Low Energy Buildings in Australia: Review

"This book was intended to be the first in a series of its kind, where information on the design of low energy buildings (more specifically houses), was presented in a user-friendly manner, through data that was specific, readily understood and lend itself easy to apply.

In Low Energy Buildings in Australia, Baverstock & Paolino have achieved their aims and more. The usefulness of this book is both its simplicity and totality of the coverage of all that one would want to know about design considerations in low energy buildings, as well as presenting data practicably applicable to a design.

The section on Design Considerations provides answers, albeit in a cryptic form, to many of the frequently asked general and climate specific questions in designing for the conservation of energy. The designer's checklist is a useful summary of the main factors that need to be considered and evaluated during the design stage. The worked example that follows provides evidence of the applicability of the book. Finally the data sheets classified by climate regions, give general information on common issues for design in that region, supplemented by data for houses of varying orientation, either single or two-storey.

The book is used extensively in teaching at the undergraduate level for the information it provides and as a reference source in research by postgraduate students.

Professor Laurie W. Hegvold.
Professor of Architecture, Head - School of Architecture, Construction & Planning, Curtin University.