Sustainability

Easy step-by-step instructions on making practical or artistic creations from recycled materials.

ISBN: 9781902915555

Everything old is new again with "Bark House Style: Sustainable Designs from Nature". Resurrected from a practice begun in North Carolina in the 1800s, designing with bark shingles is again the epitome of sustainable design. Bark requires no toxic chemical treatments, can be harvested locally, and can live again for a century or more in the form of a premium building material, with little added energy use. Rustic, refined, natural, organic, unique, sophisticated, timeless, long lasting-bark shingles are the material of choice for many architects, builders, and home-owners. They appear in a breathtaking range of projects and mix well with a range of other building materials, including stone, log, glass, wrought iron, and copper. And no matter what variety of rustic styling you prefer - Adirondack, Cowboy, Craftsman, Rustic Revival, Shingle, Modern Rustic-bark used in remodeling can act as a visually pleasing architectural tool to bridge the gaps between old and new.

ISBN: 9781423602149

OCTOBER 2008

Tony Wrench lives a low impact, sustainable way of life through the application of permaculture principles. This is the story of how he built himself a cordwood roundhouse in Pembrokeshire, both a witty and moving account of realising a lifetime’s dream, and a practical ‘how to’ manual for anyone wishing to follow his example. Tony shares his skills and techniques, from the process of visualising and designing the house to lifting the living roof, infilling the walls, laying out the rooms and adding renewable, autonomous technology. Fully illustrated throughout from cutting the timber to completion. The house has attracted a lot of media attention, and has recently been featured in the Times Saturday magazine, the Daily Mail and the Western Telegraph, on the Discovery channel and has been discussed on Radio 4.

ISBN: 9781856230193

The ancient method of cob building uses a simple mixture of clay sub-soil, aggregate, straw and water to create solid structural walls built without shuttering or forms, onto a stone plinth.
It is now undergoing a renaissance as an 'eco-friendly' building material because of its amazing 'green' credentials. 'Building with Cob' shows how to apply this ancient technique in a wide variety of contemporary situations, covering everything from design and siting, mixing, building walls, fireplaces, ovens and floors, lime and other natural finishes, and gaining planning permission and building regulation approval. It also explains in detail how to sensitively restore an old cob structure. This book is a step-by-step guide, lavishly illustrated with over 300 colour photos and 85 diagrams.

ISBN: 9781903998724

Straw bale building is a radically different approach to the process of building. Its background is grassroots self-build; it is firmly based in the sustainable, "green building" culture that has brought to the construction industry many ideas about energy efficiency and responsibility towards the environment. As a building material, straw excels in the areas of cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency. If used to replace the more traditional wall-building system of brick and block, it can present savings of around #10,000 on a normal 3-bedroomed house, and a huge reduction in heating costs due to super-insulation of the walls. This practical guide has been written by the most experienced straw bale builder in the UK. It gives details of all the main construction methods, and covers bale specifications, plans, walls and foundations, doors and windows, plastering, building regulations and planning permission. The author also answers frequently-asked questions about straw bale building.

ISBN: 9781903998137

Cob, a structural composite of earth, water, straw, clay, and sand, has been used for centuries, in virtually all parts of the world, to create homes ranging from mud huts in Africa to lavish adobe haciendas in Latin America. This practical and inspiring hands-on guide teaches anyone from a rank beg

ISBN: 9781890132347

Written for those interested in alternative lifestyles, outdoor living, camping, and do-it-yourself projects, this lively book recounts the author's experiences building his first yurt. Dan Frank Kuehn carefully guides readers through every step of the creation of a 13' diameter, 10' tall model. He covers everything from the poles and lattice that form the basic structure to the pluses and minuses of various materials to the "luxuries like solar windows and lofts. The book highlights new building techniques and contains detailed lists of commercial yurt manufacturers, tools, and materials.

ISBN: 9780936070391

From the gold potatoes at the Sun Temple in Cuzco, Peru, the muddy ones in Ireland and those grown in China for MacDonalds chips, via Mrs Beeton, Charles Darwin, Lenin and Chairman Mao, to the mapping of the potato genome, the story of the spud is both satisfying and fascinating. John Reader follows the thread of the potato's story through the tapestry of human history, from its origins and evolution to its mysterious arrival in Europe, where it became a crucial part of gastronomic and social fabric. As global population swells and environmental sustainability becomes ever more crucial, Reader asks what role the potato still has to play - in this lively, readable study of our most humble foodstuff.