Sustainable home refurbishment : the Earthscan expert guide to retrofitting homes for efficiency / David Thorpe.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Airtightness: reducing energy demand for heating and cooling -- Insulation materials -- Insulation strategies -- Going all the way - towards passivhaus -- Windows and doors -- Ventilation, cooling and heating -- Water management -- Electricity efficiency and supply -- Contextual issues.

A retro-fit offers many benefits: cutting electricity and heating bills, increasing the resale value of homes, slashing carbon emissions and creating a healthier place to live. This book is the guide to making it happen. It looks at: draught-proofing, insulation and damp; ventilation, heating and cooling; electrical efficiency and renewable energy; water use and re-use; materials' life cycles and incorporating nature; protection from climate change impacts; modelling energy flows and embodied energy; and, how we can meet the need to cut carbon emissions from dwellings by 80 per cent by 2050. Projects can apply to apartment blocks, recent builds and older, solid-walled properties. Enlivened with helpful diagrams and photographs, plus plenty of pointers for further information, it provides a comprehensive resource handbook for any building professional and contractor, students - or any homeowner serious about efficiency (cash and carbon) savings.