The New Autonomous House: Design and Planning for Sustainability [Paperback]

Brenda Vale (Author), Robert Vale (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 2002

"I've seen many books on this subject, but none so well documented and honest."—Whole Earth In 1975 Brenda and Robert Vale published The Autonomous House, a manifesto offering down-to-earth suggestions for building homes that do not pollute the earth or squander its resources. Their book received tremendous praise around the world and was seen as a significant move toward green architecture. Nearly twenty years later, in the early 1990s, the Vales decided to turn their groundbreaking ideas into reality.

The New Autonomous House records their building of a house on the principles of sustainable resources in the small town of Southwell in the British Midlands. As specialists in green architecture, the Vales sought to create an environmentally friendly four-bedroom house that was neither exotic in appearance nor difficult to maintain. They document the philosophy, design, and construction of a building that can produce power from the sun and obtain drinking water from the rain.

The New Autonomous House has a simple but revolutionary message: It is possible to live in an inexpensive house that is kind to the planet and liberates its owner from utility bills. The Vales provide a thought-provoking, practical solution to the environmental problems caused by the houses in which we live, a blueprint of green architecture for future generations. 37 black-and-white drawings

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The world's most energy-efficient house, according to the 1999 Guinness Book of Records, was built in 1993 in Southwell, England by the Vales. This book details the planning and construction of this extraordinary dwelling. The Vales's The Autonomous House (LJ 2/1/76) defined a theoretical ideal of a site and structure not dependent on outside sources of power or natural resources. The new book chronicles their efforts to put theory into practice. The text, replete with drawings of and specifications for the building's vital systems, is offered as proof that such homes can meet the aesthetic, practical, and political requirements of residents, neighbors, and local officials. Whereas the 1975 book often alluded to U.S. contributions to sustainable technologies, America's absence from the 2000 narrative is quite conspicuous. Overseas, the authors have earned widespread admiration; this book should bring their ideas wider dissemination stateside. Highly recommended for academic, environmental studies, and technology collections.DDavid Solt sz, Cuyahoga Cty. P.L., Parma, OH
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

Highly recommended. -- Library Journal

I've seen many books on this subject, but none so well documented and honest. -- Whole Earth

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (September 17, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500282870
• ISBN-13: 978-0500282878
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #929,075 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #70 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Home Design > Energy Efficient Design

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, March 14, 2011

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Deanna L. Hine - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The New Autonomous House: Design and Planning for Sustainability (Paperback)

This books contains some good information, but overall, I was disappointed. I expected real word schematics/drawings to support the design of an autonomous house, but what I got was reams of performance data relative to different types of construction. The drawings in the book are pencil sketches, worthless for any real world comparison. I found the writing style very verbose and intellectual and frankly, it put me to sleep. No fault of the author, but most of the calculations/examples were in metric values, so I found it difficult to correlate the data.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant Surprise, November 17, 2009

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Gail A. Preset "Gabby" (Belleview, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The New Autonomous House: Design and Planning for Sustainability (Paperback)

As a designer, I am always a little skeptical of books like this,but this one is great. It is not so "pie in the sky" that you couldn't afford to build the way they recommend. It is very practical for a homeowner and designer alike. I found the diagramming to be great and the basic ideas easy to conform to any project you might have. If you want off the grid without building an "Earth ship", this is a great idea grabber for you to start.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New Autonomous House, March 1, 2011

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Jonni Good (Oregon) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The New Autonomous House: Design and Planning for Sustainability (Paperback)

This is an excellent book, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. It describes in infinite detail a particular design for a particular place. I was hoping for information that would help me make changes to my existing home. For me, it was not particularly helpful, but for anyone who wants to start from scratch and design a new home, this would be a great reference.