Illustrated with hundreds of illuminating line drawings; this classic guide reveals virtually every secret of a buildings function: how it stands up; keeps its occupants safe and comfortable; gets built; grows old; and dies--and why some buildings do this so much better than others. Drawing on things hes learned from the many buildings he himself designed (and in some cases built with his own hands); Edward Allen explains complex phenomena such as the role of the sun in heating buildings and the range of structural devices that are used for support; from trusses and bearing walls to post-tensioned concrete beams and corbeled vaults. He stresses the importance of intelligent design in dealing with such problems as overheating and overcooling; excessive energy use; leaky roofs and windows; fire safety; and noisy interiors. He serves up some surprises: thermal insulation is generally a better investment than solar collectors; board fences are not effective noise barriers; theres one type of window that can be left open during a rainstorm. The new edition emphasizes "green" architecture and eco-conscious design and construction. It features a prologue on sustainable construction; and includes new information on topics such as the collapse of the World Trade Center; sick building syndrome; and EIFS failures and how they could have been prevented. Allen also highlights the array of amazing new building materials now available; such as self-cleaning glass; photovoltaics; transparent ceramics; cloud gel; and super-high-strength concrete and structural fibers. Edward Allen makes it easy for everyone--from armchair architects and sidewalk superintendents to students of architecture and construction--to understand the mysteries and complexities of even the largest building; from how it recycles waste and controls the movement of air; to how it is kept alive and growing.
#630623 in eBooks 1980-05-15 1980-05-15File Name: B000WLZXPO
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. ... years and I read it for many years (I like learning about the history of Toronto)By Teena in TorontoMike Filey had a column in the Toronto Sun for about 30 years and I read it for many years (I like learning about the history of Toronto). Ive read all his books where he compiles some of his columns. In this book; Filey includes photographs with a description of what the picture is and what was going on at the time.He starts by showing pictures of downtown Toronto (King/Yonge) about 1860 with dirt roads with most buildings no longer around. He covers transportation; the growth of the city; Toronto Island; ships/boats; delivery trucks and more.I thought the Police Commissioners by-laws from the late 1880s re horse traffic were funny:* No owner of any licensed cab shall drive about the streets during the day-time any notorious bad characters; or women of ill-fame.* No driver of a cab shall appear on a stand or place for hire on Sunday. No person licensed under this by-law shall abuse or ill-treat; or permit to be so; any horse or horses used by him.* All licensed cabs shall drive at the rate of six miles per hour at the least. No person shall gallop.* Owners and occupants of livery stables shall not wash their horses in the streets and shall no permit more than two cartloads of manure to accumulate or remain at any one time between the first day of May and the first day of November.Even though it was originally published in 1972 and reprinted in 2001; it was an interesting book because the pictures of older Toronto were great. If you live in Toronto or are from Toronto; you should check it out.Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2015/01/book-toronto-album-glimpses-of-city.html