A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (Center for Environmental Structure Series)

The second of three books published by the Center for Environmental Structure to provide a "working alternative to our present ideas about architecture, building, and planning," A Pattern Language offers a practical language for building and planning based on natural considerations. The reader is given an overview of some 250 patterns that are the units of this language, each consisting of a design problem, discussion, illustration, and solution. By understanding recurrent design problems in our environment, readers can identify extant patterns in their own design projects and use these patterns to create a language of their own. Extraordinarily thorough, coherent, and accessible, this book has become a bible for homebuilders, contractors, and developers who care about creating healthy, high-level design.

Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction by David Johnston

"Eco-friendly housing used to be thought of as expensive, ugly or just plain weird. Now it's becoming common. David Johnston and Scott Gibson offer guidance on environmentally sensitive home building in Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction. The book helps builders and homeowners create houses that conserve natural resources and are energy-efficient and healthful. It's packed with information, tips, illustrations and case studies that offer wisdom earned from experience." --Review by McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Photovoltaics: Design and Installation Manual

Producing electricity from the sun using photovoltaic (PV) systems has become a major industry worldwide. But designing, installing and maintaining such systems requires knowledge and training, and there have been few easily accessible, comprehensive guides to the subject.

Now, with Photovoltaics: Design and Installation Manual, a world-class solar energy training and education provider-Solar Energy International (SEI)-has made available the critical information to successfully design, install and maintain PV systems. The book contains an overview of photovoltaic electricity and a detailed description of PV system components, including PV modules, batteries, controllers and inverters. It also includes chapters on sizing photovoltaic systems, analyzing sites and installing PV systems, as well as detailed appendices on PV system maintenance, troubleshooting and solar insolation data for over 300 sites around the world. Used worldwide as the textbook in SEI's PV Design & Installation workshops, topics covered include:

The basics of solar electricity
PV applications and system components
Solar site analysis and mounting
Stand-alone and PV/generator hybrid system sizing
Utility-interactive PV systems
Component specification, system costs and economics
Case studies and safety issues

Photovoltaics guarantees that those wanting to learn the skills of tapping the sun's energy can do so with confidence.

Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Delivery

The green building movement has come a long way in a short time. Responding to this exponential growth, with its attendant technological as well as aesthetic developments, Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Deliver, Second Edition guides construction and design professionals through the process of developing commercial and institutional high-performance green buildings in today's marketplace.

In this revised edition, Charles Kibert delivers a detailed, and passionate, overview of the entire process of green building, covering the theory, history, state of the industry, and best practices in green building. Kibert uses not only the dominant LEED assessment system, but includes such newer ones as Green Globes and several noteworthy building assessment systems from other countries. Sections introduce the background of the green building movement and walk you through such aspects as the background of high-performance green building design, green-building assessment, the green building process, and ecological design.

Broad enough to cover the needs of faculty and students in architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, interior design, and construction management, yet focused enough to serve as a reference for building owners and buyers of construction services, Sustainable Construction is a comprehensive look at an emerging process that is environmentally sounds while making good economic sense.


Review
"Kilbert set out to provide a book for professors to use within their environmental departments; however, what he ends up with is a wonderful overview of the green building movement…" (AIA, March 2007)

A related Book here:

J C Moughtin, Peter Shirley ”Urban Design: Green Dimensions, Second Edition”

In Green Dimensions, Cliff Moughtin relates sustainable development and green design to the realm of urban design and development. Examining regional and local frameworks for design and planning, this book shows how sustainable urban design can be implemented on every scale. Working from a strong theoretical base, the author uses case studies and discusses policy developments, in order to challenge the conventional wisdom on sustainable design. The book provides a rounded discussion of the application and suitability of current practice, and predicts future design needs. Updating the reader on topics such as energy efficiency, sustainable city forms and the culture of new urbanism, this completely revised and restructured second edition also includes brand new chapters on the Urban Park and Bio-diversity. · Sets sustainable urban design in a regional and political context, providing real life attainable guidance · Provides inspiration for planners worldwide through international examples and case studies · Includes latest hot topics in sustainability to give your designs the cutting edge



Review

'This book is a serious and valuable exploration of green design in urban settings.' Perspectives 'Students should benefit from the imaginative layout and readability which lay down the key principles for the further development of environmental issues.' MJ Culus, Library Advisor, Swansea Institute of Higher Education

'This book is a serious and valuable exploration of green design in urban settings.'
Perspectives

'Students should benefit from the imaginative layout and readability which lay down the key principles for the further development of environmental issues.'
MJ Culus, Library Advisor, Swansea Institute of Higher Education -- Review

'This book is a serious and valuable exploration of green design in urban settings.'
Perspectives

'Students should benefit from the imaginative layout and readability which lay down the key principles for the further development of environmental issues.'
MJ Culus, Library Advisor, Swansea Institute of Higher Education

Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature (Paperback)

Forget the notion that technology improves upon nature. Benyus introduces us to pioneering engineers making technological breakthroughs by uncovering and copying nature's hidden marvels. These engineers are devising solar fuel cells as efficient as plants, fibers as tough as abalone shell, and computers as sophisticated as the brain. For Benyus, though, a technology that mirrors nature does more than enlarge human powers and gratify human ambitions. Such a technology teaches us how to live in harmony with nature, rather than how to dominate it. Unless we learn this urgent lesson, Benyus warns, our highly unnatural and exploitative technologies will soon render the earth unfit for life. Sobering yet hopeful, this book will bring help bridge the dangerous chasm between technophiles and environmentalists. (From Booklist)>