Green living begins at home, and New Green Home Solutions tells you how. Most of the energy-derived pollution we produce comes as a direct result of our homes - how we heat them, how we cool them, how we keep them well-lit and full of things that make our lives so comfortable. The good news is that we have tremendous power to create change. Renewable energy design, better insulation and more efficient appliances could reduce energy demands by 60 to 80 percent. By embracing conservation and renewable energy, we can win our energy independence and help save the planet. Dave Bonta, president and founder of USA Solar Stores, the largest alternative energy retailer in the Northeast, has written about alternative energy and sustainable living for Green Living, Back Home Magazine, Alternative Energy Retailer and The Vermont Guardian. Bonta has studied renewable energy and energy efficiency for more than twenty years, is a frequent speaker at major green energy conferences across America and is a tireless advocate for green living. Also president of BioQuantum, Inc., a bio-fuels company, Bonta is the creator of BackHome chapters in America and is president of a renewable energy community organization, The Sustainable Valley Group. Stephen Snyder, communications director for USA Solar Stores, left New York City in 1995 to start an organic herb farm in Vermont with his wife, Melissa. He holds a degree in radio, television and motion picture communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has broad experience in communications, public affairs, and media relations. He also works as a freelance writer and has published The Brewmaster's Bible (HarperCollins), The Beer Companion (Simon & Schuster) and The Brewmaster's Recipe Manual.

A comprehensive guide to building green on any budget. According to conventional wisdom, building a green home is an expensive endeavor. The standard approach treats green as an add-on, tacking "premium" products, finishes, and equipment onto a traditional home design. As a result, many green home projects end up over budget or fail to achieve their environmental and performance goals. Green Home Building explodes the myth that green homes have to cost more. Using proven methods based on applied building science, the authors show how to: Lower base construction costs to provide funding for high performance upgrades Achieve a net-zero energy home, including "zero-ing" water, waste, carbon, and associated costs within fifteen years Live affordably into the future, despite anticipated rising costs for fuel, water, materials, taxes, and health care This comprehensive guide to building green on any budget defines the strategies that maximize the return on green investments. Written for anyone who has ever been swayed by the argument that the price tag limits how green a home can be, Green Home Building is a must-read for builders, contractors, architects, designers, and homeowners. Miki Cook is a green building and sustainability consultant who has dedicated her career to educating contractors and the public on the strategies, methods, and benefits of green homes. Doug Garrett has trained thousands of homebuilders, architects, and sub-contractors to build energy-efficient homes using applied building science to improve comfort, durability, and healthfulness while meeting or exceeding the energy code.

Featuring programs and resources for the U.S. and Canada “An authoritative and comprehensive overview of the benefits of energy-efficient homes.” –Kirkus Reviews Whether you are planning to build, buy, or retrofit a home, this illuminating book takes you on a virtual tour of the home of the future. Award-winning author and respected housing expert Anna DeSimone lights the way for enjoying a home that is healthier, more comfortable, saves money, and reduces your carbon footprint. A practical reference guide that can be used for years to come, this book uncovers every part and parcel of the sustainable home, with clear explanations, helpful infographics, and hundreds of follow-up resources. An eye-opening look at the health benefits of energy-efficient homes, trends in household energy use, and its effect on greenhouse gas emissions. Explains a home’s true cost of homeownership after factoring lowered utility costs, enhanced property value, mortgage discounts, and other financial incentives. The “whole-house efficiency blueprint,” chapter describes how things work, along with eco-friendly options for roofs, siding, insulation, doors, windows, lighting, appliances, water conservation, heating, cooling, ventilation, heat pumps, air- and heat-exchange systems, indoor air quality, and more. Renewable energy options covered include solar photovoltaic systems, wind energy, geothermal, hydro-electric power, and biomass. You’ll learn the infrastructure for grid-connected systems, billing credits, net metering, solar power purchase agreements, renewable energy certificates, and how positive energy can bring cash rewards. Learn about the popular “zero energy ready” program, a high-performance home that is pre-wired with a renewable energy component. National green-building certification programs covered, such as Net Zero, Passive Home, Zero Carbon, etc. for the U.S. and Canada. Everything you need to know about home energy scores and ratings. Explains evaluations for programs by the U.S. Department of Energy, RESNET HERS, and Canada EnerGuide. The home building opportunities will inspire you to roll up your sleeves and be the general contractor. Explains construction for modular, manufactured, log and timber, and prefab home kits, along with photos of model homes. Learn how smart home technology helps monitor the health and safety of your family and pets. Important guidance about environmental toxins, biological pollutants, and non-toxic solutions. Mortgage financing covers down payment assistance, nationwide energy-efficient mortgage programs, PACE financing, mortgage qualification guides, and how to roll the retrofit costs into the mortgage. Features programs for U.S. and Canada. Comprehensive directory of rebates and incentives for all U.S. states and Canada provinces. Find out about cash rebates and financial incentives from utility companies and local municipalities, along with key local government policies such as solar and wind access rights, and net metering laws.

This book discusses the teaching and learning about technological systems in technology education and adjacent curriculum areas. It describes, analyzes and synthesizes contemporary research on technological systems in technology education. By delving into the philosophy, sociology and history of technology, technology education and the learning and teaching of technological systems, it summarizes prior research and analyzes new research. This book thereby serves as a resource and reference work for professionals in this area of research and education.

A guide to designing and building the environmentally friendly, energy efficient home of your dreams. More and more homeowners today want houses that are healthy to live in and cause minimal damage to the environment. That’s what green building is all about. Your Green Home is written for homeowners planning a new home—whether you are working with an architect or builder, or serving as your own general contractor. Intended to improve the overall environmental performance of new houses being built, the book sets out to answer some of the big-picture questions relating to having a home designed and built-and getting what you want. Your Green Home covers: Home location and its relationship to the community Site design Construction systems Building design to optimize energy performance Renewable energy systems Material selection Indoor environmental quality Water efficiency Material selection Written by the founder of BuildingGreen—North America’s premier green building authority—this book will prove useful not only to future homeowners, but also to designers and builders seeking to meet this demand. Building professionals well-versed in green building may find this a useful book to give to potential clients to convey the scope and principles of green building.

Green building expert Katz makes a compelling argument for remodeling, as he guides readers through what can be a perplexing and daunting process. Katz explains how different choices impact a home's overall green quotient, as well as its bottom line.