Building Better: Sustainable Architecture for Family Homes

Sustainablybuiltsingle-familyhomesdon’thavetobeugly.Inthisbook,architectsandhomeownerssharetheirperspectivesontheinterplaybetweenecologyandcontemporaryarchitecture.Foranyonewhoisintheprocessofbuildingorrenovatingahome,sustainabilityisacriticalissue—especiallysinceenergyislikelytoremaincostlyfortheforeseeablefuture.Choosingtouseresourcesresponsiblymakesasmuchofastatementaboutahomeastheselectionoffloorplans,buildingmaterials,orfurnitureIdeally,ourhomesshouldbesustainableandlookgoodatthesametime.BuildingBettershowcasessingle-familyhomesfromaroundtheworldwhosearchitectureprovesthatsustainableandattractivearenotcontradictions.Thebook’sselectionofoutstanding,top-qualityworkprovidesfeasibleexamplesforanewgenerationofhomeownerswithadiscerningsenseofstyleandenvironmentalresponsibility.Thespectrumoffeaturedprojectsrangesfromenergyefficientrestorationandtheconstructionofintelligentextensionstotheplanningandbuildingofnewlow-energyorpassivehomes.Thebookintroducesthelatestbuildingformsandmaterialsaswellascasestudiesexaminingthebestdivisionofspace,architecturalplanning,andtheuseofinnovativetechnologiestocontrolandimproveheatingandairconditioning.Consequently,BuildingBetternotonlyprovidesastrikingoverviewofthetopicofsustainablebuilding,butalsoinsightfulinformationondetailsfromtechnicaldatatoblueprintsInthebook,botharchitectsandhomeownershavetheirsayFamiliestalkabouttheirideas,desires,motivations,andrealexperiences.Againstthisbackground,BuildingBetterisbothapracticalandinspirationalguideforanyonewhoseessustainabilitynotaslimiting,butratherasacreativeopportunity.Assuch,itisanessentialreferenceforeveryonewhowantstobuildabetterhome.