Materials

Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine our Physical Environment

These days, whether you're designing a building or a toaster, a savvy knowledge of materials is increasingly critical. And keeping up with the constant flow of new materials, let alone their applications, properties, and sources, is an increasingly difficult and time-consuming task. Blaine Erickson Brownell, author of Transmaterial, known to thousands of web users for his "product of the week" email service alerting designers to new materials that are reshaping our world, has created this handy and affordable reference to the most interesting and most useful new materials now available.

Transmaterial is indexed in multiple ways for the sake of maximum convenience, and utilizes the new CSI Master-Format 2004 product categorization system. With more than 200 materials, organized by category, described, pictured, and annotated with technical and sourcing information, this catalog is an essential tool for any architect or designer interested in keeping up with the rapid developments in the field of materials, looking for a source of inspiration for their designs, or just eager to get their hands on real materials in an effort to understand the incredibly innovative palette now available to us.

Transmaterial 2: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine Our Physical Environment

As the speed of technological progress continues to accelerate, innovation threatens to outpace architects' and designers' working knowledge of materials thereby limiting their applicability. In order to stay at the cutting edge of design, a knowledge of the uses, properties, and sources of new materials is essential. A sequel to the critically acclaimed and best-selling book Transmaterial, Transmaterial 2 is a clear, concise, accessible, and carefully edited resource that provides information about the latest and most intriguing materials commercially available.

Based on a compilation of Blaine Brownell's "product of the week" electronic journal, Transmaterial 2 includes more than two hundred materials and is indexed in multiple ways for maximum convenience. An excellent ideas generator Transmaterial 2 is an indispensable tool for any architect or designer looking to keep up with the current trends in the field of materials.

Materials for Design

As architecture programs throughout the country break out of the classroom and adopt the holistic methods of design/build programs, the need for a textbook that bridges the gap between construction materials and design sensibility is sorely needed. Materials for Design is that book.

Students must be taught how a choice of material affects the form and look of a structure; they must also learn how inspired design can inject any material with true personality and zeal. Broken into five sections glass, wood, metals, plastics, and concrete Materials for Design makes a thorough study of each material's properties, followed by a series of 10 12 case studies of that material put to imaginative use by today's brightest architects from around the world.

There is no other textbook on the market that tackles material details so thoroughly while presenting lush, inspired color photographs, plan drawings, and detailed architectural diagrams.

Sun, Wind & Light: Architectural Design Strategies, 2nd Edition

Architecture/Environment
How to design buildings that heat with the sun, cool with the wind, light with the sky, and move into the future using on-site renewable resources
Developed for rapid use during schematic design, this book clarifies relationships between form and energy and gives designers tools for designing sustainably. It also:
* Applies the latest passive energy and lighting design research
* Organizes information by architectural elements at three scales:
* building groups, individual buildings, and building parts
* Brings design strategies to life with examples and practical design tools
* Features:
* 109 analysis techniques and design strategies
* More than 750 illustrations, sizing graphs, and tables
* Both inch-pound and metric units

Land Developer's Checklists and Forms

R. Dodge Woodson uses his years of experience as a builder and land developer to compile this unique checklist and forms book covering the day-to-day business practices of the residential land developers and the construction community.

All forms and checklists will also be available in customizable Word and PDF format from companion website.

Contents: Researching Profitable Properties * Doing the Demographics * Zoning Matters * Flood Zones and Flood Plains * Wetland Issues * Road Considerations * Leftover Lots * Timber Tactics * Budgeting Your Money * Selecting Partners * Beating the Bank * Organizational Skills That Win • Selecting Your Professional Team * Contractual Terms and Offers * Dealing With Property Owners * Working With Real Estate Brokers * Site Inspections * Plans and Specifications * Putting Work Out to Bids * Sales Projections * Insurance Needs * Working With Subcontractors * Watching Your Workers * Beating Your Budget * The Exit Plan

More Straw Bale Building: A Complete Guide to Designing and Building with Straw (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series)

Straw bale houses are easy to build, affordable, super energy efficient, environmentally friendly, attractive, and can be designed to match the builder's personal space needs, esthetics and budget. Despite mushrooming interest in the technique, however, most straw bale books focus on "selling" the dream of straw bale building, but don't adequately address the most critical issues faced by bale house builders. Moreover, since many developments in this field are recent, few books are completely up to date with the latest techniques.

More Straw Bale Building is designed to fill this gap. A completely rewritten edition of the 20,000-copy best--selling original, it leads the potential builder through the entire process of building a bale structure, tackling all the practical issues: finding and choosing bales; developing sound building plans; roofing; electrical, plumbing, and heating systems; building code compliance; and special concerns for builders in northern climates. New material includes:

more extensive sections on electric wiring and plumbing
updated sections on bale finishes and finishing
a section on prefabricated straw bale walls
a wider selection of case studies, photographs and illustrations
a section on common mistakes
budgeting for low-, medium- and high-cost projects, and new testing data that is in no other straw bale book.

Down-to earth and complete, More Straw Bale Building makes the remarkable benefits of straw bale building available in the most comprehensive and practical book on the subject to date.

Chris Magwood and Peter Mack are professional straw bale house builders and consultants who have constructed over 40 straw bale structures and have taught workshops and seminars in several countries. Chris is editor of The Last Straw Journal, an international quarterly devoted to straw-bale building, and the coauthor of Straw Bale Details: A Manual for Designers and Builders (New Society Publishers, 2003).

Green Building Products: The GreenSpec Guide to Residential Building Materials

Facade Construction Manual (Construction Manuals (englisch))

Facades - they are the first feature of a building to be noticed, they determine its distinctive appearance and are often the subject of controversial debate. This new first edition of the Facade Construction Manual provides a systematic survey of contemporary expertise in the application of new materials and energy- efficient technologies in facade design, and represents an invaluable addition to our series of Construction Manuals. It surveys the facade design requirements made by various types of buildings, as well as the most important materials, from natural stone through to synthetics, and documents a diversity of construction forms for a wide range of building types. Over 100 international case-studies in large-scale, detailed drawings are presented in the comprehensive project section.

Good Green Homes

Green. It conjures images of a meadow in spring for some, and the color of money for others. What does "green" have to do with our homes? In essence, green building-or sustainable building-means being smart about how we use energy, water, and building materials so that we can live well without needlessly damaging the environment. Creating a good green home isn't just about conservation, about using less or saving more-although that's certainly part of it. It's about creating better homes that are easier on the environment, less expensive over the long term, and more delightful to come home to. That's the message Jennifer Roberts wants to share in Good Green Homes, the ultimate new guide for people who want to live in comfortable, healthy, environmentally conscious homes.< BR> With some simple steps outlined in this book, you can save money, and do your part to help save the environment. For instance, using an energy-efficient light bulb saves you money. It also results in less demand for electricity, which in turn results in less pollution from power plants, which may help a child with asthma breathe a little easier. < BR> If you associate green-built housing with the unconventional or the quirky-tree houses, geodesic domes, dwellings constructed of tires or soda bottles-think again. Perfect for homeowners, remodelers, renters (who might be surprised by how much is within their power to change), architects, builders, and interior designers, this book lays out seven fundamental principles of green building, illustrated with more than 150 color and 20 black and white photographs of more than twenty-five homes. < BR> Jennifer Roberts launched two retail stores in San Francisco specializing in environmentally sensible consumer products, including household goods; and is a freelance writer and editor on topics that include energy-efficient building design and systems.< BR> (20031101)

The Barefoot Architect