Eco House Book »

Terence Conran is one of the world's leading designers, furniture-makers, restaurateurs, retailers and founder of the Habitat group of stores, which revolutionized home furnishings in the 1960s. He is Chairman of Conran Holdings, the parent company of his retail and restaurant businesses, and Chairman of Conran & Partners, his architecture and design practice.

A complete guide to home improvement the environmentally friendly way: whether you want to redecorate or redesign your home, this essential book provides all the information you need to reduce your home's carbon footprint and improve the quality of your life.
For 40 years, Terence Conran has been a leader in intelligent design, changing the way we think about and furnish our homes. No, Conran shows us that it is possible to convert our existing homes into greener, healthier places without starting from scratch. Whether you want to redecorate or resign your home, Eco House Book explains how relatively small and economic changes can be made, including simple repairs to improve energy efficiency, water saving tips, and productive gardening, to more dramatic overhauls such as redesigning room use, converting basements and extending your home.
Environmental issues should be part of every decision you make on the home front--from selecting fabric for soft furnishings to designing and siting a home extension.
Special focus is given to reducing the vast amounts of energy and water that homes consume on a daily basis, with advice on low energy lighting strategies and decorative choices, improving insulation and reducing energy use, the latest green heating systems, alternative ways of generating power, and electricity reducing appliances. As we are urged to change our lifestyles to reduce our carbon footprint and consumption of water, there has never been a better time to green your home.

Library Journal

This large-format publication continues Conran's long-standing "House Book" series. His design influence in the UK is perhaps equivalent to Martha Stewart's here. Not as comprehensive as his Ultimate House Book, this new effort, devoted to green building touches on siting, orientation, building materials, finishes, gardens, recyling, energy saving, and home-scale energy generation. Conran also dicusses conversions and adding on. Quality color photographs show innovative design approaches and detailing, though carpets and curtains are rare. In the final section,"Case Studies," Conran profiles 17 green homes located in Europe, the United States, and Australia. Whether new builds or renovations, most featured reused materials. Each receives a floor plan or sectional drawing. Terminology is steadfastly British, and a resource list contains only a few American items. However, homeowners will find inspiration in these images of places attuned to nature. VERDICT: This worthy and sophisticated promotion of green building is recommended to those considering home additions or looking for design ideas.