Building Green, New Edition: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods Earth Plaster * Straw Bale * Cordwood * Cob * Living Roofs (Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative) [Paperback]

Clarke Snell (Author), Tim Callahan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Building Green:
"Building Green chronicles the project from start to finish, combining the gorgeous photography of an architecture coffee-table book with the detailed instructions of a building manual." ­ ReadyMade

 

"This large, generously illustrated manual is an excellent primer on owner-designed and site-inspired building." ­ Publishers Weekly

 

"The most comprehensive and reader-friendly green building book...It's great for both the green building novice and expert." ­ Builders Booksource

 

"This book is a must read for architects, builders, and all people who want to create a healthy home." ­ Helmut Ziehe, Founder, International Institute for Bau-Biologie & Ecology, Inc.

 

"Well-written and understandable with wonderful illustrations." ­ Pliny Fisk & Gail Vittori, Co-Directors, The Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems

Product Description

The best-selling and highly regarded reference to sustainable construction gets an update! It’s refreshed with a completely revised introduction, a bright new cover, and extensive online resource tie-ins. Plus, it’s now printed on recycled paper with agri-based inks, so it’s greener than ever!

This groundbreaking book doesn’t just tell you about “green” house-building techniques: it actually shows you, with more than 1,200 step-by-step photographs that follow the actual erection of an alternative building from site selection to final-touch interior details. Readers will get a clear sense of the real world challenges as Snell and Callahan create a lovely country cottage using four methods: straw bale, cob, cordwood, and modified stick-frame.

Along with sidebars throughout, there’s a thorough discussion of the fundamentals of building construction, alternative approaches, and designing a beautiful yet environmentally responsible home. Building Green was the first book of its kind—and it remains heads and shoulders above other titles in this field.  

 

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Product Details

• Paperback: 616 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books; 2 Ill edition (August 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600595340
• ISBN-13: 978-1600595349
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #33,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

  #30 in	Books > Home & Garden > How-to & Home Improvements > Home Design > Design & Construction
  #12 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Conservation > Environmentalism
  #5 in	Books > Home & Garden > How-to & Home Improvements > Home Design > Energy Efficient Design

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Flagship of Green Building Books. If you only own one, make it this one., July 14, 2009

By	Michael Hurd - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Building Green, New Edition: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods Earth Plaster * Straw Bale * Cordwood * Cob * Living Roofs (Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative) (Paperback)

This book is the best book on green and natural building that I've come across. In fact it's a solid source for building knowledge in general. Many of the books out there give you a focused look at one building type or another (say strawbale) and these are great if you have already chosen that one building type. It's much more common though, to come across hybrid situations, where a broad variety of techniques or building challenges are at play. An earthship might be your best best - if you live in the southwest, but maybe not in the southeast. Each building is unique, from the site to the nearby structures and environment, the potential future inhabitants, the usage, etc.
This book gives a very grounded and informed perspective on residential building, not limited to any one form or another, but seeking only to inform the reader of the dangers and best possibilities in each situation. Snell and Callahan recognize that there is no one best or "greenest" practice. Their book educates and empowers the reader to approach each unique building as it's own challenge.
Their research into and command of the building field is a boon to anyone looking to build wisely, be that person a builder with 25 years in the field, a potential do-it-yourself homebuilder, or even someone with no building experience looking to have a home built for them who is interested in having things done right.
Also, PHOTOS PHOTOS PHOTOS! They didn't skimp in this department. This book has hundreds (thousands?) of pictures. Nearly every key point has a diagram or a photo to bring the message home. It makes the material extremely clear and easy to grasp, as well as being a valuable resource for inspiration and ideas.
Everyone has something to gain from this book, and for the price there's no excuse not to own a reference copy.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to build green--or not, November 1, 2009

By	V. Sims (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Building Green, New Edition: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods Earth Plaster * Straw Bale * Cordwood * Cob * Living Roofs (Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative) (Paperback)

Although I have wanted to build my own green home for several years, I have no construction skills. This book brought me back down to earth gently by teaching me much more than I would imagine one book could teach while helping me realize that I should not do this myself. In guiding capable(others)and incompetent(me)starry-eyed builders, the authors generously admit to their own errors despite years of experience and concede that in some aspects of home-building, conventional is the best route at this time. Through the book, one follows the construction using alternative building methods of a small guest house from the conception to the finish and plans for future additions.The photos themselves would make the book worthwhile, but the text is lively, straightforward, and encompasses all phases of the process.In addition to being some of the best reading and gazing that I have had in awhile, I now know what to seek in the professionals who will build my house--and use this resource, I hope.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable resource!, July 13, 2009

By	Jay Tompt (San Francisco) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Building Green, New Edition: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods Earth Plaster * Straw Bale * Cordwood * Cob * Living Roofs (Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative) (Paperback)

This has become one of the most important books on my shelf. I became interested in green building, then natural building, for professional and personal reasons. As a result of prior research, I thought I was quite knowledgeable. Then I got my mitts on this book! Wow, this is by far the clearest, most useful building book I have ever found. The text itself is fantastic, but what sets this book apart are the hundreds of detailed photos and instructions that illustrate techniques and solutions with incredible clarity.