Green Remodeling

An encyclopedic how-to of all you need to make your home green

An encyclopedic how-to of all you need to make your home green Whether because of changing lifestyles or simply because houses are becoming outdated, millions of North Americans are renovating their homes every year, spending more money annually on renovation than on new home construction. But renovations can be fraught with unintended consequences like indoor air pollution. How do you remodel in a healthy, environmentally friendly way? Green Remodeling is a comprehensive guide. It first points out the advantages of remodeling. Buildings are responsible for 40% of worldwide energy flow and material use; so how you remodel can make a difference. Upgrading furnaces, cabinets and toilets means less fossil fuel pollution, reduced resource depletion, and fewer health risks. Green remodeling is more energy-efficient, more resource-conserving, healthier for occupants and more affordable to create, operate and maintain. The book then discusses simple green renovation solutions for homeowners, focusing on key aspects of the building including foundations, framing, plumbing, windows, heating and finishes. Room by room, it outlines the intricate connections that make the house work as a system. For example, how new windows may affect the structure and mechanical systems of the rooms below, the health of the family, and the future of old-growth forests. Then, in an easy-to-read format complete with checklists, personal stories, expert insights and an extensive resource list, it covers easy ways to save energy, conserve natural resources, and protect the health of loved ones. Addressing all climates, this is a perfect resource for conventional homeowners, as well as architects and remodeling contractors.

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.

Take the Lead in the Green Revolution With environmental concerns a top issue for consumers everywhere, the green market is the next big boom industry for entrepreneurs looking to make money-and make a difference. "Kermit is wrong! It's easy being green...just read Croston's book. He provides a terrific guide to an amazing array of business eco-opportunities, and tells you how to take advantage of them!" -Ray Smilor, Executive Director, Beyster Institute at the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego, author of Daring Visionaries: How Entrepreneurs Build Companies, Inspire Allegiance, and Create Wealth "75 Green Businesses gets you quickly up to speed on the fast-paced trends propelling the green economy and shows you where to find the opportunities. If you're considering starting your own green business, Croston's book has practically written about half your business plan for you. A terrific resource." -Josh Dorfman, founder & CEO, Vivavi and author of The Lazy Environmentalist "Browsing through these pages will inspire some directly toward a new career and prompt others to invent new business models. Expect to see a dog-eared copy sitting on every shelf of the next generation of entrepreneurs." -Eric Corey Freed , Principal, organicARCHITECT and author ofGreen Building & Remodeling for Dummies "The biggest opportunities of the 21st century are green businesses. This wonderful book offers people who want to get involved a very comprehensive listing of those many opportunities as well as numerous links to more information. Read it and get inspired." -Greg Pahl, author of The Citizen-Powered Energy Handbook: Community Solutions to a Global Crisis Discover 75 green startup ideas in multiple industries, including eco-tourism, small wind power, green schools, water conservation landscaping, green investment consulting and more. For each business, Croston shows you the market, product to be delivered, resources needed, major hurdles ahead, competitors and strategies for success.

It’s beautiful going green. The home furnishings industry is undergoing a renaissance of amazing new products that are less toxic for people, are made with renewable resources, and avoid processes that can harm the environment. The surprise is how sumptuous these new green choices are. With more than 475 full-color photos, Knack Green Decorating and Remodeling showcases all the beautiful, environmentally friendly options you'd love to have in your home. Whether you're remodeling, redecorating, making a single product decision, or looking for that perfect finishing touch, here are new ideas that will delight you from a decorating expert with phenomenal taste. From first steps to gradual changes to guiding principles, this book shows how easy it is to make your home a little greener, starting today Features covered include ideas for: Furniture and fabrics Wall and window coverings Floors and countertops Bed and bath Lighting Babies and children Pets Outdoor living Finishing touches An extensive resource guide with more than 500 Web sources is provided as well.

Want to build responsibly, reduce waste, and help preserve the environment? Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies is your friendly, step-by-step guide to every facet of this Earth-friendly method of construction. Building a home—even a green home—uses plenty of resources and energy. This practical, hands-on book shows you how to build or remodel conscientiously, whether your dream home is a simple remodel or a brand-new multimillion-dollar mansion. You’ll start by identifying green materials and sizing up potential systems and construction sites. You’ll weigh the pros and cons of popular green building methods and identify opportunities for saving money in the long run. Need to find some green professionals to assist you in your venture? We’ll help you do that, too. This book will also help you discover how to: Understand the lifecycle of building materials Choose the right system for your green building project Put together a green team Work within your budget Use green building methods and sustainable systems Speed construction and reduce energy use and waste Refinish old fixtures and materials Beware of asbestos and lead-paint hazards Avoid costly mistakes Complete with lists of ten green things to do on every project and ten things you can do right now in your home in order to go green, Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies is your one-stop guide to planning and building the home you’ve always wanted.

More and more people are becoming interested not just in living green, but particularly in living in a home that’s ecologically sound. With thousands of new eco-minded houses being built, and the real estate market becoming more attuned to home-buyers’ interests, demand for ecologically efficient living spaces is still exceeding the supply. Yet few resources exist for those wanting to build, buy, or remodel their own home to use less energy and be environmentally sensitive. Your Eco-Friendly Home shows readers how they can: find, finance, and buy eco-friendly real estate • work with eco-conscious agents and brokers • use environmentally friendly materials and techniques for interiors and exteriors • make their homes and landscaping more efficient • take advantage of tax incentives for going green This practical, reader-friendly guide gives readers all the guidance they need to easily become ecologically responsible homeowners.

Covers the various myths and realities of building and remodelling. This book shows how to budget and plan your remodelling project and how to stick to it. It helps you with things such as choosing a contractor, dealing with problems and managing fraud, licenses, lawyers, bonding, budgeting, buying and event the kids and the pets in the mess.

A guide to ecological renovation that explains simple steps people can take to make their homes more ecologically friendly and offers practical suggestions for project planning.