Dispatch from the SSC Team
This series of "green reads" provides a snapshot into the most important books in sustainability. We've divided them up into categories -- be sure to check out the whole series!
And now, part five... all about your Green Building, Design and Delivery.
Green Building A to Z: Understanding the Language of Green Building
Author: Jerry Yudelson (Pages 240)
Green building is the fastest-growing trend to hit since the Internet, bringing with it an enormous range of new products, systems, and technologies. Green Building A to Z is an informative, technically accurate, and highly visual guide to green building, for both decision-makers and interested citizens. It begins with an introduction to the importance of green buildings and a brief history of the green building movement, outlines the benefits and costs of green buildings, and shows how you can influence the spread of green buildings. The book touches on key issues, such as enhancing water conservation, reducing energy use, and creating a conservation economy.
Why we chose it: Jerry Yudelson has trained three thousand people in the LEED Green Building Rating System, and has chaired Greenbuild, the world’s largest green building conference, for the past four years. The founder of a green building consulting firm, he is the author of three books on green building marketing and an advisor to manufacturers, venture capital firms, design firms, and developers
Published: October 2007
Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Delivery
Author: Charles Kibert (Pages 432)
The green building movement has come a long way in a short time. Responding to this exponential growth, with its attendant technological as well as aesthetic developments, Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Deliver, Second Edition guides construction and design professionals through the process of developing commercial and institutional high-performance green buildings in today's marketplace.
Why we chose it: Charles J. Kibert, PhD, PE, is Director of the Powell Center for Construction and Environment, and a professor in the M. E. Rinker Sr. School of Building Construction at the University of Florida. He is a board member of the Green Building Initiative, the Florida Green Building Coalition, and the Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. He is the cofounder and chairman of the Cross Creek Initiative, Inc.
Published: October 2007
Building Green
Author: Clarke Snell (Pages 616)
This large, generously illustrated manual is an excellent primer on owner-designed and site-inspired building. Snell, who wrote the eco-friendly The Good House Book, and Callahan, a more conventional but highly experienced builder and contractor, take readers step-by-step through the creation of a charming little guesthouse, demonstrating a variety of "green" techniques along the way.
Why we chose it: It is a best selling reference book on sustainable construction.
Published: August 2009
The Integrative Design Guide to Green Building: Redefining the Practice of Sustainability
Author: 7Group & Bill Reed (Pages 432)
The integrative design process offers a new path to making better green building decisions and addressing complex issues that threaten living systems. In The Integrative Design Guide to Green Building: Redefining the Practice of Sustainability, 7group's principals and integrative design pioneer Bill Reed introduce design and construction professionals to the concepts of whole building design and whole systems. With integrative thinking that reframes what sustainability means, they provide a how-to guide for architects, designers, engineers, developers, builders, and other professionals on incorporating integrative design into every phase of a project.
Why we chose it: It is endorsed by the US Green council
Published: April 2009