Overview: A Zero Energy Home (ZEH)--a home that produces as much energy as it consumes--is an idea whose time has come! Authors David Johnston and Scott Gibson (Green from the Ground Up) explore the design and construction of self-sufficient houses from start to finish. They make the case for a ZEH; cite climate and geographic challenges; describe exactly how to go about building an energy-efficient home; and feature ten houses that were built for...

Presents twenty-two science projects designed to help students learn how to use the forces of nature to save energy and fight climate change.

While heat from sunlight and ventilation from breezes is free for the taking, few modern architects or builders really understand the principles involved. Yet "natural conditioning" -- heating and cooling with passive solar techniques -- is a viable alternative to fossil fuels. Acknowledging the good intentions of misguided solar designers in the past, the author highlights certain egregious errors and shows how to avoid them. The author shows how...

Learn how to put the sun to work, and make your own solar-powered appliances and additions to your home. Offers small-scale, achievable solar projects that homeowners can build and install themselves. From cooking in solar ovens to mounting solar panels on your roof, this book teaches how to take advantage of solar energy. It's all possible with relatively small investments and minimal DIY building experience. For those with more ambitious solar power...

Explores how houses are powered by energy, discussing the electricity, water, and natural gas that fuel appliances and other home technologies, and provides tips on how people can conserve these resources in their homes.