Building Better. Sustainable Architecture for Family Homes

A practical and inspirational guide for anyone who sees sustainability not as limiting, but rather as a creative opportunity. An essential reference for everyone who wants to build a better home

Sustainability and energy efficiency play a critical role for anyone building or renovating a house. Thankfully, architects from around the world are now developing single-family homes that combine ecological responsibility with contemporary and imaginative design. Building Better is an engaging visual showcase of outstanding environmentally friendly houses. It not only offers an insightful exploration of the latest developments in sustainable design, but it also takes an in-depth look at the high-performance building materials and technical data involved in each featured project.

In the book, architects and homeowners work together to find unique and aesthetically compelling ways to build more sustainably. Melding client desires with real-world pragmatism, these efficient homes present a diverse spectrum of solutions that include everything from state of the art climate control systems to ancient, passive, and renewable building techniques.

For anyone who is in the process of building or renovating a home, sustainability is a critical issue —especially since energy is likely to remain costly for the foreseeable future. Choosing to use resources responsibly makes as much of a statement about a home as the selection of floor plans, building materials, or furniture.

Ideally, our homes should be sustainable and look good at the same time. Building Better showcases single-family homes from around the world whose architecture proves that sustainable and attractive are not contradictions. The book’s selection of outstanding, top-quality work provides feasible examples for a new generation of homeowners with a discerning sense of style and environmental responsibility.

The spectrum of featured projects ranges from energy efficient restoration and the construction of intelligent extensions to the planning and building of new low-energy or passive homes. The book introduces the latest building forms and materials as well as case studies examining the best division of space, architectural planning, and the use of innovative technologies to control and improve heating and air conditioning. Consequently, Building Better not only provides a striking overview of the topic of sustainable building but also insightful information on details from technical data to blueprints.

In the book, both architects and homeowners have their say. Families talk about their ideas, desires, motivations, and real experiences. Against this background, Building Better is both a practical and inspirational guide for anyone who sees sustainability not as limiting, but rather as a creative opportunity. As such, it is an essential reference for everyone who wants to build a better home.