Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies [Paperback]

Eric Corey Freed (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 10, 2007

Want to build responsibly, reduce waste, and help preserve the environment? Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies is your friendly, step-by-step guide to every facet of this Earth-friendly method of construction. Building a home—even a green home—uses plenty of resources and energy. This practical, hands-on book shows you how to build or remodel conscientiously, whether your dream home is a simple remodel or a brand-new multimillion-dollar mansion.

You’ll start by identifying green materials and sizing up potential systems and construction sites. You’ll weigh the pros and cons of popular green building methods and identify opportunities for saving money in the long run. Need to find some green professionals to assist you in your venture? We’ll help you do that, too. This book will also help you discover how to:

• Understand the lifecycle of building materials
• Choose the right system for your green building project
• Put together a green team
• Work within your budget
• Use green building methods and sustainable systems
• Speed construction and reduce energy use and waste
• Refinish old fixtures and materials
• Beware of asbestos and lead-paint hazards
• Avoid costly mistakes

Complete with lists of ten green things to do on every project and ten things you can do right now in your home in order to go green, Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies is your one-stop guide to planning and building the home you’ve always wanted.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Reduce waste, speed construction, and save money

The fun and easy way® to plan and build your dream green home

Want to build responsibly and help preserve the environment? This friendly, step-by-step guide introduces you to every facet of green building and remodeling, from sizing up construction sites and selecting materials to working with green professionals, reducing energy and water use, and weighing the pros and cons of popular green building methods.

Discover how to:

• Identify green materials

• Put together a team of green professionals

• Work within your budget

• Use green building methods and sustainable systems

• Avoid costly mistakes

About the Author

Eric Corey Freed teaches sustainable design at the Academy of Art University and the University of Claifornia, Berkeley. He sits on the board of numerous environmentally focused nonprofits and museums.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (December 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470175591
• ISBN-13: 978-0470175590
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,203 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Home Design > Energy Efficient Design

More About the Author

Eric Corey Freed is Principal of organicARCHITECT, an architecture and consulting firm in California, with nearly 20 years of experience in green building.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Eric attended Temple University College of Architecture, graduating with honors. While a student, Eric had the opportunity to focus his concentration on Urban Design in Rome, Italy.

After several years working in both his hometown and in New York City, Eric became very active within the profession. Philip Johnson, noted architect and critic cited Eric as 'one of the real brains of his generation.' In 1995, Eric accepted a position in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he was able to focus on his primary interest, Houses. While there, he had direct contact with both ancient and the newest of environmental building materials. Seeking to build his practice, Eric relocated to San Francisco in 1997 to develop roots and build upon his experiences.

'Architecture is essentially human,' states Eric Corey Freed, 'it is the manifestation of the human spirit and the expression of the Individual and its surrounding environment.'

Eric co-developed the Sustainable Design programs at the Academy of Art University and University of California Berkeley Extension. He is on the boards of Architects, Designers & Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR), Green Home Guide and West Coast Green, as well as the advisory boards of nearly a dozen other organizations.

He was the founding Chair of Architecture for The San Francisco Design Museum and one of the founders of ecoTECTURE: The Online Journal of Ecological Design. He is a regular contributor for GreenerBuildings.com, Luxe, Natural Home, Metropolitan Home and dozens of other publications. Eric lectures around the country at 40+ conferences a year, and his work has been featured in Dwell, Metropolis, Town & Country, Natural Home and Newsweek. He has been seen on television on Fox News, HGTV, The Sundance Channel and PBS.

When Eric was just 25 years old, noted architect and critic Philip Johnson described him as "one of the real brains of his generation". Today, Eric continues the tradition of "Organic Architecture", first developed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Eric is the author of four books, including "Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies" (John Wiley & Sons), a best seller with 100,000 copies in print. His latest books, "Sustainable School Architecture" and "Green$ense for your Home" were released in 2010.

Eric is considered a leader in the field; named by San Francisco Magazine "Best Green Architect" in 2005 and "Best Visionary" in 2007; and "Green Visionary" by 7x7 Magazine in 2008.

MORE INFO ON ERIC: http://www.rkeytex.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!, December 18, 2007

By 

L. Schaffer "green newbie" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies (Paperback)

I am truly a dummy when it comes to green building, I've never bought a dummies book before - but wanted to remodel my kitchen and needed some expert green advice. The book is broken down into these really helpful sections like finishes, water and energy. It even includes helpful checklists to remodel your kitchen in a green way. The advice I learned from this book will probably save me thousands in construction costs and will continue to save me $$$ on my water and energy bills. The author presents the info in a very fun and logical way. Anyone building or remodeling their home should do it green - and definitely needs this book to guide them every step of the way. The reason I bought this book is that I heard the author speak at a local green conference, and the way he presented the information just made sense to me.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book, March 26, 2008

By 

Norma Lehmeierhartie (New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies (Paperback)

Green architect Eric Corey Freed knows his stuff and it shows in Green Building and Remodeling for Dummies.

Freed makes green building and remodeling approachable and very doable.

I like the checklists throughout the book and the perfect green rooms, both of which make understanding the big picture easy.

Freed does an excellent job in explaining the advantages of building green for the health of the occupants and the environment.

If you've ever wondered what the true environmental cost of a particular product is, Freed does a great job of explaining it in "the life cycle of materials from cradle to grave." If you didn't "get" greeen before, this section will show you how important it is to look at the entire life cycle of a product to determine how green--or not--a particular product is.

I also liked the handy list of green material substitutes which make purchasing very easy.

The book was very readable and concise and even fun to read. I highly recommend it.

By the author of the award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet

22 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Myth busting through and through, December 12, 2007

By 

James Simon "Jim Simon" (San Ramon, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies (Paperback)

Green Building & Remodeling for DUMMIES is the right information at the right time. This book answers every specific question I have come up with. It dispells many old myths about green building, and teaches that green is not only accessible, but it's enjoyable. You can't calculate the $$ payback of a more comfortable home. You can't put a $$ value on the improved respiuratory health that improved indoor air quality provides. But you can take those monthly energy and water savings to the bank every month. Thanks to Mr. Freed for his passion and his pragmatism.