Presents information on how to improve a home's energy efficiency and switch to renewable energy resourses to provide electricity, hot water, heat, and cooling for a home.

A beautiful, user-friendly overview to building more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly homes using prefabrication. Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid explores the many ways of using prefabrication to build beautiful homes that are not only environmentally friendly, but also incredibly energy efficient. Profiling more than thirty of the most energy-efficient homes in the United States, this user-friendly guide reveals how homebuilders can achieve similar results—whether they want to earn an advanced green certification or just incorporate a few energy-saving measures—with the help of floor plans, detailed resource lists, explanations of the latest technologies, and brilliant photographs. Author Sheri Koones shows that building green doesn’t have to be more expensive, and in fact, can lead to dramatic savings. Koones’s almost-off-the-grid homes, which take energy from the grid when necessary and return any excess energy produced, are healthier, quieter inside, and far cheaper to operate. As energy costs continue to rise, energy independence is becoming increasingly essential, and as this guide shows, the almost-off-the-grid home is a solution that is achievable for everyone. Recipient of the 2013 Robert Bruss Gold Book Award from the National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) Praise for Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid “The time has come to throw out the old stereotypes and to embrace prefab building techniques as the way of the future?and the best approach for today. For anyone wanting to create a house that’s sustainable in every sense of the word, this book is an excellent place to start.” —Sarah Susanka, architect and author of The Not So Big House series “You can build a high quality, environmentally friendly and efficient home at a reasonable price with a look and feel of a traditional home. Advancements like those used in our house and the other houses in this book will transform the homebuilding industry.” —Christine Todd Whitman, former governor of New Jersey and administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency “This is an easy-on-the-eyes guide that includes floor plans and multiple images of the exterior and interior of each home. It is not a manual for green construction, but a general overview of aspects of prefab and green construction. And it does that well.” —Natural Life magazine

From the author of Power from the Sun, the complete guide to switching to clean, affordable, renewable energy resources. Energy bills have skyrocketed in the United States, and traditional energy sources can be as damaging to the environment as they are to your pocketbook. The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Energy will show you how to slash your home energy costs while dramatically reducing your carbon footprint. Completely revised and updated, this new edition describes the most practical and affordable methods for significantly improving in-home energy efficiency and tapping into clean, affordable, renewable energy resources. If implemented, these measures will save the average homeowner tens of thousands of dollars over the coming decades. Focusing on the latest technological advances in residential renewable energy, this guide examines each alternative energy option available including: · Solar hot water and solar hot air systems · Passive and active solar retrofits for heating and cooling · Electricity from solar, wind, and microhydro · Hydrogen, fuel cells, methane digesters, and biodiesel This well-illustrated and accessible guide is an essential resource for those wanting to enter the renewable energy field. Packed with practical tips and guidelines, it gives readers sufficient knowledge to hire and communicate effectively with contractors and is a must-read for anyone interested in saving money and achieving energy independence. “If you’re thinking about investing in a renewable energy system for your home . . . The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Resources helps clarify the decision-making process . . . . Dan guides you through everything you need to choose which renewable options to integrate into your lifestyle. A great addition to my bookshelf!” —Mick Sagrillo, Sagrillo Power & Light

The Homeowner's Guide to Energy Independence is a guide to the most viable and affordable alternative energy sources, including solar panels, wind generators, hydrogen fuel cells, wood, hydro-electric, geothermal heat pumps, and more. Whether you want to moderately supplement your traditional fuel-burning furnace or completely revamp your home, this book has what you need. You'll learn about the most progressive and advanced options that have become available to the consumer as well as tried and true energy conservation techniques. You'll learn how much each method costs, and how quickly you will recoup any investment in alternative energy. A chapter covers fuel efficient cars and alternative fuel transportation. Also included is a list of contacts and resources, so you can get started today.

Discusses renewable energy resources and provides instructions for creating energy-saving and energy-producing equipment.

Solar energy is an abundant resource. Once a curiosity, solar electric systems are becoming commonplace. As we transition away from finite and polluting fossil fuels, clean, reliable, and affordable renewable technologies such as solar electricity will become the mainstay of our energy supply. Solar Electricity Basics provides a clear understanding of the sun, solar energy, and solar electric systems. It discusses the theoretical, practical and economic aspects of residential solar installations including: Inverters Batteries and controllers Costs of solar electric systems Financial incentives System installation and maintenance Permits, covenants, utility interconnection and buying a system. Whether your goal is to lower your energy bill through a grid-connected system or to achieve complete energy independence, Solar Electricity Basics is the introduction you need-no PhD required!