Green remodeling, good building

With "indoor air quality" and "energy efficiency" becoming household terms for many homeowners, it pays even for remodelers outside of environmentally conscious markets to understand what green remodeling is and how to do it.

In their new book, Green Remodeling: Changing the World, One Room at a Time (New Society Publishers), authors David Johnston and Kim Master explain the basics of building science and how remodeling one part of a home impacts the whole house. Johnston, the president of What's Working in Boulder, Colo., has been in the construction industry more than 30 years and has designed green building programs in Boulder, Denver, Los Angeles and California's Alameda County. Master, a senior associate with What's Working, is LEED accredited.

Focusing on key systems such as foundations, framing, plumbing, windows, heating and finishes, the authors offer "green" solutions to save energy, conserve resources, improve air quality and make the home affordable to maintain. The book includes checklists for each room of the home and an extensive resource list.

To read an excerpt on green remodeling for bathrooms and kitchens, visit www.HousingZone.com/forums/green.