The Sustainable House Handbook: How to plan and build an affordable, energy-efficient and waterwise home for the future

Description

The Sustainable House Handbook is your comprehensive guide to building an affordable, eco-friendly and energy- plus water-efficient green home for the future. In this book, sustainability expert and Gardening Australia presenter Josh Byrne takes readers through the process of planning a 10-Star rated high-performance home according to the Australian Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS), and outlines how it is possible to build with conventional materials, in an accessible and cost-effective way. Josh shows how to create a family home that is comfortable year-round, without the need for air conditioning or additional heating, how to integrate solar power to cover household needs, and how to reduce water usage by integrating rainwater tanks and greywater recycling systems. He also discusses how to cleverly incorporate organic food production in the garden while maintaining a highly attractive space that improves health and wellbeing. Illustrated throughout with photos, plans, charts, diagrams and useful statistics and measurements, The Sustainable House Handbook is an accessible, easy-to-follow resource for anyone planning their dream house, or thinking about how to live more sustainably.

Dr Josh Byrne is an environmental scientist with a national profile as a consultant, researcher and communicator in urban sustainability. Well known for his role as a presenter on ABC's Gardening Australia TV program, Josh is also an Adjunct Research Fellow with the School of Design and the Built Environment at Curtin University where his research interests span high-performance housing, water-sensitive design and sustainable urban development. He is the author of two popular books on sustainable gardening, including Small Space Organics (published by Hardie Grant), and is a regular contributor to the Gardening Australia magazine. He has also authored a number of academic book chapters, journal papers and industry guidelines relating to low-carbon living and water-sensitive urban design. Josh is a recipient of Murdoch University's Distinguished Alumni for Science and Engineering, and the Australian Water Association's Western Australian Water Professional of the Year awards. In 2018, he was awarded the Planning Institutes of Australia WA Planning Champion Award for his contribution to planning and urban sustainability. His favourite pastime is gardening.