Email to a friend | Read later | Your comments
Wednesday, 18th July 2007

How to build your own eco home

SAVINGS: Architect Jon Broome
SAVINGS: Architect Jon Broome
WHETHER you want to build your own green home or to make energy-efficient adjustments to your current home, Jon Broome’s Green Self-Build Book can help get you started.

Using real-life examples of people who have built their own eco-homes, Jon works through the main issues you should consider when undertaking a similar project while explaining in detail the different methods of construction and materials on offer.

Jon, an architect who has self-built two homes, explains the process in a way that is easily understood and relevant to those outside the building trade with key colour illustrations throughout.

Advertisement your story continues below

The number of self-builders, when taken as a whole, are now responsible for completing more houses than the largest individual house builder, making individual house builders important players in the move to a greener lifestyle.

However, information on materials and products that are useful in reducing environmental impacts isn’t always easily available using mainstream sources.

For this reason Jon has compiled a contacts list for suppliers of more eco-friendly building products.

And for those worried about prices, he proves just how cost-effective self-build can be with the example of a three-bedroom, two-bathroom, eco-house in Essex which was built for around £30,000.

The Green Self-Build Book: How to design and build your own eco-home by Jon Broome is published by Green Books priced £25.