, thorough, and well illustrated.
_____. Modern Hydronic Heating. Albany, N.Y.: Delmar
Publishers, 1995. Everything you would ever want to know about hydronic
heating.
Wilson, Alex. "A Primer on Heating Systems," Fine Homebuilding, February/March1997, 50-55. Superb overview of furnaces,
boilers, and heat systems.
Wilson, A. "Radiant-Floor Heating: When It
Does-and Doesn't-Make Sense," Environmental Building News, January
2002, 1, 9-14. Valuable reading.
Organizations
Consumer Product Safety Commission. Office of Information
and Public Affairs, CPSC, Washington, D.C. 20207 or call their hotline
at (800) 638-2772. Web site: www.cspc.gov Offers a wealth of information
on space heaters, including safety precautions.
Geo-Heat Center, Oregon Institute of Technology,
3201 Campus Dr., Klamath, Or. 97601. Tel: (541) 885-1750. Web: www.oit.osshe.edu/~geoheat/.
Technical information on heat pumps.
Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium, Inc. 701 Pennsylvania
Ave, NW, Washington, D.C. 20004-2696. Tel: (888) 333-4472. Web site: www.ghpc.org.
General and technical information on heat pumps.
International Ground Source Heat Pump Association.
490 Cordell South, Stillwater, Ok. 74078-8018. Tel: (405) 744-5175. Web
site: www.igshpa.okstate.edu/. Provides a list of equipment manufacturers,
installers by state, and numerous other resources for contractors, homeowners,
students, and the general public.
Radiant Panel Association. Professional organization
consisting of radiant heating and cooling contractors, wholesalers, manufacturers,
and professionals. 1433 West 29th Street, Loveland, Co. 80539. Tel: (970)
613-0100. Web site: www.radiantpanelassociation.org
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Geothermal
Technologies. EE-12, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C.
20585-0121. Tel: (202) 586-5340. Carries out research on GSHPs and works
closely with industry to implement new ideas.
Efficient Wood-Burning
Technologies
Publications
Barden, Albert A. AlbiCoreTM Construction Manual.
Norridgewock, Me.: Maine Wood Heat Company, 1996. Detailed construction
manual.
Barden, Albert A. The Finnish Fireplace: Construction
Manual. Norridgewock, Me.: Maine Wood Heat Company, Inc., 1984. The only
complete English language primer on making masonry heaters. Available
through the Maine Wood Heat Company (listed above).
_____ and Keikki Hyytiainen. Finnish Fireplaces:
Heart of the Home. Finland: Building Book Ltd., 1988. A valuable resource
for anyone wanting to learn more about Finnish masonry stoves. Available
through the Maine Wood Heat Company listed above.
British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Land,
and Parks. "Reducing Wood Stove Smoke: A Burning Issue," Sept.1994.
Web site: www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdqa/ar/particulates/rwssabi.html
Gulland, John. "Woodstove Buyer's Guide," Mother Earth News (December/January 2002), 32-43. Superb overview of woodstoves
with a useful table to help you select a model that meets your needs.
Johnson, Dave. The Good Woodcutter's Guide: Chain
Saws, Portable Sawmills, and Woodlots. White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea
Green, 1998. A practical guide to felling trees and cutting fire wood
safely.
Lyle, David. The Book of Masonry Stoves: Rediscovering
an Old Way of Warming. White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green, 1984.
This book contains a wealth of information on the history, function, design,
and construction of masonry stoves.
Organizations
Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association. (Formerly
the Hearth Products Association.) International trade association that
promotes the interests of the hearth products industry. 1601 North Kent
Street, Suite 1001, Arlington, Va. 22209. Web site: http://hpba.org. Offers
lots of valuable information.
Masonry Heater Association of North America. 1252
Stock Farm Road, Randolph, Vt. 05060. Tel: (802) 728-5896. Web site: www.mha-net.org
Publishes a valuable newsletter and has a web site with links to dealers
and masons who design and build masonry stoves.
Wood Heat Organization. Contact them at: 410 Bank
Street, Suite 117, Ottawa, Ontario Canada K2P 1Y8. Web site: http://www.woodheat.org
Promotes safe, responsible use of wood for heating.
Chapter 7 - Accessibility, Adaptability,
and Ergonomic Design
Publications
Diffrient, Niels. Humanscale One-Two-Three. Boston,
Ma.: MIT Press, 1974. A technical reference on ergonomic design.
Inkeles, Gordon. Ergonomic Living: How to Create
a User-Friendly Home and Office. New York: Fireside, 1994. Full of useful
information on ergonomic design.
International Conference of Building Officials.
Accessibility Reference Guide: An Illustrated Commentary on U.B.C. Chapter
31 and CABO/ANSI A117.1. Technical information for builders. You can order
a copy of this publication from ICBO at (800) 284-4406. Web site: www.icbo.org.
NAHB Research Center. Directory of Accessible Building
Products: Making Houses User Friendly for Everyone. Upper Marlboro, Md.:
NAHB Research Center, 1999. A catalog of products for accessible design.
NAHB Research Center. Residential Remodeling and
Universal Design: Making Homes More Comfortable and Accessible. Upper
Marlboro, Md.: NAHB Research Center, not dated. An informative guide for
builders.
Peterson, M. J. Universal Bathroom Planning. Hackettstown,
NJ: National Kitchen and Bath Association, 1996. A useful guide for accessible
design of bathrooms. You can obtain a copy by calling (800) 843-6522.
Web site: www.nkba.org.
Peterson, M. J. Universal Kitchen Planning. Hackettstown,
NJ: National Kitchen and Bath Association, 1996. A useful guide for accessible
design of kitchens. You can obtain a copy by calling (800) 843-6522. Web
site: www.nkba.org.
Organizations
Lighthouse International. 111 East 59th Street,
New York, NY 10022. Tel: (800) 829-0500. Web site: www.lighthouse.org.
Information for people suffering from visual impairment.
Paralyzed Veterans of America. 801 18th St., NE,
Washington, D.C. 20006. Tel: (202) 872-1300. Web site: www.pva.org. Produces
information on accessibility, including the Access Information Bulletins.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
P.O. Box 6091, Rockville, Md. 20849. Tel: (800) 245-2691. Web site: www.huduser.org.
General information and guidelines on accessible design.
Chapter 8 -- Alternative Architecture
Publications
Randall, Robert (ed.) Residential Structure and
Framing: Practical Engineering and Advanced Framing Techniques. Upper
Willison, Vt: Journal of Light Construction, 1999. Contains a number of
chapters on steel framing.
Imhoff, Dan. Building with Vision: Optimizing and
Finding Alternatives to Wood. Healdsburg, Ca.: Wastershed Media, 2001.
Covers many topics, including the use of light-gauge steel for framing.
Organizations
Monolithic Dome Institute. P.O. Box 479-W, Tx. 76651.
Web site: www.monolithicdome.com/ Log on to their web site to learn about
their conferences, workshops, books, CDs, building plans, and publications,
and to read feature articles.
Steel Framing Alliance. (Formerly North American
Steel Framing Alliance.) 1201 15th St., NW, Suite 320, Washington, D.C.
20005. Tel: (202) 785-3856. Web site: www.steelframingalliance.com. Offers
a wealth of useful information about the use of steel for framing homes,
including many publications.
Chapter 9 -- Natural Building
General Publications
Chiras, Daniel D. The Natural House: A Complete
Guide to Healthy, Energy-efficient, Environmental Homes. White River Junction,
Vt.: Chelsea Green, 2000. Contains a wealth of information on natural
building with discussions of the pros and cons of each one.
Elizabeth, Lynne and Adams, Cassandra. Alternative
Construction: Contemporary Natural Building Methods. New York: Wiley,
2000. A compilation of articles on numerous natural building techniques
with a little information on natural plasters.
Kennedy, Joseph F., Michael G. Smith, and Catherine
Wanek (editors). The Art of Natural Building: Design, Construction, and
Technology. Gabriola Island, B.C.: New Society Publishers, 2002. Contains
an assortment of articles on natural building.
Minke, Gernot. Earth Construction Handbook.: The
Building Material Earth in Modern Architecture. Southampton, England:
WIT Press, 2000. Contains a great deal of technical information and a
good section of earth plasters, called loam plasters by the author.
Magazines
Natural Home, 201 E. 4th Street, Loveland, CO 80537.
Tel: (800) 340-5486. Web site: www.natural homemagazine.com. Covers a
wide range of topics vital to healthy, natural building.
Straw Bale and Straw-Clay
Construction
Publications
King, Bruce. Buildings of Earth and Straw. Sausalito,
Ca.: Ecological Design Press, 1996. A great book for the technically minded
reader. Contains a wealth of information on tests run on straw bale structures.
Lacinski, Paul and Michel Bergerron. Serious Straw
Bale: A Home Construction Guide for All Climates. White River Junction,
Vt.: Chelsea Green. Contains a great deal of information on building with
straw bales and plastering in cold and wet climates. Detailed coverage
of lime plaster.
Laporte, Robert.. MoosePrints: Holistic Home Building.: Santa Fe, N.M.:
Natural House Building Center, 1993. The only published source on straw-clay
construction. Contains some excellent illustrations, but contains only
a fraction of the information you will need to learn this technique.
Magwood, Chris and Peter Mack. Straw Bale Building:
How to Plan, Design, and Build Straw Bale. Gabriola Island, British Columbia,
Canada: New Society Press, 2000. A wonderfully written book on building
straw bale in a variety of climates, especially northern climates. Contains
a fair amount of information on plastering.
Myhrman, Matts and S.O. Myhrman. Build It with Bales
(Version 2.0): A Step-by-Step Guide to Straw-bale Construction. Tucson:
Out on Bale, 1998. A superbly illustrated and recently updated manual
on straw bale construction. Contains a fair amount of information on wall
preparation, plasters, and plastering.
Steen, Athena S., Bill Steen, David Bainbridge,
and David Eisenberg, D. The Straw Bale House, White River Jct., Vt.: Chelsea
Green, 200?. Updated version of the 1994 best-selling book that helped
fuel interest in straw bale construction. Contains a wealth of information
on straw bale construction, wall preparation, and plasters.
Magazines and Newsletters
The Last Straw. Quarterly journal containing the latest information on
straw bale construction. Annual resource issue contains a gold mine of
information. Publishes articles on natural plasters. This is an absolute
must for all straw bale enthusiasts! Address: Joyce Coppinger, 2110 South
33rd St., Lincoln, Ne. 68506. Tel: (402) 483-5135. Web site: www.strawhomes.com.
Videos
Building with Straw, Vol. 1: A Straw-Bale Workshop, Black Range Films,
1994. Covers a weekend workshop in which volunteers helped to build a
two-story greenhouse addition onto a Lodge. To order: www.strawbalecentral.com.
Building with Straw, Vol. 2: A Straw-Bale Home Tour, Black Range Films,
1994. A tour of ten straw bale structures in New Mexico and Arizona. To
order: www.strawbalecentral.com.
Building with Straw, Vol. 3: Straw-Bale Code Testing, Black Range Films,
1994. Takes you on a tour of ten straw-bale structures in New Mexico and
Arizona. Presents the insights of the owners/builders. To order: www.strawbalecentral.com.
How to Build Your Elegant Home with Straw Bales, covers the specific of
building a load-bearing straw bale home. Comes with a manual. To order:
www.strawbalecentral.com.
The Straw Bale Solution narrated by Bill and Athena Steen and produced
by Catherine Wanek. Features interviews with architects, engineers, owner-builders.
Covers basics of straw bale construction and much more. You can order
directly from the Steens by contacting their Web site: http://www.deatech.com/canelo/order.html
or by contacting producer at: www.strawbalecentral.com.
Organizations
Austrian Straw Bale Network, A-3720 Baierdorf 6,
Austria. Web site: www.baubiologie.at
California Straw Building Association. Contact them at: 115 Angelita Avenue,
Pacifica, Ca. 94044. Tel: (805) 546-4274. Web site: www.strawbuilding.org.
This is group is involved in testing straw bale structures. They also
offer workshops and sponsor conferences.
The Canelo Project, Founded and run by Athena and
Bill Steen, coauthors of The Straw Bale House. Address: HC 1, Box 324,
Elgin, Az. 85611. their website: http://www.deatech.com/canelo/. They
offer workshops, videos, and books on straw bale construction as well
as information on building codes and results of tests on straw bale homes.
Center for Maximum Building Systems. Contact: 8604
FM 969, Austin, Tx. 78724. Tel: (512) 928-4786. Working at the cutting
edge of building materials, systems, and methods. Led by Pliny Fisk III.
Development Center for Appropriate Technology,.
Contact them in care of David Eisenberg P.O. Box 27513, Tucson, Az. 85726-7513.
Tel: (520) 624-6628. Web site: http://www.azstarnet.com/~dcat/. Offers
a variety of services including consulting, research, testing, assistance
with code issues, project support, instruction, and workshops.
European Straw Bale Building Network. Contact them
through strawbale-1@eyfa.org.
Greenfire Institute, Ted Butchart, 1509 Queen Anne Ave. N #606, Seattle,
Wa. 98103. E-mail: greenfire@delphi.com. Offers straw bale workshops,
design consultation, full design, building consultation, and full building
options, all using straw or other sustainable materials.
Japan Straw Bale House Association, 8-9 Honcho,
Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan 3200033. Web site: www.geocities.co.jp/NatureLand/1946/.
MidAmerica Straw Bale Association. Contact them
at: 2110 South 33rd Street, Lincoln, Ne. 68506. Web site: www.strawhomes.com/sban.
Publishes a quarterly newsletter and calendar of workshops. Offers hands-on-training,
tours, and much more.
Natural Building Resource Center. Contact them
at: Rt. 1, Box 245B, Mauk, Ga.. Web site: http://www.gnat.net/~goshawk.
Assists and supports owner-builders interested in straw bale, cob, and
earthbags.
Norwegian Straw Bale Building Organization, Waemhus,
N-1540 Vestby, Norway. E-mail: arild.berg3@chello.no
Straw Bale Association of Nebraska. Contact at:
2110 S. 33rd St., Lincoln, Ne 68506-6001. Tel: (805) 483-5135. Active
in promoting straw bale construction.
Straw Bale Association of Texas. Contact them at:
P.O. Box 4211, Austin, Tx. 78763. Tel: (512) 302-6766. Web site: http://www.io.com/~whtefunk/sbat.html/.
Sponsors monthly meetings, publishes a newsletter, and provides a host
of other resources.
Straw Bale Building Association for Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and England.
Contact: SBBA, P.O. Box 17, Todmorden, OLI1 8fD, England. Tel: 00-44-1706-818126.
Exchanges information and experience in straw bale construction.
Straw Bale Building Association of Australia. Contact
at sbaoa@yahoo.com.au.
Straw Bale Construction Association of New Mexico.
Contact Catherine Wanek, Route 2, Box 119, Kingston, N.M. 88042. Tel:
(505) 895-5652. E-mail: blackrange@zianet.com
Adobe and Cob Building
Publications
Bee, Becky. The Cob Builders Handbook: You can Hand-Sculpt
Your Own Home. Murphy, OR: Groundworks, 1997. Amply illustrated and clearly
written introduction to cob building with a brief section on plasters
and plastering.
Bourgeois, Jean-Louis. Spectacular Vernacular: The
Adobe Tradition. New York: Aperture Foundation, 1989. Superb and beautifully
photographed overview of adobe building throughout the world.
Evans, Ianto, Michael G. Smith, and Linda Smiley.
The Hand-Sculpted House: A Practical and Philosophical Guide to Building
a Cob Cottage. White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green, 2002. Superb
resource! A must read for anyone interested in cob building.
McHenry, Jr., Paul G. Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings: Design and Construction.
Tucson, Az.: University of Arizona Press, 1984. Excellent reference, covering
history, soil selection, adobe brick manufacturing, adobe wall construction,
and many more topics. Good coverage of earthen plastering.
McHenry, Jr., Paul G. Adobe: Build it Yourself. Tucson, Az.: University
of Arizona Press, 1985. Highly readable and surprisingly thorough introduction
to many aspects of adobe construction. Focuses on cement and gypsum plaster.
Smith, Michael G. The Cobber's Companion: How to Build Your Own Earthen
Home. 2nd Edition. Cottage Grove, Or.: The Cob Cottage Company, 1998.
Well written introduction to cob many excellent and useful illustrations.
Stedman, Myrtle and Wilfred Stedman. Adobe Architecture.
Santa Fe, N.M.: Sunstone Press, 1987. Contains numerous drawings of houses,
floor plans, and well-illustrated basic information on making adobe bricks
and laying up walls.
Magazines and Newsletters
The CobWeb. The only cob-focused periodical. Published
twice yearly by The Cob Cottage Company listed above.
Inter Americas Adobe Builder Magazine.. Address:
P.O. Box 153, Bosque, N.M. 87006. Tel: (505) 861-1255. Their web site
address is: www.adobebuilder.com. This magazine, while focusing primarily
on adobe, offers articles on rammed earth from time to time
Videos
Building with the Earth: Oregon's Cob Cottage Co.
Great resource. Obtain from The Cob Cottage Company, P.O. Box 123, Cottage
Grove, Or. 97424. Web site: www.deatech.com/cobcottage/
Organizations
Center for Alternative Technology. Address: Machynlleth,
Powys SY20 9AZ. Phone and fax: 01654 703409. Check out their web site
for a list of offerings at http://www.cat.org.uk/. This educational group
in the United Kingdom offers workshops on earth building and natural finishes,
among other topics.
The Earth Building Foundation, Inc. Web site: http://www.nmia.com/~eaci/index.html.
Formerly the Earth Architecture Center, International, Ltd. A nonprofit
organization whose mission is to help people learn how to utilize earth
building, especially adobe and rammed earth. Offers a newsletter, publications,
information on building codes, workshops and training. Especially helpful
is an extensive search list of approximately 1300 references.
Rammed
Earth, Rammed Earth Tires, and Earthbags
Publications
Easton, David. The Rammed Earth House. White River
Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green, 1996. An informative, highly readable book.
A must for anyone considering this technology. No discussion of plaster
or plastering.
Hunter, Kaki and Doni Kiffmeyer. Earthbag Building
Moab, Gabriola Island, BC: New Society, 2003. Detailed book on earth bag
construction with information on plastering. Informative, and well organized.
Can be obtained from the authors at their company OK OK OK Production
at 256 E. 100 South, Moab, Ut. 84532. Tel: (435) 259-8378. E-mail: okokok@lasal.net.
http: www.ok-ok-ok.com
King, Bruce. Buildings of Earth and Straw. Sausalito, Ca.: Ecological
Design Press, 1996. Another essential reading for anyone interested in
building a rammed earth home.
Middleton, G. F. Earth Wall Construction. Bulletin
#5. North Ryde, NSW, Australia: CSIRO-DBCE, 1995. A manual on rammed earth
showing a unique forming system. Appendices contain structural and insulation
calculations.
Reynolds, Michael. Earthship: Build Your Own. Vol.
I. Taos, N.M.: Solar Survival Press, 1990. A must read for those wanting
to understand the basics of early Earthship design. This book contains
some outdated information, however, so be careful. Be sure to read the
more current volumes and check out the Earthship Chronicles for up-to-date
information.
______. Earthship. Systems and Components. Vol.
II. Taos, N.M.: Solar Survival Press, 1990. Explains the various systems
such as graywater, solar electric, and domestic hot water. Essential reading
for all people interested in sustainable housing.
_____. Earthship: Evolution Beyond Economics. Vol.
3. Taos, N.M.: Solar Survival Press, 1993. Presents many of the new developments.
Latest information, however, is always to be learned in workshops, tours
of new houses, and the Earthship Chronicles.
Wojciechowska, Paulina. Building with Earth: A Guide
to Flexible-Form Earthbag Construction. White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea
Green, 2001. Describes earthbag construction and offers some details on
plastering.
Magazines and Newsletters
Earthship Chronicles published by Earthship Global
Operations, P.O. Box 2009, El Prado, N.M. 87529. Tel: 505/751-0462. Pamphlets
issued periodically to disseminate new information. You will find pamphlets
on graywater, catchwater, blackwater, mass vs insulation, and equipment
catalog.
Solar Survival Newsletter. Available from Solar
Survival Architecture, P.O. Box 1041, Taos, New Mexico 87571. Web site:
Solarsurvival@earthship.org.
Videos
Building for the Future. This is a video about the
building of my house. It explains the how it was built and many green
building products. Contact me at (303) 674-9688 or via e-mail at: danchiras@msn.com.
Dennis Weaver's Earthship. Shows construction of
actor Dennis Weaver's Earthship. Well done and very informative. Helpful
in securing building permits. Available from Solar Survival Architecture
at their on-line store at https://verde.newmex.com/earthship/literature_services.htm
The Earthship Documentary. Describes the history
of Earthship construction, the underlying philosophy behind this unique
structure, and building techniques. Available from Solar Survival Architecture
at their on-line store (listed above).
Earthship Next Generation. A look at new Earthship
designs and constructions.
Available from Solar Survival Architecture at their on-line store (listed
above).
From the Ground Up. Takes you through the process
of building an Earthship. Available from Solar Survival Architecture at
their on-line store (listed above).
Rammed Earth Construction. A 29-minute video produced
by Hans-Ernst Weitzel
To order call Bullfrog films at: (800) 543-3764.
The Renaissance of Rammed Earth. This 31-minute
video features David Easton and serves as an excellent introduction to
the subject or a companion to The Rammed Earth House. Available from Chelsea
Green.
Organizations
CalEarth, California Institute of Earth Art and
Architecture. Address: Nader Khalili, CalEarth/Geltaftan Foundation, 10376
Shangri La Avenue, Hesperia, Ca. 92345. Tel: (760) 244-0614. Web site:
http://www.calearth.org. Offers information on earthbag construction,
including an online newsletter.
The Earth Building Foundation, Inc. See description
listed in adobe section.
Chapter 10 -- Earth-Sheltered Housing
Publications
Chiras, Dan. The Down Earth Home," Mother Earth
News, February/March, 2003, pp. 96
- 102. A brief overview of earth-sheltered building.
Oehler, Mike. The $50 & Up Underground House
Book: How to Design and Build Underground. Bonners Ferry: Idaho: Mole
Publishing Co.,1997. An interesting little book that presents an unusual
way of building underground.
Reynolds, Michael. Earthship: Build Your Own. Vol.
1. Taos, N.M.: Solar Survival Press, 1990. A detailed guide to Earthship
construction.
_____. Earthship. Systems and Components. Vol. 2.
Taos, N.M.: Solar Survival Press, 1990. Describes the sustainable systems
that make up an Earthship.
_____. Earthship: Evolution Beyond Economics. Vol.
3. Taos, N.M.: Solar Survival Press: Taos, New Mexico, 1993. Describes
latest innovations in Earthship design.
Roy, Rob. The Complete Book of Underground Houses:
How to Build a Low-Cost Home. New York City, N.Y.: Sterling Publishing
Co., 1994.
Wells, Malcolm. How to Build an Underground House.
Self-published, 1994. Overview of earth-sheltered building.
Wells, Malcolm. The Earth-Sheltered House: An Architect's
Sketchbook. White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green Publishers, 1998.
Great little book on earth-sheltered design.
Organizations
American Underground Construction Association, 3001
Hennepin Ave., South, Suite D202, Minneapolis, MN 55408. Tel: (612) 825-8933.Web
site: www.auca.org. Conferences and referrals to earth-sheltered professionals.
Chapters 11 and 12 --
Passive Solar Heating and Cooling
Chiras, Daniel D. "Build a Solar Home and Let
the Sunshine in," Mother Earth News, August/September 2002, pp. 74
- 81 A survey of passive solar design principles and a case study showing
the economics of passive solar heating.
Chiras, Daniel D., ed. "Solar Solutions," The Last Straw, 36 (Winter 2001). A collection of over a dozen articles,
many by the author, on passive solar heating, integrated design, thermal
mass, and more.
Chiras, Dan. "Learning from Mistakes of the
Past," The Last Straw, 36 (Winter 2001), 15-16. Describes common
errors in passive solar design.
Cole, Nancy, and P.J. Skerrett. Renewables Are Ready:
People Creating Renewable Energy Solutions. White River Junction, Vt.:
Chelsea Green, 1995. Contains numerous interesting case studies showing
how people have applied various solar technologies, including passive
solar.
Crosbie, Michael. J., ed. The Passive Solar Design
and Construction Handbook. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1997. A pricey
and fairly technical manual on passive solar homes. Contains detailed
drawings and case studies.
Crowther, Richard I. Affordable Passive Solar Homes:
Low-Cost Compact Designs. Denver, Co.: SciTech Publishing, 1984. Contains
some valuable background information on passive solar design and numerous
designs for passive solar homes.
Energy Division, North Carolina Department of Commerce.
Solar Homes for North Carolina: A Guide to Building and Planning Solar
Homes. Raleigh, N.C.: North Carolina Solar Center, 1999. Available on-line
at the North Carolina Solar Center's web site.
Givoni, Baruch. Passive and Low Energy Cooling of
Buildings. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1994. A fairly technical book,
but one of a few resources on the subject.
Kachadorian, James. The Passive Solar House. White
River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green, 1997. Presents a lot of good information
on passive solar heating and an interesting design that has reportedly
been fairly successful in cold climates.
Kubusch, E. Homeowner's Guide to Free Heat: Cutting
Your Heating Bills Over 50%. Sheridan, Wy.: Sunstore Farms, 1991. A self-published
book with lots of good basic information.
Miller, Burke. Solar Energy: Today's Technologies for a Sustainable Future.
Boulder, Co.: American Solar Energy Society, 1997. An extremely valuable
resource with numerous case studies showing how passive solar heating
can be used in different climates, even some fairly solar-deprived places.
Olson, Ken and Joe Schwartz. "Home Sweet Solar
Home: A Passive Solar Design Primer," Home Power, August/September
2002, 86 - 94. Superb introduction to passive solar design principles.
Passive Solar Industries Council. Passive Solar
Design Strategies: Guidelines for Home Builders. Washington, D.C.: PSIC,
undated. Extremely useful book with worksheets for calculating a house's
energy demand, the amount of back-up heat required, the temperature swing
one can expect given the amount of thermal mass you've installed, and
the estimated cooling load. You can order a copy from the SBIC (formerly
the PSIC) with detailed information for your state, so you can design
a home to meet the requirements of your site.
Potts, Michael. The New Independent Home: People
and Houses that Harvest the Sun, Wind, and Water. White River Junction,
Vt.: Chelsea Green, 1999. Delightfully readable book with lots of good
information.
Reynolds, Michael. Comfort in Any Climate. Taos,
N.M.: Solar Survival Press, 1990. A brief, but informative treatise on
passive heating and cooling.
Sklar, Scott, and Kenneth Sheinkopf. Consumer Guide
to Solar Energy: More Ways to Reduce Your Energy Bills and Save the Environment.
Chicago, Il.: Bonus Books, 1995. Delightfully written introduction to
many different solar applications, including passive solar heating.
Solar Survival Architecture. "Thermal Mass
vs. Insulation." Earthship Chronicles. Taos, N.M.: Solar Survival
Architecture, 1998. Basic treatise on passive solar heating and cooling.
Sustainable Buildings Industry Council. Designing
Low-Energy Buildings: Passive Solar Strategies and Energy-10 software.
SBIC, 1996. A superb resource! This book of design guidelines and the
Energy-10 software that comes with it enables builders to analyze the
energy and cost savings in building designs. Helps permit region-specific
design.
Taylor, John S. Shelter Sketchbook: Timeless Building
Solutions. White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green, 1983. Pictorial history
of building that will open your eyes to intriguing design solutions to
achieve comfort, efficiency, convenience, and beauty.
Van Dresser, Peter. Passive Solar House Basics.
Santa Fe, N.M.:.Ancient City Press, 1996. This brief book provides basics
on passive solar design and construction primarily of adobe homes. Contains
sample house plans, ideas for solar water heating, and much more.
Magazines and Newsletters
Backwoods Home Magazine. P.O. Box 712, Gold Beach,
Or. 97444. Tel: (800) 835-2418. Web site: www.backhome.com. Publishes
articles on all aspects of self-reliant living, including renewable energy
strategies such as solar.
The CADDET Renewable Energy Newsletter. 168 Harwell,
Oxfordshire OX11 ORA, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 123335 432968. Quarterly
magazine published by the CADDET Centre for Renewable Energy. Covers a
wide range of renewable energy topics.
Earth Quarterly (formerly Dry Country News). Box
23-J, Radium Springs, N.M. 88054. Tel: (505) 526-1853.Web site: www.zianet.com/earth.
A new magazine devoted to living close to, and in harmony with nature.
Covers all aspects of natural life including homebuilding and renewable
energy.
EREN Network News. Newsletter of the Department
of Energy's Energy-Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network. See listing
under organizations.
Home Energy Magazine. 2124 Kittredge Street, No.
95, Berkeley, Ca. 94704. Great resource for those who want to learn more
about ways to save energy in conventional home construction.
Home Power. P.O. Box 520, Ashland, Or. 97520. Tel:
(800) 707-6585. Web site: www.homepower.com Publishes numerous articles
on PVs, wind energy, microhydroelectric, and occasionally an article or
two on passive solar heating and cooling.
Inside and Out. Newsletter of the Passive Solar Industries Council. See
their listing under organizations.
National Renewable Energy Lab Now. For information
on the latest developments in renewable energy, check out this newsletter
on line at: www.nrel.gov.
Solar Today.. ASES, 2400 Central Ave., Suite G-1,
Boulder, Co. 80301. Tel: (303) 443-3130. Web site: http://www.ases.org/solar/.
This magazine published by the American Solar Energy Society contains
a wealth of information on passive solar, solar thermal, photovoltaics,
hydrogen, and other topics. Also lists names of engineers, builders, and
installers and lists workshops and conferences
The Last Straw. Contact them at: TLS, HC 66, Box
119, Hillsboro, N.M. 88042. Tel: (505) 895-5400. Web site: www.strawhomes.com.
This journal publishes articles on natural building and features articles
on passive solar heating and cooling.
Videos
Buildings for a Sustainable America. A concise overview
of passive solar buildings and their benefits. Available from the Sustainable
Buildings Industry Council (SBIC), 1331 H Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington,
D.C. 20005. Tel: (202) 628-7400. Web site: www.sbicouncil.org.
The Solar-Powered Home with Rob Roy. An 84-minute
video that examines basic principles, components, set-up, and system planning
for an off-grid home featuring tips from America's leading experts in
the field of home power. Can be purchased from the Earthwood Building
School at 366 Murtagh Hill Road, West Chazy, N.Y. 12992. Tel: (518) 493-7744.
Web site: www.interlog.com/~ewood.
Organizations
American Solar Energy Society. 2400 Central Avenue,
Suite G-1, Boulder, CO 80301. Web site: http://www.ases.org/solar/. Publishes
Solar Today magazine and sponsors an annual national meeting. Also publishes
an on-line catalogue of publications and sponsors the National Tour of
Solar Homes. Contact this organization to find out about an ASES chapter
in your area.
Center for Building Science,. Web site: http://eande.lbl.gov/CBS/CBS.html.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Center for Building Science works
to develop and commercialize energy-efficient technologies and to document
ways of improving energy efficiency of homes and other buildings while
protecting air quality
Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies
(CREST). CREST, 1612 K St. NW, Suite 410, Washington, D.C. 20006. Tel:
(202) 293-2898. Web site: http://solstice.crest.org. Nonprofit organization
dedicated to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living.
El Paso Solar Energy Association. P.O. Box 26384, El Paso, Tx. 79926.
Web site: http://www.epsea.org/design.html. Active in solar energy, especially
passive solar design and construction.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse.
P.O. Box 3048, Merrifield, Va. 22116. Tel: (800) 363-3732. Great source
of a variety of useful information on renewable energy.
Florida Solar Energy Center. FSEC, 679 Clearlake Road, Cocoa, Fl. 32922.
Tel: (321) 638-1000. Web site: http://www.fsec.ucf.edu A research institute
of the University of Central Florida Research and education on passive
solar, cooling, and photovoltaics.
Midwest Renewable Energy Association. P.O. Box 249, Amherst, Wi.54406.
Tel: (715) 824-5166. Web site: www.the-mrea.org. Actively promotes solar
energy and offers valuable workshops.
National Renewable Energy Lab.. NREL, 1617 Cole
Blvd., Golden, Co. 80401. Tel: (303) 384-7349. Web site: www.nrel.gov/buildings/highperformance.
Center for Buildings and Thermal Systems. Key players in research and
education on energy efficiency and passive solar heating and cooling
North Carolina Solar Center. Address: Box 7401,
Raleigh, N.C. 27695. Tel: (919) 515-3480. Web site: http://www.ncsc.ncsu.edu.
Offers workshops, tours, publications, and much more.
Renewable Energy Training and Education Center.
U.S. 1679 Clearlake Road, Cocoa, Fl. 32922. Tel: (407) 638-1007. Offers
hands-on training and certification courses in U.S. and abroad for those
interested in becoming certified in solar installation.
Solar Energy International. Contact them at P.O.
Box 715, Carbondale, Co. 81623. Tel: (970) 963-8855. Web site: www.solarenergy.org.
Offers a wide range of workshops on solar energy, wind energy, and natural
building.
Sustainable Buildings Industries Council. SBIC,
331 H. Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 20005. Tel: (202) 628-7400.
Web site: http://www.psic.org/. This organization has a terrific web site
with information on workshops, books and publications, and links to many
other international, national, and state solar energy organizations. Publishes
a newsletter, Buildings Inside and Out.
Chapter 13 -- Green Power
Publications
Butti, Ken and John Perlin. Golden Thread: 2500
Years of Solar Architecture and Technology. Cheshire Books, 1980. Delightful
history of solar energy.
Davidson, Joel. The New Solar Electric Home: The
Photovoltaics How-To Handbook. Ann Arbor: Mi.. aatec Publications, 1987.
Comprehensive and highly readable guide to photovoltaics, although it
is a bit out of date.
Gipe, Paul. Wind Power: For Homes and Business:
Renewable Energy for the 1990s and Beyond.: White River Junction: Vt.:
Chelsea Green, 1993. Comprehensive, technical coverage of home wind power.
Gourley, Colleen. "Production Builders Go Solar," Solar Today,
January/February 2002, 24 - 27.
An inspiring story about the incorporation of solar electricity into homes
in California by large-scale production builders. .
Hackleman, Michael and Claire Anderson. "Harvest
the Wind," Mother Earth News, June/July, 2002, 70 - 81. A wonderful
introduction to wind power.
Jeffrey, Kevin. Independent Energy Guide: Electrical
Power for Home, Boat, and RV. Ashland, Ma.: Orwell Cove Press, 1995. Contains
a wealth of information on solar electric systems and wind generators-and
it is fairly easy to read.
Komp, Richard J. Practical Photovoltaics: Electricity
from Solar Cells. 3rd ed. Ann Arbor: Mi.: aatec Publications, 1999. Fairly
popular book on PVs.
Linkous, Clovis A. (1999). "Solar Energy Hydrogen-Partners
in a Clean Energy Economy." Solar Today 13(4) (1999): 22 - 25. A
good, but detailed and somewhat technical, article on hydrogen production.
NREL. The Colorado Consumer's Guide to Buying a
Solar Electric System. Golden, Co.: National Renewable Energy Lab, 1998.
Provides basic information about purchasing, financing, and installing
photovoltaic systems in Colorado that is applicable to many other states
and countries as well. Contact NREL's Document Distribution Service at
(303) 275 4363 for a free copy.
NREL. The Borrower's Guide to Financing Solar Energy
Systems. Golden, Co.: National Renewable Energy Lab, 1998. Provides information
about nationwide financing programs for photovoltaics and passive solar
heating. Contact NREL's Document Distribution Service at (303) 275 4363
for free a copy.
Peavy, Michael A.. Fuel from Water: Energy Independence
with Hydrogen. 8th ed. Louisville, Ky. Merit, Inc., 1998. Technical analysis
for the engineers and chemists.
Potts, Michael. The New Independent Home: People
and Houses that Harvest the Sun, Wind, and Water. White River Junction,
Vt.: Chelsea Green, 1999. See description in Chapter 11.
Rastelli, Linda. "Energy Independence with
all the Comforts," Solar Today, January/February, 2002, 28 - 31.
An inspiring story about a passive solar/solar electric home in the Washington,
D.C. area.
Roberts, Simon. Solar Electricity: A Practical Guide
to Designing and Installing Small Photovoltaic Systems. Saddle River,
N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1991. Good reference but a bit dated.
Sagrillo, Mick. "Apples and Oranges 2002: Choosing
a Home-Sized Wind Generator," Home Power #90, August/September, 2002,
50 - 66. An extremely useful comparison of popular wind generators with
lots of good advice on choosing a wind machine that works best for you.
A must read for anyone interested in buying a wind generator.
Schaeffer, John and the Real Goods Staff. Solar
Living Source Book. 10th ed. Ukiah, Ca.: Real Goods, 1999. Contains an
enormous amount of background information on wind, solar, and microhydroelectric.
Seuss, Terri and Cheryl Long. "Eliminate Your
Electric Bill: Go Solar, Be Secure," Mother Earth News, February/March
2002, 72 - 82. An excellent discussion of solar roofing materials.
Solar Energy International. Photovoltaic Design
Manual, Version 2. Carbondale, Co.: Solar Energy International. A manual
on designing, installing, and maintaining a PV system. Used in SEI's PV
design and installation workshops.
Strong, Steven. and William G Scheller. The Solar Electric House: Energy
for the Environmentally Responsive, Energy-Independent Home. Still River,
Ma.: Sustainability Press, 1993. A comprehensive and more technical guide
to solar electricity.
Videos
An Introduction to Residential Microhydro Power
with Don Harris. Produced by Scott S. Andrews. P.O. Box 3027, Sausalito,
Ca 94965. Tel: (415) 332-5191. Outstanding video packed with lots of useful
information.
.
An Introduction to Residential Solar Electricity with Johnny Weiss. Good
basic introduction to solar electricity. Source: listed above.
An Introduction to Residential Wind Power with Mick
Sagrillo. A very informative video, especially for those wishing to install
a medium-sized system. Source: listed above.
An Introduction to Solar Water Pumping with Windy
Dankoff.A very useful introduction to the subject. Source: listed above.
An Introduction to Storage Batteries for Renewable
Energy Systems with Richard Perez. This is one of the best videos in the
series. It's full of great information. Source: listed above.
Newsletters and Magazines
Home Power Magazine. See listing in chapter 10.
Solar Today. See listing in chapter 10.
Wind Energy Weekly. Newsletter published by the American Wind Energy Association
listed under organizations.
Organizations
American Solar Energy Society. See listing in chapter
10.
American Wind Energy Association. 122C Street, NW,
Suite 380, Washington, D.C. 20001. Tel: (202) 383-2500. Web site: http://www.ogc.apc.org/awea/.
This organization also sponsors an annual conference on wind energy. Check
out their web site which contains a list of publications, their on-line
newsletter, frequently asked questions, news releases, and links to companies
and organizations.
British Wind Energy Association..26 Spring Street,
London W2 1JA. Tel: 0171 402 7102. Web site: www.bwea.com/. Actively promotes
wind energy in Great Britain. Check out their web site for fact sheets,
answers to frequently asked questions, links, and a directory of companies
Center for Alternative Technology. Address: Machynlleth,
Powys SY20 9Az.. Tel: 01654 703409. Web site: www.cat.org.uk/. This educational
group in the United Kingdom offers workshops on alternative energy, including
wind, solar, and microhydroelectric.
Center for Renewable Energy
and Sustainable Technologies. See listing in chapter 10.
European Wind Energy Association.. Rue du Trone
26, B-1000, Brussels, Belgium. Tel: +32 2 546 1940. Web site: http://www.ewea.org/.
Promotes wind energy in Europe. The organization publishes the European
Wind Energy Association Magazine. Their web site contains information
on wind energy in Europe and offers a list of publications and links to
other sites
National Wind Technology Center of The National
Renewable Energy Laboratory. 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401-3393. Tel:
(303) 275-3000. Their web site is: www.nrel.gov/wind/index.html. Their
web site provides a search mode, so you can check out their site and provide
a great deal of information on wind energy, including a wind resource
database.
Real Goods Solar Living Institute. P.O. Box 836,
Hopland, Ca 95449. Tel: (707) 744-2017. Web site: www.solarliving.org.
A nonprofit organization that offers frequent hands-on workshops on solar
and wind energy and many other topics.
Solar Energy International. See listing in Chapter 12.
Chapter 14 -- Water and
Waste
Publications
Banks, Suzy and Richard Heinichen. Rainwater Collection for the Mechanically
Challenged.
Dripping Springs, Tx.: Tank Town Publishing, 1997. Humorous and informative
guide to above ground rainwater catchment systems.
Campbell, Stu. The Home Water Supply: How to Find, Filter, Store, and
Conserve It. Pownal, Vt.. Storey Communications, Inc., 1983. Good resource
on water supply systems, although it is dated. Unfortunately, it has very
little about catchwater or graywater systems.
Del Porto, David and Carol Steinfeld. The Composting
Toilet System Book. Center for Ecological Pollution Prevention: Concord,
Ma., 1999. Contains detailed information on composting toilets and graywater
systems.
Harper, Peter. Fertile Waste: Managing Your Domestic
Sewage. Machynlleth, Powys, UK. Centre for Alternative Technology, 1998.
This brief book offers some useful information on composting toilets and
for handling urine.
Jenkins, Joseph. The Humanure Handbook. A Guide to Composting Human Manure.
2nd ed. Grove City, Pa.: Jenkins Publishing, 1999. Excellent resource.
Well worth your time.
Ludwig, Art. Creating an Oasis with Greywater: Your
Complete Guide to Managing Greywater in the Landscape. Santa Barbara,
Ca.: Oasis Design, 1994. Firly detailed discussion of the various types
of graywater systems.
Ludwig, Art. Building Professional's Supplement:
Your Complete Guide to Professional Installation of Greywater Systems.Santa
Barbara, Ca.: Oasis Design, 1995. Contains a wealth of information on
graywater systems, including important information on safety and chemical
contents of detergents.
Solar Survival Architecture. "Catchwater." Earthship Chronicles. Taos, N.M.: Solar Survival Press, 1998. Focuses
primarily on catchwater systems for Earthships, but has ideas that are
relevant to all homes.
_____. "Greywater." Earthship Chronicles.
Taos, N.M.:.Solar Survival Press, 1998. Focuses primarily on graywater
systems for Earthships, but has ideas that are relevant to all homes.
_____. "Black Water." Earthship Chronicles.: Taos, N.M.: Solar
Survival Press. (1998). Provides an introduction to the black water systems
under development by SSA.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. US EPA Guidelines
for Water Reuse. Washington, D.C. U.S. EPA, 1992. Publication USEPA/USAID
EPA625/R-92/004. You can obtain a copy of this document at US EPA National
Ctr. for Environmental Publications, P.O. Box 42419, Cinncinati, Oh. 45242.
Tel: (800)489-9198. Web site: http://www.epa.gov/epahome/publications.htm.
Videos
Rainwater Collection Systems. A brief, informative
video that comes with a 50-page booklet that provides more details on
systems and provide information on equipment and suppliers. Available
from Garden-Ville Nursery, 8648 Old BeeCave Road, Austin, Tx. 78735. Tel:
(512) 288-6113.
Organizations
American Water Works Association. . Address: 6666
W. Quincy Avenue, Denver, CO 80235. Tel: (303) 794-7711. Web site: http://www.awwa.org..Concerned
with many aspects of water, including water reuse. They publish proceedings
from their water-reuse conferences that offer a wealth of information
Rocky Mountain Institute. Address: 1739 Snowmass
Creek Road, Snowmass, Co. 81654. Tel: (970) 927-3851. Web site: http://www.rmi.org..Check
out the catalog of this outstanding organization for publications on water
efficiency and water reuse.
Chapter 15 -- Environmental
Landscaping
Publications
Buege, Douglas and Vicky Uhland. "Natural Swimming
Pools," Mother Earth News, August/September, 2002, 64 - 73. A fairly
thorough discussion of natural swimming pools describing construction
details.
Damstad, Wenche E., James D. Olson, and Richard T. Forman. Landscape Ecology:
Principles in Landscape Architecture and Land-Use Planning. Washington,
D.C.: Island Press, 1996. A useful textbook on the subject.
Matson, Tim. Earth Ponds Sourcebook: The Pond Owner's
Manual and Resource Guide. Woodstock, Vt.: Countryman Press, 1997. Useful
guide for making ponds and natural swimming pools.
Mollison, B. Perma-Culture Two: Practical Design
for Town and Country in Permanent Agriculture. Tagari Books: Stanley,
Tasmania, Australia, 1979. A seminal work in the field of permaculture.
Moffat, A. S., Schiler, M. and the Staff of Green
Living. Energy-Efficient and Environmental Landscaping. Appropriate Solutions
Press: South Newfane, Vt., 1994. An excellent reference with an abundance
of information on landscaping strategies and plant varieties suitable
for your climate zone. This book also lists solar tables that will help
you determine the path of sun at different times of year in your area.
NREL Landscaping for Energy Efficiency. DOE Office
of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 1995. DOE/GO-10095-046. Provides
a decent, though somewhat disorganized overview on the topic.
Reynolds, Kimberly A. "Happiness is a Suburban
Homestead," Mother Earth News, June/July 2002, 128 and 109. A tale
of partial independence in an urban environment.
Striefel, Jan and Wesley A. Groesbeck. The Resource
Guide to Sustainable Landscapes. Salt Lake City, Ut.: Environmental Resources,
Inc., 1995. Excellent resource.
Taute, Michelle. "Make a Splash," Natural
Home, July/August 2002, 56 - 59. A brief but delightfully well illustrated
story on natural swimming pools.
Vivian, John. "The Working Lawn: A Step Beyond
an Expanse of Green," Mother Earth News, June/July 2001, 66 - 74.
A guide to converting lawn to a productive landscape.
Magazines
Dry Country News. Box 23-J, Radium Springs, N.M.
88054. Web site: http://www.zianet.com/drynews/. A quarterly newspaper
that covers a wide range of topics including permaculture and alternative
building.
Earthwood Journal. Eos Institute, 580 Broadway,
Suite 200, Laguna Beach, Ca. 92651. Phone: 1-714-497-1896. A glossy permaculture
magazine published by Eos Institute and the Permaculture Institute of
Southern California. Geared to the professional designer, architect, and
land-use planner.
The Permaculture Activist. P.O. Box 1209W, Black
Mountain, N.C. 28711. Phone 1-828-298-2812. Web site: http://metalab.unc.edu/pc-activist/
Publishes articles on a variety of subjects related to permaculture and
includes an updated list of permaculture design courses.
Permaculture Drylands Journal. Permaculture Drylands
Institute, P.O. Box 156, Santa Fe, N.M. 87504. Phone: 1-505-983-0663.
Web site: http://members.aol.com/pdrylands/PDIhome1.htm. A quarterly journal
that focuses on the practice of permaculture in arid lands, especially
Arizona and New Mexico.
Permaculture Edge. Permaculture Nambour, Inc. P.O.
Box 148, Inglewood 6050, Western Australia. Reports on cutting edge developments
in permaculture.
Permaculture International Journal. P.O. Box PG6039,
South Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia. Phone (066) 220-020. Web site: http://nornet.nor.com.au/environment/perma/.
A leading permaculture containing articles, book reviews, and news of
permaculture events.
Permaculture Magazine UK: Ecological Solutions for
Everyday Life. Permanent Publications, Hyden House Limited, Little Hyden
Land, Clandfield, Hampshire PO8 ORU, England. Web site: http://www.gaia.org/permaculture.
A quarterly journal published in cooperation with the Permaculture Association
of Great Britain, containing articles, book reviews, and solutions from
Britain and Europe
Permaculture Resources. P.O. Box 65, 56 Farmersville
Road, Califon, N.J. 07830. Phone 1-800-832-6285. Web site: http://www.jump.net/users/perma/.
An educational publisher and distributor of permaculture resources and
publications.
Organizations
Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas,
P.O. Box 3657, Fayetteville, AR 72702. Phone: 1-800-346-9140. This organization
is actively involved in the permaculture movement.
Biotop, HauptstraBe 285, A-3411 Weidling, Austria.
Tel: +43 (0) 2243-30406-21. Web site: www.biotop-gmbh.at. The Austrian
company that has pioneered the natural swimming pool.
International Permaculture Institute. An international
coordinating organization for permaculture activities such as accreditation.
Address: P.O. Box 1, Tyalgum, NSW 2484, Australia. Phone (066) 793 442.
National Wildlife Federation, Backyard Wildlife
Habitat Program, 1400 16th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036-2266. Web
site: www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/. Contact them for information
on creating wildlife habitat in your backyard or your land.
Epilogue-Making Your Dream Come True
Bridges, James E. Mortgage Loans: What's Right for
You. Cincinnati, OH: Betterway, 1997. This book will help you understand
mortgages and help you pick the one that's best for you.
Freeman, Mark. The Solar Home: How to Design and
Build a House You Heat with the Sun. Mechanicsburg, PA.: Stackpole Books,
1994. This book contains a wealth of information on building your own
home, including many practical aspects.
Heldmann, Charles. Be Your Own House Contractor. Save 25% without Lifting
a Hammer. Pownal, VT: Storey Books, 1995. Although it is geared toward
conventional home building, the book will walk you through the steps of
building a home, giving advice on many issues such as permits and working
with subcontractors.
Roy, Rob. Mortgage-Free! Radical Strategies for
Home Ownership. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green, 1998. Wonderful
book that should be one of the top of your list if you're looking to build
a home but wish to avoid the tyranny of mortgage payments.
Wilson, Alex, Jenifer L. Uncapher, Lisa McManigal,
L. Hunter Lovins, Maureen Cureton, and William D. Browning. Green Development:
Integrating Ecology and Real Estate. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1998.
Contains an enormous amount of information to professional and nonprofessional
readers.
Organizations
Resnet. Residential Energy Services Network. P.O.
Box 4561, Oceanside, Ca. 92052. Tel: (760) 806-3448. Web site: http://www.natresnet.org/.
A nationwide network of mortgage companies, real estate brokerages, builders,
appraisers, utilities, and other housing and energy professionals. This
organization is dedicated to improving the energy efficiency of the nation's
housing stock and expanding the national availability of mortgage financing.
