Builder's Greywater Guide: Installation of Greywater Systems in New Construction & Remodeling; A Supplement to the Book "Create an Oasis With Greywater" [Paperback]

Art Ludwig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

The Builder's Greywater Guide (a supplement to Oasis's book Create an Oasis with Greywater) will help building professionals or homeowners work within or around building codes to successfully include greywater systems in new construction or remodeling, even if they have little prior greywater experience. It is also a great resource for regulators interested in improving regulatory oversight of greywater systems. Topics include: Special reasons for builders to install or not install a greywater system, flow chart for choosing a system, suggestions for dealing with inspectors, legal requirements checklist, detailed review of system options with respect to new laws, latest construction details and design tips, maintenance suggestions, equations for estimating irrigation demand, and the complete text of new US greywater law with English translation and suggested improvements. 46 pages, 9 figures, 8.5 x 11".

Note: The book Create an Oasis with Greywater is required in order to effectively use the "Builder's Greywater Guide".

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Any contractor, architect or homeowner interested in sustainable architecture would do well to buy and study a copy of this book." -- Chris Prelitz, Seacrest Builders, Laguna Beach, California

"Extremely helpful for interpreting the arcane language of the plumbing code for the uninitiated. Without it, many pitfalls await the unwary." -- Bahman Sheikh , Director, City of Los Angeles Greywater Pilot Project

"The best guide for actual hands-on greywater system construction available. Contractors need this book, do it yourselfers will simply love it. Time saving tricks, traps to avoid, flowcharts for system selection, user education, it's all here in plain English with an easy reading style." -- Doug Pratt, Technical Products Developer, Real Goods Renewable Energy Division

About the Author

Art Ludwig's day job has been ecological system design for 25 years.

He is the author of Create an Oasis with Greywater and other ecological design how-to books and articles.

He lives with his wife and two children in a cabin surrounded by fruit trees in the mountains above Santa Barbara, California.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 46 pages
• Publisher: Oasis Design; 1st edition (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964343320
• ISBN-13: 978-0964343320
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #138,395 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Art Ludwig is an ecological systems designer with 28 years full-time experience in water, wastewater systems, energy, shelter and human powered transport. His specialty is complex, integrated "systems of systems." Art has studied and worked in 22 different countries, consulted for the states of New York and New Mexico on water reuse policy, and given dozens of lectures and workshops.

He designed his own education in Ecological Systems Design, graduating from UC Berkeley. At Berkeley, he developed the first cleaners specifically designed to be biocompatible with plants and soil, and founded a successful business to manufacture and distribute them.

Art currently lives with his family near Santa Barbara, surrounded by over 20 different kinds of fruit trees.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another amazing book by Art Ludwig, December 2, 2002

By 

walter sharshon (Mid-Atlantic states, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Builder's Greywater Guide: Installation of Greywater Systems in New Construction & Remodeling; A Supplement to the Book "Create an Oasis With Greywater" (Paperback)

I recommend that you get the 3 companion books on greywater treatment "Create an Oasis", "Branched Drain Greywater Systems" and "Builder's Greywater Guide". The information in these volumes will keep most of us far more informed than most of the regulators, the system builders, and the experts-in-theory. These volumes are real-world gems.

Art Ludwig has cut to the core of wastewater issues. He's obviously done all of his homework, mulled-over the variables, and come up with a common sense, economically reasonable, environmentally responsible approach to wastewater. I expect to save money that I would have spent on a post-septic tank, aerobic unit that would seemingly have been ecologically responsible; but because of the technological overkill, ultimately that system would have defeated my altruistic environmental concerns.

The sheer volume of information in each of his greywater books puts other sources to shame. Each volume is very well written, being clear, amusing, and concise. I can't imagine improving these books, other than keeping the information updated with future editions.

These books talk the talk and walk the walk better than anything else that I've seen. Buy a set for yourself, a set for your neighbors, and a set for the regulators.

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't treat home without it, March 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Builder's Greywater Guide: Installation of Greywater Systems in New Construction & Remodeling; A Supplement to the Book "Create an Oasis With Greywater" (Paperback)

In the annals of 'appropriate' technology Art Ludwig's work stands out as a no-nonsense guide to getting it right the first time. Ludwig has been-there-done-that-and-bought-the-T-shirt. Instead of unprocessed data mixed with wishful thinking he gives fifty pages of distilled results. He explains in plain english what works, what doesn't and why. Clear technical descriptions allow professional contracters or do-it-yourselfers to design, build and operate graywater systems under varied conditions. In our years of related international work we've met only a few practitioners who combine experience with clarity. This guide reflects such rare talent. Don't treat home without it.

Doug Mulhall and Katja Hansen built wastewater recycling facilities worldwide and are authors of the first tropical wastewater recycling guide to be published by the European Commission.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Builder's Greywater Guide, August 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Builder's Greywater Guide: Installation of Greywater Systems in New Construction & Remodeling; A Supplement to the Book "Create an Oasis With Greywater" (Paperback)

If you are interested in greywater and are contemplating new construction or remodeling you need this book. It explains how to adapt the round peg of sensible greywater reuse to the square hole of bureaucratic regulations. Art Ludwig is straight-forward and fun, covering relations with inspectors, and even featuring a complete copy of the greywater model code, with a discussion of the significance of every important passage and specific suggestions for improving greywater laws.