Here is a list of some books in our library concerned with sustainable or green architecture. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, buildings have an enormous impact on the Earth’s systems, accounting for 12 % of all freshwater use, 30 % of all raw materials, 30 % of all greenhouse gas emissions, 45 to 65 % of waste output to landfills, and 70 % of all electricity consumption. Increasingly aware of these realities, a growing number of architects, builders, governments, and other institutions have moved away from the ostentatious and profligate practices of the past in favor of environmentally sensitive designs that incorporate such elements as energy efficiency, water conservation, recycled or renewable materials, and siting that preserves and enhances the surrounding environment. In addition to detailing advances in research and building techniques, these books also explore the underlying principles and philosophies of a movement calling for a new understanding of architectural design that will protect the environment while enhancing the physical and mental health of communities and individuals for generations to come.
Books
Sim Van der Ryn & Stuart Cowan. Ecological Design: Tenth Anniversary Edition. (1996)
As a professor of architecture at the University of California Berkeley, California State Architect in the 1970s, and founder of the Ecological Design Institute in Marin, Sim Van der Ryn has been at the forefront of sustainable architecture for decades. Building on his experience, he has developed a philosophy based on the integration of physical and social ecology and design, with ongoing collaboration of all parties involved being a crucial part of the process. This book details his principles and is a call to design in a way that honors the complexity of nature to all of those involved in the shaping of the physical details of daily existence – architects, landscape architects, city planners, farmers, chemical engineers, industrial designers, interior decorators, and others.
Jason F. McLennan. The Philosophy of Sustainable Design.. (2004)
Jason F. McLennan, architect and CEO of the Cascadia Region Green Building Council in Seattle, outlines the major ideas and issues that have emerged in the growing movement of green architecture and sustainable design over the last thirty years. Balancing technology, philosophy, and aesthetics, it introduces the state of the art and provides glimpses of possible futures.
Jerry Yudelson. The Green Building Revolution. (2008)
Yudelson surveys the state of the green building industry today in the United States and details the economic and environmental rationales for going green. Also included is a detailed primer on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System launched by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000 to provide measurable criteria for the design and construction of environmentally responsible buildings. This voluntary certification process is now the primary system in the country for assessing buildings as green and has helped to transform the building marketplace.
Stephen R. Kellert. Building for life: Designing and understanding the human nature connection. (2005)
Based on his work as a professor of social ecology at Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Kellert marshals evidence to support the contention that experiencing natural processes and diversity is critical to human material and mental well-being. He proposes numerous ways for using design to reestablish positive connections between nature and humanity in the built environment in our everyday lives.
David R. Macaulay and Jason F. McLennan. The Ecological Engineer, Volume One: KEEN Engineering. (2006)
A detailed, well-illustrated profile of the practice, principles, and projects of an innovative firm of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers who have worked on major projects throughout North America. Holding engineering to a high standard of environmental excellence, they have created functionally outstanding structures, systems, and technologies in a way that embraces the philosophy of sustainable design.
David Pearson. In Search of Natural Architecture. (2005)
146 full-color photographs and eighteen drawings illustrate this architect’s personal journey around the world in search of architecture that is in harmony with nature. Along the way he explores ancient architectural forms, lessons of traditional folk architecture, the culturally vibrant architecture of developing countries, and ecologically aware building principles.
Angela M. Dean. Green by Design: Creating a Home for Sustainable Living. (2003)
Want to build your own green home? This book will help you through the design and decision-making process, including hiring an architect, managing your budget, meeting building codes, siting to take advantage of natural resources, incorporating healthy building materials, and using energy-efficient systems. It includes plans and full-color photographs of over a dozen case studies, demonstrating a variety of solutions. Also take a look at: Greg Pahl’s Natural Home Heating: The Complete Guide to Renewable Energy Options and Rob Roy’s Cordwood Building: The State of the Art.
