To be considered for this random giveaway, leave a comment below through the end of Friday, May 14, 2010.*
Abrams was kind enough to send us a copy of Sheri Koones’ most recent book on modular homes, Prefabulous and Sustainable. Considering we’ve published over 250 articles on various green prefabs, you can say this book is right up our alley. Indeed, it’s a veritable treasure trove of inspiration for prefab enthusiasts and well worth the cover price of $25.
In Prefabulous and Sustainable, the term “prefab” is broadly construed to include modular, structural insulated panels, panelized, timber frame, and steel frame construction.
Using this framework, Koones provides case studies of 25 different prefabs roughly categorized into three sections: green, greener, and greenest. Each case study includes several photographs, captions, floor plans, sidebars, contact information, and a description of green elements.
Some of the homes you’ve probably seen before, such as the mkLotus, Method Cabin, PowerHouse, and others. But Koones is thorough and informative, so deeply knowledgeable followers of this industry will find something new.
If you’re looking for cost information on the homes profiled in Prefabulous and Sustainable, you won’t find many specifics, but that’s pretty common. We’ve found that some homeowners aren’t interested in sharing that kind of information with the world.
[+] Buy a copy of Prefabulous and Sustainable from Amazon.
*To participate in this giveaway contest, leave a comment here by midnight MST on Friday, May 14, 2010. One comment per person; use a valid email; available only in the United States. By leaving a comment, you agree to the terms and conditions relating to giveaways on Jetson Green.
Sounds awesome 🙂
This would make a great gift for my roommate!
Sustainable living is a big goal for me and my family
I need it. Please give it to me, looks like it would catch a lot of rainwater for my gardens.
Yay! We would love to have this book as a resource in our home planning process!
The construction industry in Japan spends 40x (yes 40) as much on research than the US. In the US, we still build mostly the same as we have been for the last 50 years. Plywood and roof trusses were some of the last real advancements.
Interesting book. I hope I win!
Jack, congratulations, you’re the winner of this giveaway. I’ll email you separately to get your information for shipment. Best of luck to everyone else in the future!
Prefab costs are a major issue. In many cases, it appears that you really don’t gain a lower per square foot cost even though the house is “production line” constructed to a certain degree.
I agree. If this is going to be the case, the per-fab need to be of excellent quality and highly efficient in design and energy usage.
Looks like a good read.
Are any of the prefab homes designed for an urban environment? The beautiful bucolic scene on the book’s cover isn’t very sustainable if the residents get in a car and drive through miles of sprawl each day to get to work. I’d love to see more urban prefab, like the 100k house in Philadelphia.
There are several urban houses in the book.
Just saw this book yesterday and was interested.
When we heal the earth, we heal ourselves. ~David Orr
Looks like a great book. I think pre-fab has a ton of potential and I’d like to also see pre-fab additions developed as well; modules you sort of just plug into the side or rear of your existing home or structure. I would also like to see some better cost savings in using pre-fab.
I bought this book a couple of weeks ago. Stunning homes that make good sense. Important, however, to consider where the prefab is made. Having a home made in California then shipped to Nebraska is a contradiction in sustainability. I suspect, however, we will begin to see more of these quality homes offered within 500 miles of most major cities.
Hoping to build a green urban infill prefab some day.
Wish there was cost information….
Most of the homeowners in this book were very cost conscious. It is, however, impossible to give prices for each house because they vary so much in different areas of the country and are determined by many factors, such as complexity of the design.
I love prefab homes and can’t wait until I can get one myself!
I wish there were enough sustainable homes to go around for all of us, to really get this planet on the right track. But this is a great first step!
Would love to read this!
Yes, would love a copy!
I’m saving up for my own small prefab in 3 years
I’d love to have a copy. We’re planning a new home and seriously considering using a prefab strategy.
This would be a great resource for those choosing to build prefab and green.
I had a pretty low opinion of pre-fabs before (my parents had a pre-fab from the 70s that was not very well put together), but after doing research I have realized that modern pre-fabs are light years ahead of the standard construction methods. I also live in an area where there is little in the way of ‘green’ building, so it would be awesome to bring some green into the community!
I would love to read this.
Love your blog!
This is the very subject which helped me learn about jetsongreen to begin with, so naturally this book sounds interesting to me.
I have a copy of their Prefabulous book and was blown away by the inefficiencies of BAU home building. Sustainable prefab can only be an improvement on an already wonderful building process!
Great thing about the “green” building movement is that a lot of DIYers have an interest. Books like these help us DIY folk learn the tricks.
Looks like a great primer on the latest in pre-fab housing.
Would love to crack this thing open
looks like a great book!
looks like a great book!
This seems like a great book to begin thinking about designing your own pre-fab and green home, which I plan on doing someday
Awesome. Looking to expand my Prefab book collection!!
I would love to add this to my collection of books and resources that I would like to put to use in building our house some day.
Thank you
A great tool for any person wishing to explore the prefab construction process before proceeding to a decision. I would be proud to have this book in my reference area.
Do I have to say something intelligent, or just comment?
I want!
And would wouldn’t Abrams be kind enough to send it to one of your readers down the southern tip of Africa? Pity though as it looks like a tremendous book (and you surely have many international bloggers).
As much as I love the concept of a completely new, sustainable home, let’s not forget the environmental benefits of retrofitting older structures, with modern techniques and products.
This would be a great addition to my library! Bring on the free book!
This would be a great addition to my library.
Pre-fab makes so much sense but it’s still hard to find anyone to build this way in most places. We have a long way to go.
Would like in my library.
Awesome. I’m most interested in the “greenest” prefabs.
yes please
Yes please 🙂
We’re in the planning stage for our retirement home. This would be a great reference! Thanks!
Looks very interesting.
Looks like a prefabulous book! Its definitely the way to go.
The wealth of information coming through on a daily basis in particular with Prefabricated or Factory Built Buildings is amazing and demonstrates the new innovation and technology is not wasted on a “veteran” of the industry having been continuously associated with it over 32 years now. Such books are additional “fodder” for the mind
I hope the building industry begins to recognise that prehab green homes are the future. Homebuilding has become too complex. Failures in efficiency due to oversight or carelessness can render a potentially sustainable greenest home a lower functioning abode.
I’d like to find my retirement home in this book!
would love to win this book
Attempted to build a Geodesic Dome out of drift wood found on the beach in Northern California when I tried going “back to the woods” in 1971 with nothing but a swiss army knife and a copy of “Dome Book 2 ” (http://issuu.com/golfstromen/docs/lloyd-kahn-1971), – Failed miserably – Maybe this book will inspire sustainable success!
It my dream to build a Eco home, well appointed, sustainable – I’m far from rich so this book concept is wonderful to bring high efficiency design to the common person. Yea! With so many in the construction industry unemployed its a great time to build if you can find a plan that makes sense! I’m looking forward to reading the book! (and winning the house! fingers crossed!)
nice looking book
I would love to get this.
This would be perfect for my brother. He is looking to build a home on a farm and is considering a prefab. Thanks.
Looking at building a Prefab near Louisville. I really like the look of the house on the cover. I’m hoping the book mentions manufactures. Cheers.
would love to know more about modular homes!
This book will help my double-decker double-wide dreams come true.
Beautiful! I would love some green home ideas!!!
Having dealt with Mother Nature’s tantrums resulting in 13 floods over the years to my home… and ultimately…endless heartache and repairs, it would be my greatest pleasure to begin anew and experience living life in a modular. I believe I would be so inspired by this book to chase that sweet, seemingly impossible dream.
The book sounds great!
This would make a nice addition to my bookshelf on building sustainable dwellings.
In the words of Donkey from the Shrek movies, “Ooh, ooh! Pick me! Pick me!”
If this publication is as good as Design Like You Give A Damn, then this should be an exceptional book.
Great looking book! Got to get the word out about prefabs!
what are u talking about
This looks very interesting.