If you would like to make a positive impact on the environment but are concerned about the financial outlay,A Greener Houseis for you. Property experts Richard Reed and Sara Wilkinson will show you how to decide which sustainable measures are suited to your property, and evaluate the cost implications of installing them. You'll learn how to design a new home that exceeds the highest energy-efficiency ratings available, protect your property from obsolescence and outdating, and evaluate market trends in your neighbourhood.

If you own property and would like to increase its value, you can't afford to ignore sustainability. This book will show you how to reduce your environmental footprint while making the most of your greatest financial asset.

We all agree that we can't continue to consume the world's resources at the rate that we are now. We must start living more sustainably - and what better place to start than at home? Most of us want to play our part, but we're put off by financial concerns. But what if the cost of building or remodelling a greener house could be recovered in the value of your home when you sell?

Sara Wilkinson has been a building surveyor for over 24 years. She first learnt about sustainable building issues in 1988 and now lectures in sustainable construction at both the University of Melbourne and Deakin University.

Acknowledgements ix

Introduction xi

Part I: the theory

1 Understandingvalue 3

2 What affects property value? 13

3 A matter of health 45

4 Government and sustainability 55

Part II: putting theory into practice

5 Energy options 71

6 Existing properties 87

7 New properties 115

Part III: looking to the future

8 Alternative building options 131

9 Where to now? 143

Appendix A: glossary of terms 147

Appendix B: decision-making flowchart 163

Appendix C: sustainability checklist 165

Appendix D: useful websites 171

Index 179