Homes for a Changing Climate

"Our climate is changing. This fascinating book offers practical, proven examples of how, throughout history, people have ingeniously adapted their dwellings to the demands of the climate."

—Kevin McCloud, Grand Designs

Climate change is inescapable. Even if the whole world stopped pumping carbon dioxide into the sky today, at least forty years of climate change are ahead of us, thanks to the long time lag within the Earth’s ecosystem. As the century progresses, extremes will become more common: heat waves, drought, storms, and floods will test the design of our buildings and the resilience of our communities. We also face the slow rise of sea levels and the secondary impacts of climate change, especially on energy and food security.

Across the world, communities have been living with such extremes for millennia. If we have the imagination to learn from others and rethink the ways we build and live together, we can face this unsettling future with confidence.

Homes for a Changing Climate celebrates this collective wisdom, exploring traditional and contemporary responses to the challenges of climate and illustrating the many ways in which houses can be designed, built, and adapted to cope with these challenges. Combining inspiring case studies, striking photography, and practical advice, Homes for a Changing Climate is a book of imagination and hope in difficult times.

About the Author

Will Anderson

Will Anderson is Senior Researcher for the Centre for Sustainable Energy, based in Bristol, England. He has a published academic background in health and social research but now writes with a focus on ecological design. He is a regular contributor to Timber Building. His several degrees include one in sustainable development.

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