So, you’re committed to going green, and gearing up for a home renovation project. But wait! Before you get started, you should make sure you’ve done your research. Green home renovations can save you money and help protect the environment, but it is important to research the best methods for going green before you start tearing down walls and writing checks. So put down the hammer and pick up a copy of one of these great references before you break ground on your next project.
1. Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies by Eric Corey Freed
The “For Dummies” series of books has been around for years, and is a great place to start your research. The book uses clear, non-technical language that is easily understandable to even the most novice of DIY junkies, and includes a number of helpful graphics, top ten lists, definitions, and diagrams. These edition promises to help first-time green renovators to understand the lifecycle of building materials, work within your budget, avoid asbestos exposure, and refinish old fixtures and materials.
Other books in the “For Dummies” series that may also be of assistance are Green Your Home All in One For Dummies and Energy Efficient Homes For Dummies.
2. Green Building A to Z: Understanding the Language of Green Building by Jerry Yudelson
Once you’ve got a basic understanding of what your project is going to entail, chances are you might have a couple of questions about the precise definition of certain green building terms like “zero-net-energy buildings” or “conservation economy”. That’s where this book comes in. In addition to hundreds of definitions, the book also contains a number of helpful visual aids to help you fully comprehend even the most technical of green building terms. Yudelson really knows his stuff, which explains why he has helped to train over 3,000 people in the US Green Building Council’s LEED system, and has also chaired Greenbuild, the world’s largest green building conference, for over three years.
3. Green Remodeling : Changing the World One Room at a Time by David R. Johnson and Kim Master
Johnson and Master pose a simple question in their book: “How do you remodel in a healthy, environmentally friendly way?” Their tactic is to break down each area of your home, and tackle them individually, starting with foundations and framing and moving up to finishes and other final touches. The format is easy to read, and includes a number of simple checklists that will help you mark your project’s progress.
If you are the sort of person who finds inspiration from photographs of other people’s homes, this 280 page book is a great sourcebook for you. Lavishly illustrated with stunning photographs of completed projects, this guide also includes helpful diagrams, user-friendly graphics for step-by-step projects, and case studies from other green home renovators. The book was a finalist for the 2007 Nautilus Book Awards.
5. The Solar House: Passive Heating and Cooling by Daniel D. Chiras
Chock-full of region-specific design guidelines and specifications, The Solar House: Passive Heating and Cooling outlines a number of ways to design and renovate your home using natural sunlight to your advantage. A number of different strategies for passive cooling and heating are discussed, with sections devoted to the pros and cons associated with each technique.
6. Green By Design: Creating a Home for Sustainable Living by Angela Dean
Recognizing that there is no “one size fits all” plan for tackling a green home renovation project, Dean outlines a number of tactics and techniques that can be of use during nearly any DIY project. Topics covered include natural building materials, renewable flooring, using gray water for landscaping, taking advantage of local materials and labor, energy-efficient systems, passive solar design, and indoor air quality issues.
This book has been favorably reviewed by numerous newspapers and magazines since its release in 2008. Sustainable Industries Magazine said that “Green from the Ground Up is easy to flip through…and easy to understand. 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.”
Clocking in at over 330 pages, this comprehensive reference guide is great for DIYers looking to refresh their memory of basic green building techniques, or to learn completely new information.
8. Green Remodeling: Your Start toward an Eco-Friendly Home by John D. Wagner
A great guide for beginners who are new to the world of green building and renovations, this book outlines helpful ideas for reducing home energy use, selecting nontoxic products for your project, conserving water, and selecting products that support responsible and sustainable harvesting of natural resources. The book is organized by type of renovation, with the key points of each project (such as kitchen cabinet replacement or selecting new countertops) summarized with tips on what steps of the process can be “greened up”.
9. Green Building: Project Planning & Cost Estimating by R S Means
With a hefty retail price of nearly $130, this book might not seem like it’s worth the investment. However, if you have problems budgeting your home improvement projects, this book could potentially save you hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars. In addition to helpful information on budgeting for your green renovations, the book also comes packaged with a CD-ROM that lists over 7,000 green renovations items that are commonly used during an average project. Reference tables and localized cost estimates for various geographical areas are also included.
When a book on green building design has the seal of approval from a US government official, it’s safe to assume that the book is worth perusing. This practical guide to implementation of green building concepts was hailed as “an excellent resource for both educators and practitioners,” by Karol Kaiser, the Director of Education US Green Building Council. Covering everything from roofing options to ventilation systems to aerobic tanks to direct gain systems, this helpful book is an excellent resource to complement a collection of beginner-level green building guidebooks.
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Great list! I’m looking for green ideas on home renovation projects. I think your list could help. Thanks!