Healthy House Building for the New Millennium
Bower, a house builder and founder of the Healthy House Institute, has created an in-depth guide to building a healthier house. Here he takes readers, step-by-step, through the construction of a safe, environmentally sound house. Filled with useful information, this book will undoubtedly be used to increase the safety of many new homes. Unfortunately, the book contains an overwhelming number of warnings about commonly used materials and techniques. Moreover, some of his warnings seem overdrawn: few builders would disagree that lead paint and out-gassing of formaldehyde from manufactured wood products are hazardousAbut the aromas released by oak or asphalt roofing shingles? Likewise, his interesting section on home-based pollutants would carry more weight if he had provided footnotes. Photos, illustrations, and an annotated bibliography supplement the text. Somewhat preachy but sure to be of interest to those who share Bower's fears; public libraries with larger building collections should consider this.AJonathan N. Hershey, Akron-Summit Cty. P.L., Akron, OHCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.