Eco-House Manual: A Guide to Making Environmental Friendly Improvements: A guide to making environmentally friendly improve Paperback – 3 Dec. 2015

Though published by Haynes who are best known for detailed maintenance manuals this book is not a 'how to' book. The author points this out near the start of the book and also makes the point that innovation in technology and changes in government policies mean that the book is not 'future proof'. As individuals most of us are well-informed and want to 'do our bit' to save the planet. New technologies are initially expensive and ironically most likely to be taken up by those who have least need to scrimp and save. Governments try to encourage wider uptake by either the carrot of incentive schemes or the stick of formal legislation: what is niche now might become a community standard in a few years. The book explains in clear language what the problems of the environment are (wastage of energy, pollution within and without buildings) and suggests practical measures to address them.The property stock in the UK spans centuries of different construction methods and styles and no one retro-fitted technology can make every house environmentally up to scratch. Each measure to conserve energy may seem hardly worth it in terms of its cost versus benefit, but we have to look at the cumulative effect of a number of small improvements and be prepared to play a long game to see the savings or return on the initial expenditure. This book helps to explain what measures are suitable for which types of properties. Clearly for a new build property the opportunities are greater and energy saving can be taken into account from the very earliest stage of planning.What can I do to save the planet? I can be thoughtful and diligent and implement such measures as are suitable for my property as soon as I can: if you do the same all those little marginal gains will add up!

Great informative with a collective of ideas and how to guides.

Bought for father-in-law who is preparing to improve insulation to family home. Much appreciated and informative. I only glanced at it during a visit, but it looked good.

Well written with lots of useful information and "how to" guides

Husband loved it.