• Home location and its relationship to the community
• Site design
• Construction systems
• Building design to optimize energy performance
• Renewable energy systems
• Material selection
• Indoor environmental quality
• Water efficiency
• Material selection

Acknowledgments

Foreword by John Abrams

CHAPTER 1: So You Want to Build a Green Home

What is Green Building?
A Short History of Green Building
How to Use this Book

CHAPTER 2: Finding the Help You Need

Hiring a Designer
Hiring a Builder
Serving as Your Own General Contractor
Building Your Own House

CHAPTER 3: Where to Build

Building a New House vs. Fixing Up an Old One
Your Home as Part of the Community
Building on Previously Disturbed Land and Urban Infill Lots
Evaluating the Greenfield Sites
Regulatory Constraints
Siting Your Home

CHAPTER 4: General Issues in House Design

Is a Stand-Alone, Single-Family House What You Really Want?
How Big a House do You Need?
Design for Durability
Design for Accessibility and Adaptability
House Configuration
What About an Attached Garage?
Other Design Issues

CHAPTER 5: The Structural Building System

Conventional Wood Framing (2x4,2x6)
Conventional Wood Framing with Rigid Foam Insulation
High-Tech Wood Framing Systems
Timber Framing
Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) Construction
Steel Framing
Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) Construction
Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)
Other Masonry Block Building Systems
Strawbale Construction
Deciding Among the Building System Alternatives

CHAPTER 6: Energy Efficient Design

Why Reduce Use of Fossil Fuels?
Integration is Key
A Superinsulated, Airtight Envelope
Selecting Windows
Selecting Heating Equipment
Cooling Your House
Water Heating
Home Appliances
Lighting
Energy Improvements on the Horizon

CHAPTER 7: Making Use of Renewable Energy

Passive Solar Heating
Natural Daylighting
Solar Water Heating
Photovoltaics
Wind Power and Green Electricity
Wood Energy
Zero-Energy and Carbon-Neutral Homes
Final Thoughts on Energy

CHAPTER 8: Materials and Products for Green Building

Why Choose Green Building Products?
Use Less Material
Consider the Entire Life Cycle
Selecting Building Products
Getting the Information You Need for Material Selection

CHAPTER 9: Creating a Safe Indoor Environment

Eliminate, Isolate, and Ventilate
House Design for a Healthy Indoor Environment
Choosing Products and Materials for the House
Ventilation Strategies
Keeping a Healthy House Healthy

CHAPTER 10: Respecting and Conserving Water

Water Conservation in the Home
Water Conservation Outdoors
Dealing with Wastewater
Graywater Separation and Treatment
Rainwater Harvesting
Managing Stormwater

CHAPTER 11: Dealing with Construction Waste

Reducing Job-Site Waste
Reusing Job-Site Waste
Recycling Job-Site Waste
Proper Disposal of Wastes that Cannot Be Recycled

CHAPTER 12: Landscaping and Plantings

Protection of Soils and Vegetation During Site Work
Landscaping for Energy Conservation
Landscaping for Biodiversity
Water-Conserving Landscaping
Edible Landscaping

CHAPTER 13: Costs of Building Green

Controlling Construction Costs
Construction Costs vs.Operating Costs
The Cost of Good Design
Paying for a Green Home
Benefitting When You Sell a Green Home

CHAPTER 14: Living in Your Green Home

Understanding How Your House Works — The Homeowner’s Manual
Energy Efficiency
Water Efficiency
Maintenance
Selection of Furnishings
Cleaning Products
Dealing With Waste
Composting Organic Waste
Involve the Whole Family in Waste Management
Transportation
Enjoy the Outdoors

Afterword
Glossary
Index
About the Author