Natural materials are increasingly being valued for their use in a wide range of techniques and solutions, not just for building cabins in the countryside, but also for housing, schools and city structures. As the need to respond to climate change becomes a serious requirement for all building projects, so too does our understanding of how these bio-based and renewable materials can help to reduce carbon emissions. With convincing evidence that natural materials work as well as, if not bet...

In Building Materials, Health and Indoor Air Quality: Volume 2 Tom Woolley uses new research to continue to advocate for limiting the use of hazardous materials in construction and raise awareness of the links between pollutants found in building materials, poor indoor air quality and health problems. Chapters in this volume reinforce previous arguments and present new ones covering:Further evidence of the health impacts of hazardous emissions from materials...

The impact of building materials and construction methods on the health and wellbeing of occupants is often underestimated. This book is an essential guide to understanding and avoiding hazardous materials and poor air quality in buildings. The author covers a range of issues beginning with an explanation of how buildings work and how this influences the health of occupants and users. The text covers:Ventilation, air conditioning and indoor air qualityDamp and mould...

Dive headfirst into Germany and discover everything you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime.Germany rewards curiosity - discover small cobblestoned towns with fairy-tale palaces and forest-rimmed lakes alongside stunning wine villages. Our on-the-ground experts have soaked up the magic of Schloss Neuschwanstein, followed the 85km Deutsche Weinstrasse, and cruised through the romantic Rhine Valley. Just think of us as your friend on the inside. If i...

Environmentally responsible building involves resolving many conflicting issues and requirements. Each stage in the design process from the fundamental decisions about what, where and even whether to build has implications for the environment.Evolving out of the success of Green Building Digest, a publication described by Building Design as well-researched, authoritative and exhaustive, this practical new handbook considers the environmental issues which relate to ...

This key handbook provides a detailed reference for environmentally concerned purchasers of building products, and complements the Green Building Handbook Vol 1. Following the format of the original, this book discusses current issues in green building before moving on to consider eight building component types: fencing products, flat roofing membranes, glazing products, electrical wiring, adhesives, straw bale building, interior decoration and indoor air quality and ventilation. ...

Full-cast BBC adaptations of five of Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Waverley’ novels, plus a play adapted from his journal starring Alec Guinness, and a documentary about Scott and his legacyPoet, novelist, critic and campaigner Walter Scott invented the historical novel and shaped the world’s image of Scotland. His tales of heroism, romance and adventure were hugely successful, outselling Jane Austen and Lord Byron, and are still popular today. Included here...

Is your home healthy? Would you know if it wasn’t? This book is for those who are; renovating or building, a parent or expecting a baby, suffering from asthma or allergies, recovering from an illness, active in creating a healthy lifestyle. Discover how to create a beautiful home for your family that is functional, energy efficient and supports good health. Explore strategies to minimise your exposure to indoor pollutants that have been linked to a range of health concerns, including asthm...

The Complete Guide to High-Performance Hempcrete BuildingPart of the Sustainable Building Essentials series, Essential Hempcrete Construction is the definitive step-by-step guide to designing and building with hempcrete—an energy-efficient, breathable, low-carbon insulation material for walls, roofs, and floors.What You'll LearnFire-safe, Healthy, Breathable Walls: Hempcrete offers exceptional fire res...

The key principles of designing a pleasant, comfortable and healthy eco-home, with a foreword written by HRH The Prince of Wales, now King Charles III.Designing an eco-home is much more about working with your house's location and situation than relying on intrusive technology and hi-tech materials. With the soaring energy bills and the climate crisis, it is now more important than ever to invest in a home that is considerate of keeping heat in.In this hand...

Renewable energy is becoming crucially important, as concern over burning fossil fuels is increasing and the price of oil continues to rise. Biogas technology has undergone great developments since the first designs in the 1970s. Large national projects are working very effectively in countries such as Nepal, India and China, where hundreds of thousands of biogas plants have been installed; and Europe has a fast-growing interest in biogas technology. This book focuses on biogas extension p...

An updated, fully revised, full-colour edition of the definitive manual on building with straw bales, described by Grand Designs as an 'essential guide'.Straw-bale buildings are cost-effective, easy to build and highly energy efficient, enabling you to design and build beautiful, environmentally friendly buildings. Written with non-experts in mind, Barbara Jones uses her years of experience in natural building methods to guide self-builders and architects building ...