Sustainable residential architecture, Ana Maria Alvarez

A showcase of sustainable living in prefab, solar, mobile and modular houses. In this book, architect Ana Maria Alvarez presents an array of the world''s best sustainable residential architecture. Studying houses in many countries, she provides photographs, floor plans and elevations, mechanical schematics showing water and air circulation, and more to reveal how even the smallest home can be sustainable, functional and beautiful.

Each of the homes is examined in numerous spreads over 400 inspirational pages. The homes range in style, setting, cost, and in some cases, purpose. For example, the entirely self-sufficient Solar Active House was assembled on site of prefab pine panels and 263.7 sq ft of photovoltaic modules that produce all the energy it consumes.

Triple pane insulation and heat recovery systems reduce temperature, and windows open automatically when there is a lack of oxygen or excess interior moisture. Shutters provide protection from heat and create a second layer of insulation, cooling in summ.