The barefoot architect: a handbook for green building Item Preview remove-circle. The barefoot architect: a handbook for green building. By Lengen, Johan van. Publication date 2008. Borrow this book to access EPUB and PDF files. IN COLLECTIONS. Books to Borrow.

Synopsis • A former UN worker and prominent architect, Johan van Lengen has seen firsthand the desperate need for a 'greener' approach to housing in impoverished tropical climates. This comprehensive book clearly explains every aspect of this endeavor, includingdesign (siting, orientation, climate consideration), materials (sisal, cactus, bamboo, earth), and implementation. The author emphasizes throughout the book what is inexpensive and sustainable. Included are sections discussing urban planning, small-scale energy production, cleaning and storing drinking water, and dealing with septic waste, and all information is applied to three distinct tropical regions: humid areas, temporate areas, and desert climates.

Hundreds of explanatory drawings by van Lengen allow even novice builders to get started.' • THE BAREFOOT ARCHITECT is a book dedicated to helping economically-challenged tropical builders learn how to provide shelter, clean water, electrical energy, and sanitation by using indiginous, low-cost, sustainable building materials.A former UN worker and prominent architect, Johan van Lengen has seen firsthand the desperate need for a 'greener' approach to housing in impoverished tropical climates. This comprehensive book clearly explains every aspect of this endeavor, including design (siting, orientation, climate consideration), materials (sisal, cactus, bamboo, earth), and implementation.

The author emphasizes throughout the book what is inexpensive and sustainable. Included are sections discussing urban planning, small-scale energy production, cleaning and storing drinking water, and dealing with septic waste, and all information is applied to three distinct tropical regions: humid areas, temporate areas, and desert climates. Hundreds of explanatory drawings by vanLengen allow even novice builders to get started. He may be barefoot. He may be barefoot, but don't let that mislead you about his abilities regarding the establishment of everything from sustainable, personally built shelter to planning villages and small towns around sustainable ideas. Well thought out and well documented, with simple drawings and explanations.

The ONLY criticism I can think of for the book is its orientation. It is written by a guy actually building shelters and villages in the Southern Hemisphere, so he's constantly talking about orienting windows to the North for Heat or to the South for cool cross breeze. Its the exact opposite (which he always reminds you of) for the Northern Hemisphere.