Sustainable home refurbishment: the Earthscan expert guide to retrofitting homes for efficiency

A retro-fit offers many benefits: cutting electricity and heating bills, increasing the resale value of homes, slashing carbon emissions and creating a healthier place to live. This book is the guide to making it happen.

It looks at:
- draught-proofing, insulation and damp
- ventilation, heating and cooling
- electrical efficiency and renewable energy
- water use and re-use
- materials' life cycles and incorporating nature
- protection from climate change impacts
- modelling energy flows and embodied energy
- how we can meet the need to cut carbon emissions from dwellings by 80% by 2050.

Projects can apply to apartment blocks, recent builds and older, solid-walled properties.

Enlivened with helpful diagrams and photographs, plus plenty of pointers for further information, it provides a comprehensive resource handbook for any building professional and contractor, students - or any homeowner serious about efficiency (cash and carbon) savings.

Contents:
Introduction
1. Airtightness: Reducing Energy Demand for Heating and Cooling
2. Insulation Materials
3. Insulation Strategies
4. Going All The Way - Towards Passivhaus
5. Windows and Doors
6. Ventilation, Cooling and Heating
7. Water Management
8. Electricity Efficiency and Supply
9. Contextual Issues