The Natural House A Complete Guide to Healthy, Energy -Efficient, Environmental Homes...by Daniel Chiras. A really big primer on all forms of natural building from Adobe to Rammed Earth, earth ship, Papercrete to Cast Earth Strawbale and Cob, with greywater systems and construction methods covered in good detail. He covers the holistic aspects of building, plus details how each type is built.Plasters, roofing, foundations, window and door framing are all coverd. Chiras lives in an Earthship in Colorado he built in 1994, and is working on more books on passive solar design and natural lime & earth plasters, due out 6/2002. Gracious, comfortable and ecologically-benign homes are being built all across America. You may be intrigued by solar techniques and natural materials, yet lack an overview introducing the basic choices now available, along with the pros and cons of various building options. The Natural House addresses that interest with style and substance. This exciting new book, written by a veteran author who himself lives in a straw-bale and rammed-tire home, takes the reader on a tour of fourteen natural building methods, including straw bale, rammed earth, cordwood, adobe, earthbags, papercrete, Earthships and more. You'll learn how these homes are built, how much they cost, and the pros and cons of each. A resource guide at the end of every chapter offers a wealth of information. This comprehensive sourcebook offers in-depth information that will guide your search for the perfect sustainable dream home. It’s a must for builders, contractors, architects and do-it-yourselfers. With a writing style that is clear, understandable, at times humorous, and fun to read, the author shows how we can gain energy independence and dramatically reduce our environmental impact through passive heating and cooling techniques, solar electricity, wind power and micro-hydropower. Chiras also explains safe, economical ways of acquiring clean drinking water and treating wastewater, and discusses affordable green building products. While Chiras is a strong advocate of natural building, he takes care not to romanticize natural building techniques. He alerts readers to avoidable pitfalls, offering detailed practical advice that could save you tens of thousands of dollars, whether you're buying a natural home, building one yourself or renovating an existing structure or considering hiring a contractor to build for you. 468 pages, 2000 Quotes and comments from leaders in alternative building throughout the book, with hundreds of photos and drawings. Color cover, softbound, 8.5"x8.11" Table of Contents Introduction Part I: The Sustainable Imperative Striking Out in a New Direction Part II: Choices Rammed Earth Homes Straw Bale Homes Earthships and Beyond Adobe Homes Cob Homes Cordwood Homes Log Homes Stone Homes Emerging Natural Building Techniques Part III: Sustainable Systems Energy Independence: Passive Solar Heating and Cooling Energy Independence: Generating Electricity from Sun, Wind, and Water Environmentally Sustainable Water Systems Green Building Materials: Creating the Ultimate Environmentally Friendly Home Site Considerations: Choosing a Site, Protecting it During Construction, and Restoring the Land Building an Alternative Home: What You Need to Know to Get Your Home Built RESOURCES INDEX |