Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction (Builder's Guide) [Paperback]

David Johnston (Author), Scott Gibson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Builder's Guide | Publication Date: April 1, 2008

A thorough, informative, and up-to-date reference on green, sustainable and energy-efficient home construction that clarifies definitions of green and sustainable and guides builders and architects through the process of new or remodel green construction, including issues of site, landscaping, durability, and energy-efficiency. It starts with clear explanations of the concepts and fundamentals of green, healthy and energy-efficient construction and walks the reader through the entire construction process, injecting expert advice at every decision point. Construction techniques, materials, and products are thoroughly explained, making the often vaguely understood concepts cleanly understandable. The book gives builders and architects the tools to respond to growing requests from homeowners for green and energy-efficient houses, whether new or remodeled. Homeowners can use the book to understand the concepts, process, and options, whether they're doing it themselves or working with a professional.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"David Johnston and Scott Gibson offer guidance on environmentally sensitive home building in Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction (Taunton Press, paperback). The book is packed with information, tips, illustrations and case studies that offer wisdom earned from experience." -- Detroit Free Press (Michigan)

"Eco-friendly housing used to be thought of as expensive, ugly or just plain weird. Now it's becoming common. David Johnston and Scott Gibson offer guidance on environmentally sensitive home building in Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction. The book helps builders and homeowners create houses that conserve natural resources and are energy-efficient and healthful. It's packed with information, tips, illustrations and case studies that offer wisdom earned from experience." -- McClatchy-Tribune News Service

"Green from the Ground Up is easy to flip through, and pick and choose information by topic. From foundations and framing to insulation and windows, the authors take complex materials, technologies and methods and render them easy to understand. Green from the Ground Up is a nicely balanced guide to every aspect of a sustainable construction job, tapping (in Johnston's case) the accumulated knowledge of a green building career that began not five or 10 years ago, like most, but dating back decades to the pioneering days of solar buildings in the 1970s. Whether you are a veteran or new to green building, and whether it's tar-paper spline covering the joints on a rain screen or the latest in dual-flush toilets that you are looking to learn more about, the authors have a page you can turn to." --Sustainable Industries Magazine, October 24, 2008

"Eco-friendly housing used to be thought of as expensive, ugly or just plain weird. Now it's becoming common. David Johnston and Scott Gibson offer guidance on environmentally sensitive home building in Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction. The book helps builders and homeowners create houses that conserve natural resources and are energy-efficient and healthful. It's packed with information, tips, illustrations and case studies that offer wisdom earned from experience." --McClatchy-Tribune News Service

"David Johnston and Scott Gibson offer guidance on environmentally sensitive home building in Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction (Taunton Press, paperback). The book is packed with information, tips, illustrations and case studies that offer wisdom earned from experience." --Detroit Free Press (Michigan)

Review

"Eco-friendly housing used to be thought of as expensive, ugly or just plain weird. Now it's becoming common. David Johnston and Scott Gibson offer guidance on environmentally sensitive home building in Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction. The book helps builders and homeowners create houses that conserve natural resources and are energy-efficient and healthful. It's packed with information, tips, illustrations and case studies that offer wisdom earned from experience."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Taunton (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156158973X
• ISBN-13: 978-1561589739
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,945 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Home Design > Energy Efficient Design
  • #10 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Home Design > Design & Construction
  • #62 in Books > Professional & Technical > Architecture

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Building science principles & good graphic design, June 27, 2008

By 

R. Cichocki (Connecticut) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction (Builder's Guide) (Paperback)

This book does a good job at setting up a working definition of "green building" as a decision making process that occurs at each point in the design of a building, with an emphasis on residential construction. The book has a lot of pictures and pop-up bubble sidebars that make each page seem more like a design school presentation poster (that's a good thing). It presents a lot of basic information and principles about each part of a building, from foundations, insulation, windows, framing, flashing, natural building, etc. and how they come together as a "green building system."
If you are an architect or drafter who is looking for a book with technical details and explanations about specific construction methods or materials notes do not buy this book. If you would like to learn about green building science principles as to how they relate with each division in a building then buy this book.

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cost Effective & Energy Efficient Construction, June 25, 2008

By 

Scott M. Kruse "Biophysical Geographer" (Fresno, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction (Builder's Guide) (Paperback)

Too many contractors operate on a "if it ain't broken don't fix it" and "I have been successfully doing things (the old way) for 25 years." It is difficult to get the average contractor to think and act green. Johnston & Gibson lay out and walk through the key ideas . . . in plain English with lots of excellent photographs. Every architect, county planning department, planning inspectors and utility district should have this close at hand. This provides the average person what realtors and homes for sale newspaper features don't know and don't get.

Because there is so much hyperbole, many do not know what to accept, reject, believe or move forward with. How do you speak intelligently with an architect for schools, homes, churches and business and clearly communicate what makes up a functional, sustainable, energy conserving and site appropriate structure?

Planning and Design is a whole system, not a one shot effort. This includes siting, aspect, elevation, lighting, landscaping, plumbing, materials, construction techniques, heating and cooling, interior and exterior finishes, decking, roofs and attics and basements. "Form follows function," taught in design schools, but too often ignored, permeates every thought. Collective wisdom reaches back to the Anasazi in the Southwest. This explains why you insulate under a foundation, how fly ash makes concrete stronger and takes care of an otherwise waste product requiring less Portland cement for walls and floors. Advanced framing techniques or use of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), alternatives to wood steel studs reduce waste and cost and increases thermal efficiency. Tubular sunpipes are shown illuminating interior space (a much superior alternative to leaky skylights).

Whether you are thinking of new construction or a retrofit, this is a key guide. As we enter "Peak Everything: Waking Up to the Century of Declines (Heinberg, 2007)," this is a guide to quality, high expectations and cost effectiveness with emphasis on sustainability and durability. When I look at a building, these are the critical thinking thoughts and questions in my head. This should be close at hand in every home construction and hardware supply store. Superbly written, well laid out, easy to find information.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Russ, May 7, 2008

By 

Russell G. Turpin "Custom Touch Builders" (Durango, CO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction (Builder's Guide) (Paperback)

Excellent book for novice and professionals! I have attended three of the largest green building training programs(nationwide) and this book brings all of that training into a single, easy to understand source. As last years President of the Homebuilders Association of SW Colorado and member of the Board of Directors for the Colorado Association of Homebuilders...I am recommending this book to all of my associates!!