The Good Building Book

Introduction

1.0 Design

1.1 What is a good building?
An introduction to the key principles of good buildings
1.2 Beauty, utility and economy in action
Archives and museums provide useful insight
1.3 Buildings as sculpture
When form overrides function to produce bad buildings
1.4 Eco-bling - innovation and aspiration
Aspiration and innovation can bring questionable results
1.5 Problem-solving designs
The features of a good building design process
1.6 The search for quality
What the designer must bring to the process - the need for care
1.7 A modern vernacular
Four principles coming together to shape a process for designing and producing good buildings
1.8 The modern vernacular in action
Applying the four principles in action in the field of housing design
1.9 Self-build
Lessons from an approach to housing more akin to the idea of a modern vernacular
1.10 Sustainable neighbourhoods
How the principles we have learnt from housing can inform good places, towns and cities

2.0 Reducing energy

2.1 Comfort and sufficiency
Both important considerations, but what kind of 'comfort' and how much space do we need?
2.2 Closing the performance gap
Why many buildings do not achieve their planned minimum-emission performance
2.3 Form factor, massing and shape
How size and shape are often fixed before detailed cost, energy or structural analysis are performed
2.4 Environmental modelling and targets
Numbers and targets are crucial to an understanding of how to improve the performance of buildings
2.5 Passive solar design
Shifting the focus from passive solar gains to glazing design to serve the comfort and of occupants
2.6 Why Passivhaus?
The benefits, limitations and myths surrounding the use of this highly effective building standard
2.7 Buildings must breathe
Draught-free construction - and the resulting need for moisture and odour control - are essential

3.0 Low environmental impact construction

3.1 Heavyweight or lightweight?
Advantages and disadvantages of both approaches and some myths explored
3.2 Upfront carbon emissions
How to reduce emissions arising from the act of construction, alongside other environmental impacts
3.3 The more details, the more devils
Principles for detailing to create robust buildings that achieve design, performance and sustainability aims
3.4 Elements of good building
Approaches to the design of foundations, raised ground-floor construction, non-loadbearing walls, flat roof construction and windows
3.5 Services
Efficient building services should be integrated into the design from an early stage

4.0 The business of building

4.1 Land
Focusing on the issue of land ownership and value, huge influencers on what is built
4.2 Design education and post-occupancy evaluation
How to acquire the skills, knowledge and values designers need; learning what works and what doesn't
4.3 Cost and value
Why do costs vary? Who benefits from value? How to reduce uncertainty and control costs
4.4 Value engineering in design
Understanding how buildings perform and learning from experience
4.5 Appointing a design team and contractors
A constructive approach to finding the right team and managing costs, quality and time
4.6 Risk management and regulation
Risks that cannot be avoided and how to mitigate them, and the uses and limitations of regulation

Afterword
Notes on the authors
Chapter notes
Photo credits
Acknowledgements
Index