Update: this book giveaway has concluded, thank you all for participating!
When you think about sustainable landscaping, you probably consider water efficiency and using low-maintenance native plantings. But do you think about energy efficiency? Cooling the air, cooling the ground, and harnessing the sun, wind, and water? Landscape architect Sue Reed has put together a comprehensive resource on the topic in Energy-Wise Landscape Design: A New Approach for your Home and Garden. In the new book by New Society Publishers, Reed explains how to save money and energy, while creating a beautiful and natural landscape.
The publisher was kind enough to send us a review copy of Reed’s book, which covers the following topics:
- Ch1: The Sun and the Wind
- Ch2: Shading the House
- Ch3: Cooling the Air Around the House
- Ch4: Cooling the Ground Near the House
- Ch5: Taking Advantage of the Sun’s Heat
- Ch6: Reducing the Chilling Effect of Winter Wind
- Ch7: Creating Healthy Working Ecosystems
- Ch8: Reducing (or Eliminating) Lawn
- Ch9: Using Water Efficiently
- Ch10: Fitting the Landscape to the Land
- Ch11: Designing the Car Zone
- Ch12: Making the Most of Every Element
- Ch13: Situating New Homes with Energy in Mind
- Ch14: Installing and Maintaining Planted Areas
- Ch15: Building Structures in the Landscape
- Ch16: Constructing New Homesites
- Ch17: Making Electricity from Sunlight
- Ch18: Generating Electricity from the Wind
- Ch19: Harnessing the Energy of Flowing Water
- Ch20: Capturing the Warmth of the Ground
- Ch21: Lighting with Energy in Mind
Reed provides general guidelines backed up by design tips, construction tips, and action items to implement the guidelines successfully. As a result, I think you’ll find Energy-Wise Landscape Design both highly informative and simply understood at the same time.
[+] Buy a copy of Energy-Wise Landscape Design from Amazon.
pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeseeeeeeeeeee
Excellent information for the ever increasing need to consider these when designing and building properties
This sounds like a great read. Thanks for the giveaway!
Looks like a very interesting book.
Looks like a great reference book! Thank you!
Looks like a great book and a great prize. Thanks for the chance.
So much want.
Looks like a great resource. I’d love to have one. Thanks for the give-away!
I think the idea of sustainable landscaping is interesting but I have little knowledge in the field. Economical use of water solar and wind is not only practical but is a admiralbe legacy ofr those who follow.
This sort of thing makes so much sense. I have been trying to find ways to improve my yard by incorporating this type of thinking but I don’t really know enough about it so this would be a great read for me. I love the idea of a yard that requires little in the way of care yet actually provides a function in the way of shading or food or cooling, etc.
Great topic that is not given enough attention. Landscaping is an easy and effective solution for energy efficiency, not to mention increasing home value, natural beauty and the calming affect.
Sounds like a great book and overlooked topic. Count me in 🙂
looking forward to reading the book!
What a great idea! Of course, I have thought about the energy saved by shading, reducing asphalt, deciduous trees on the South side and so on, but this book offers even more reasons to reconsider our lawn prone landscapes.
Looks facinating. Thank you for the giveaway.
Everyone should read this…but me first!
Thanks to Landscape architect Sue Reed for putting together such a useful document!
Awesome! Looks like a great read.
This would definitely be a great resource for developing site plans and designs for clients!
Sounds like the right info at the right time.
Looks like a great informative reference book! Would love to learn more about sustainable landscaping, thanks for the opportunity!
It’s time to live an outdoor life at home. Great ideas for improving the efficiency and beauty of our living spaces are always needed!
It looks like a wonderful book. Though I’ve seen a fair number of home-scale permaculture and edible landscapes, the energetics are often hardest to get right or see as much of in the bookstore. Thanks!
We are finishing up specifications on “The Greenest Home in California” using components from E-Space Systems http://www.E-SpaceSystems.net . One of the energy generation components is converting an existing swimming pool in to a landscaped geo-thermal unit. Water tubes will be snaked around below and within the earth used to fill the pool and glycol treated water will be pulled into the heat/cool compressor. The compressor will be solar powered with a state-of-the-art Solar Concentrator (based on Fresnel Glass magnifiers) and an equally advanced Lithium Ion battery back up which will store excess electricity for night time use. Excess heat produced from the Solar Concentrator will be captured for indoor use. Other water saving components are being designed in to the project.
As a landscape design student, I’m very interested in the content of this book! Thanks for writing it!
Worth a try! Sue, have you researched solar powered lawn mowers?
It is nice that is promoting design beginning at the most basic level – a passive and very sustainable approach.
Sounds like a good read!
This book sounds like the first of its kind……..I’m buying it if I dont win it!
I would love to learn more about the strategies described in this book!
Nice!Looks like it might be full of useful information.
Looks like it covers several important topics related to the integration of site and structure. I’ll give it a read.
Excellent, I am particularly interested in micro climate cooling around homes and businesses with vegetation. We know that solar panels operate more efficency when surrounded by cooler air. I would hope to see further studies in that area. I believe this is a great step.
This sounds like a really useful book. We just bought a house and are completely remodeling and re-doing all the landscaping. It would be great to have this resource!
Great book. I’ll have to get my hands on a copy. Another thing that we’re starting to look at is groundwater recharge to help offset some of the effects of impermeable cover.
This would be awesome as a student studying landscape architecture!
Sounds like the some of the material covered in a class I took at MIT in the late 70’s, “Design with Microclimate”
This is the first time Residential Landscaping subject has been addressed for its comprehensive and real functions and not just for appearance.
This looks interesting!
Awesome resource!
soluckyducky at {gmail} dot {com}
Looks like the book has tons of great, much-needed info! Thanks.
Brilliant idea for a book; I hope the execution matches the inspiration!
I need it – IN ALABAMA!!!
perfect timing! I just finished my house and am starting to work on the landscaping. Impressive table of contents, with many things I did not even consider. Hope I win, but if not, I will have to go to BN to check it out. Thanks.
I like the chapter title, “Situating New Homes with Energy in MInd.”
So easy to do yet hardly ever done.
Sounds like a great book – as everyone else has said 🙂
this book sounds interesting, i think it would help me in my architectural career.
I just stumbled on this site for the first time. Gorgeous photos, brilliant ideas, and now you’re giving away cool books? What could be better! I’m not in a position to build the kind of homes you’re showcasing, but I compost, recycle, garden, keep goats and chickens, work from home, and in general try to live as greenly as possible. And I’m always trying to learn more and do more. So I would make one grateful giveaway recipient, and a worthy one at that!
I am just purchasing a new modular home. The previous owner started it and could not finish. It is at a state where all the crucial energy management choices need to be made. I would love to explore the options afforded by green construction. I live in Asheville, NC and we are usually at the front of green building, but I don’t know much about green landscaping and could always use more education on how to make my home more ‘earth friendly’.
ooooo I would love to win this for my hubby! we are avid organic gardeners and I know he would love this! thanks for the chance!
Perfect! This is the summer of the backyard renovation over at my place!!!
I am an organic gardener and uber environmentalist that is trying every day to limit my impact on the earth. Because of this, I want this book very badly! Thank you!
Looks like a great read! Currently developing an infill lot in NC
We are closing on our new house next month. Instead of building a new house we decieded buy a perowned home not adding another Carbon footprint to the world. This book will be very help full, there is not any landscaping at our new house.
Perfect timing! Just the reference I’ve been looking for.
Congrats! You’re the winner. I’ll email you shortly to get your address and information for shipment.
This books seems to be very interesting and worth reading. Just hope I can get the chance to have this giveaway.
Cooler air and Coorler ground is something I could use in our May Drought her in TX
I need this type of water permeable hard surface for my walking paths and parking area as I landscape my formal gardens at Homewood, historic reproduction of the 1803 Homewood in Baltimore. Our Homewood is in Pleasant Grove, Utah County. I saw a similar paving material at the USU gardens in Kaysville, and haven’t found where I can purchase this locally. I was so excited to see your website today.
Thanks for any info you can send.
please pick me 😉