Healthy by Design

Those who share Rousseau and Wasley's enthusiasm for the relentless pursuit of harmony with one's environment will be stimulated, pleased, probably moved in deep and personally meaningful ways by their book. Besides providing building and remodeling plans and advice, they expound on such matters as 'The History of the Healthy Home' and explore the hows and whys of creating and maintaining a healthy home by such means as tests to determine the healthfulness of one's present home and effective treatment strategies for many common problems, from outgassing-offgassing difficulties to matters of adverse adsorption (fortunately, a generous glossary helps with the argot). The case studies are illuminating and plentiful, and the attention to climate and other environmental factors in home design illustrates an important way of thinking about planning and using space. Among the many available building and remodeling books, this one is a keeper. - Mike Tribby; 320p-