The New Autonomous House: Design and Planning for Sustainability

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0500282870 ISBN 13: 9780500282878

Publisher: Thames & Hudson, 2002

"I've seen many books on this subject, but none so well documented and honest."―Whole Earth

In 1975 Brenda and Robert Vale published The Autonomous House, a manifesto offering down-to-earth suggestions for building homes that do not pollute the earth or squander its resources. Their book received tremendous praise around the world and was seen as a significant move toward green architecture. Nearly twenty years later, in the early 1990s, the Vales decided to turn their groundbreaking ideas into reality.

The New Autonomous House records their building of a house on the principles of sustainable resources in the small town of Southwell in the British Midlands. As specialists in green architecture, the Vales sought to create an environmentally friendly four-bedroom house that was neither exotic in appearance nor difficult to maintain. They document the philosophy, design, and construction of a building that can produce power from the sun and obtain drinking water from the rain.

The New Autonomous House has a simple but revolutionary message: It is possible to live in an inexpensive house that is kind to the planet and liberates its owner from utility bills. The Vales provide a thought-provoking, practical solution to the environmental problems caused by the houses in which we live, a blueprint of green architecture for future generations. 37 black-and-white drawings

About the Author:

Brenda Vale is a professor of architecture at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. Her previous books include The New Autonomous House.

Robert Vale is a professor architecture at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. His previous books include The New Autonomous House.

From Library Journal:

The world's most energy-efficient house, according to the 1999 Guinness Book of Records, was built in 1993 in Southwell, England by the Vales. This book details the planning and construction of this extraordinary dwelling. The Vales's The Autonomous House (LJ 2/1/76) defined a theoretical ideal of a site and structure not dependent on outside sources of power or natural resources. The new book chronicles their efforts to put theory into practice. The text, replete with drawings of and specifications for the building's vital systems, is offered as proof that such homes can meet the aesthetic, practical, and political requirements of residents, neighbors, and local officials. Whereas the 1975 book often alluded to U.S. contributions to sustainable technologies, America's absence from the 2000 narrative is quite conspicuous. Overseas, the authors have earned widespread admiration; this book should bring their ideas wider dissemination stateside. Highly recommended for academic, environmental studies, and technology collections.DDavid Solt sz, Cuyahoga Cty. P.L., Parma, OH
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.