Building a Sustainable Home: Practical Green Design Choices for Your Health, Wealth, and Soul

(Paperback)

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Learn the logistics of choosing windows, insulation, appliances, and lighting. Find out about FSC certified wood and about using reclaimed materials. Here is everything you need to make your home sustainable.

Whether the reader is building a new home or doing a minor remodel, a homeowner needs a framework by which to guide their decisions. These decisions are based on values, and the author posits that there are really only three reasons to go green:

• For Our Health: By building more sustainably, we reduce our exposure to harmful chemicals and toxins.
• For Our Wealth: By building a more durable home and being more efficient with resources like water and electricity, we reduce our monthly utility bills and ongoing maintenance expenses.
• For Our Soul: Collectively doing the right thing for our planet does make a differenceand that is soul-nourishing.

The green building movement has produced hundreds of how-to books and websites that are filled with tips about green building and what homeowners should do to go green. While helpful and informative, when it comes to making actual purchasing and installation decisions, these books do not make it any easier for a homeowner to prioritize against a budget. Here, Melisssa Rappaport Schifman shares her knowledge and experience for others to use in their journey toward a greener way of living.

Reviews

Every architect should read this book.David Salmela, FAIA, winner of more than 70 architectural awards (including 8 National AIA Awards)

Author Bio

Melissa Schifman became the Twin Cities fifth LEED for Homes Accredited Professional (LEED AP) and completed the work necessary to get her own home LEED Gold Certified. She founded Green Intention LLC, where she writes and blogs about sustainable home living. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.