Natural Homes #101 - Table of Contents

(***Note- several generations of this material exist. The order of your material may not match the order of this table of contents exactly...however, you will find that all material indicated here has been included in your book.)

Smart Shelter Network

About the Smart Shelter Network-what is it, info sources, functions

Smart Shelter Information Sheet- can it help me? what does it do? What does it cost?

Resource Subject Index-list of information subjects available through the network

The Big Picture

Buildings and The Environment- fact sheet

Facts on Building Related Illness

Am I going to save the world....?- attitudes and costs in alternative homes

The Building World

Staying Out of Trouble-owner responsibilities

Where Should I Build

Site Selection and Planning Checklist- (summary list only-content to be developed)

Getting Started

How Many Square Feet?- tricky building sizes and costs

How Much House Will I Need- space efficiency, programing and size estimates

Basic Building Program Form- do it your self project program

Preliminary Building Cost Estimate...where the savings are and how much

Project Budget-comprehensive project budget check list

Don't Throw Your Old House Away

Sustainable Building Techniques for Remodels and Retrofits of Existing Structures-insulation, orientation, massing, sunspaces, daylighting, toxics, Electro-magnetic fields water catchment, gray water, Feng Shui, renewable energy, Russian stoves, cooling, solar ovens, ground sourced heating/cooling

Designing a New Home- Naturally

Design Principles for Natural Building- (summary check list- text to be developed)

Comparative Building Shell Systems-(helps you decide what to use) strawbale, traditionaladobe, pressed earth block, rammed earth, poured adobe, earth bags, cob, stone, log, earthships, timber frame, salvage structures, Rastra block, ice-block, papercrete, envelope houses, cord houses, cave houses, intrinsic heat, R-panels, stick frame

Systems for Natural and Sustainable Building

Basic Passive Solar Design-cost effectiveness, insulation, room arrangement, glazing sizes, trombe walls, massing-sizes, sloping glass, roof glass, sun rooms, solar furnaces...remedials.

Roof Systems

Water Catchment-sizing, yields, storage capacity

Content to be Developed: stucco, plaster, glazing, insulation, water, power, heating systems, cooling systems, lighting, hot water, appliances, toxic concerns, air quality, finishes, wall systemsemf, pv, wind power, hydro, furnishings, permaculture, land scaping

Smart Shelter Reports- pressed block adobe, bibliography, low-toxic housing, organic growers, solar hot water, strawbale builders/consultants, finance, costs, insurance, strawbale project list.

 

Materials for Natural and Sustainable Buildings

Criterion for Natural/Sustainable Building Materials-extractive impact, agricultural bases resources, embodied energy, toxicity, life cycle costing, corporate responsibility, recycled producty, durability, owner accessibility, local economic impact, aesthetics, furnishings, fabrics, draperies and imports

Natural Building Materials Sources-non-toxics, materials, bales, stucco, adobe block, wheatsheet, bamboo, recycled glass, rastra block, foam block, salvage materials, cellulose insulation....etc.

Smart Shelter Business Members List-regional service providers for sustainable building

Bibliography

Smart Shelter Bibliography- sustainable communities, corporate issues, design, engineering, Feng Shui, Solar design, non-toxic, environmental illness, emf, strawbale, adobe, gray water, greenhouses, landscape/gardening, cohousing, materials catalogues, ethical investment

Dave Holubets/ Blue Sky Builders Bibliography

Last Straw Order Form

Course Evaluation

Mail In Return evaluation of video/materials

Video Content ( 4 tapes- total time appx 11 hours)

Lession #1- Introductions, Network functions, information sources, resources, costing, project logistics, programing, square foot costing, preliminary cost estimates, project budget format, comparative shells (slides of examples), Q&A

Lesson #2- comparative shells, site selection and planning, wind location, riparian corridor, flood planes, solar orientation, code jurisdictions, building design using sustainable systems, living on site prior to design, phased construction.

Lesson #3- Design sequence, systems (slides of examples) design for retrofit of existing structure (revamp of poorly oriented tract house with natural building mediums)

Lesson #4- Passive solar design, building systems- roofs, water catchment, foundations, naturalbuilding materials and sources.