The New Autonomous House: Design and Planning for Sustainability Book

In 1975 Brenda and Robert Vale published The Autonomous House, a manifesto offering down-to-earth suggestions for building homes that do not pollute the earth or squander its resources. Their book received tremendous praise from all over the world and was seen as a significant move toward green architecture. Nearly twenty years later, the Vales decided to turn their groundbreaking ideas into reality. The New Autonomous House records the building of a house based on the principles of sustainable resources in the small town of Southwell in the British Midlands. As specialists in green architecture the Vales sought to create an environmentally friendly four-bedroom house that was neither exotic in appearance nor difficult to maintain. Here they document the philosophy, design, and construction of a building that gets its power from the sun and the wind, and produces drinking water from the rain. The book sends a simple but revolutionary message: it is possible to live in an inexpensive house that is kind to the planet and liberates its owner from utility bills. Robert and Brenda Vale have provided a thought-provoking, practical solution to the environmental problems caused by the houses in which we live, a blueprint of green architecture for future generations.Read More