Eco-minimalism : the antidote to eco-bling

In this age of eco-bling where sustainability becomes yet another ill-defined buzz word and people rush to fix their unsuspecting buildings, with green technology badges such as wind turbines, not all such additions are as green as they first appear. This book highlights more realistic and cost effective approaches to going 'green' by showcasing 'eco-minimalism' - a good-housekeeping approach to ecological building design and specification, concentrating on less glaringly obvious strategies such as insulation, draught-proofing and the use of healthy materials. This book exposes the pitfalls of 'greenwashing' in an immediate, visually-arresting and authoritative way. The intention is to present basic tenets in a quickfire, highly accessible format not just for architects, other construction professionals and related students but everyone who cares about the sustainability of our built environment. "In this age of 'eco-bling' where sustainability becomes yet another buzz word and people rush to technically fix green badges to their unsuspecting buildings, not all 'green' additions to buildings are necessary. Eco-minimalism: the antidote to eco-bling is timely in highlighting more realistic and cost effective approaches to becoming 'green' and in showcasing 'eco-minimalism' - a good-housekeeping approach to ecological building design and specification, involving apparently non-glaringly obvious strategies such as insulation, draught-proofing and the use of healthy materials. This book aims to expose the pitfalls of 'greenwashing' in an immediate, visually-arresting and authoritative way. The intention is to present basic tenets in a quickfire, highly accessible format that is deliberately not technical or in-depth. A number of case studies support its central message, that the scattergun, 'Christmas tree' approach should be ditched in favour of 'eco-minimalism' - the holistic, considered and appropriate deployment of building science in support of truly ecological, affordable sustainable architecture for everyone."--Product description Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 2 Copyright......Page 3 contents......Page 4 Foreword......Page 5 Preface......Page 7 Acknowledgements......Page 9 Introduction......Page 11 The Four Elements......Page 19 Eco-Bling......Page 22 Fire Element......Page 24 Air Element......Page 38 Earth Element......Page 46 Water Element......Page 56 Eco-minimalism......Page 68 Fire Element......Page 70 Air Element......Page 86 Earth Element......Page 96 Water Element......Page 108 Capital Cost......Page 117 Postscript......Page 122 References/Selected Reading......Page 123 This book exposes the pitfalls of 'greenwashing' in an immediate, visually-arresting and authoritative way. It presents basic tenets in a quickfire, highly accessible format not just for architects, other construction professionals and related students but everyone who cares about the sustainability of our built environment.