Bookshelf: Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid

Get inspired to explore clean energy options with Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid: Your Path to Building an Energy-Independent Home, by Sheri Koones (Abrams, $24.95, hardcover, 240 pages, www.abramsbooks.com). This new book discusses how the growing building trend of prefabrication can offer a simple path to the green home (or cabin) of your dreams.
    The book covers more than 30 of the most energy-efficient homes in the U.S., including the Blu Home retreat in Lake Tahoe that was featured in our February 2013 issue. It reveals how homebuilders can achieve similar results with the help of floor plans, detailed resource lists, and explanations of the latest technologies.
    Prefabulous also explains how building green doesn’t have to break the bank, and that it can actually lead to cost savings. The author walks you through each home, explaining materials, strategies, and systems used to create a sustainable living environment. These off-the-grid structures, which take energy from the grid when necessary and return any excess energy produced, tend to be quieter inside and far cheaper to operate.
    We really like all the great photos that are sure to stimulate ideas, and that the book shows how the almost-off-the-grid approach is achievable for everyone.

Abrams Books