Shelter, Energy & Eco-Design

"Green buildings" that slash energy use and carbon emissions are all the rage, but they aren't enough. The hidden culprit is embodied carbon the carbon emitted when materials are mined, manufactured, and transported comprising some 10% of global emissions.

Light straw clay - straw mixed with clay slip - is a versatile, easy-to-use wall building material. Also called "slip-straw," its durability has been proven in beautiful, centuries-old buildings across Northern Europe and in modern high-performance buildings in North America.

The audacious, wild, and colorful architecture of Antoni Gaud is among the most famous and the most misunderstood in the world. His masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia, epitomizes Gauds quixotic ambition, the sensuous eccentricity of his design, and the iconic status his work has attained in Spain.

Skyrocketing energy costs and constant reminders of the impacts of conventional energy sources are making homeowners and businesses look at different ways to use energy more efficiently and to generate their own electricity to reduce fuel bills and their carbon footprint.

Chatsworth has been home to the Cavendish family and the hereditary dukes of Devonshire since the original Elizabethan house was built on the site purchased by Sir William Cavendish in 1549.

From Lloyd Kahn, the creator/publisher of a popular series of building books comes Small Homes, which is highly relevant for these times. Getting smaller, rather than larger.

Written for the layman, this is the fully revised and updated guide for individuals and businesses interested in generating their own electricity using the Sun.