Sustainable Home Refurbishment

My new book, Sustainable Home Refurbishment: The Earthscan Expert Guide to Retrofitting Homes for Efficiency, is out now, published by Earthscan.

Praise for this title:

"This is an excellent book - comprehensively-researched, powerfully-presented and crystal clear. It should be the first stop for anyone seeking objective advice in a field cluttered with misleading claims. I couldn't recommend it more strongly." - George Monbiot

"As the idea of radical retrofit of our existing housing stock gradually moves from geek-dom to chic-dom, this book is a must have for all involved in this burgeoning industry. This book is both for the capable amateur and the professionally engaged.

"There is all the detail you could wish for with a vast array of practical examples and materials. This is not a book for the total novice but is a life saver for anyone on the road to radical retrofit.

"We can't recommend it highly enough. David has managed to make the book a good and interesting ready whilst managing to get all the necessary hard-core energy information in there as well." - Penney Poyzer (tv presenter, writer, Queen of Green, grass roots activist) and Gil Schalom (architect) .

Order it using the link above.

A retro-fit offers many benefits: cutting electricity and heating bills, increasing the resale value of homes, slashing carbon emissions and creating a healthier place to live. This book is the guide to making it happen.

It looks at:

• draught-proofing, insulation and damp
• ventilation, heating and cooling
• electrical efficiency and renewable energy
• water use and re-use
• materials' life cycles and incorporating nature
• protection from climate change impacts
• modelling energy flows and embodied energy
• how we can meet the need to cut carbon emissions from dwellings by 80% by 2050.

Projects can apply to apartment blocks, recent builds and older, solid-walled properties.

Enlivened with helpful diagrams and photographs, plus plenty of pointers for further information, it provides a comprehensive resource handbook for any building professional and contractor, students - or any homeowner serious about efficiency (cash and carbon) savings.

CONTENTS

Introduction

1. Airtightness: Reducing Energy Demand for Heating and Cooling

2. Insulation Materials

3. Insulation Strategies

4. Going All The Way - Towards Passivhaus

5. Windows and Doors

6. Ventilation, Cooling and Heating

7. Water Management

8. Electricity Efficiency and Supply

9. Contextual Issues