Constructing a straw bale solar home requires the merging of solar design with alternative building techniques. Books are useful for accessing information on these topics quickly and easily, while videos are a great way to show actual building methods and techniques firsthand. The Building With Awareness DVD/guidebook combination brings you the best of both worlds. The award-winning DVD is inspiring and informative, with over five hours of material on every aspect of building a green home.

The handy reference guidebook complements the DVD, with color photographs, diagrams, suggestions, and step-by-step methods, all condensed into a nuts-and-bolts format. Used together, these two valuable resources provide a visually dynamic and easy-to-understand library of information. Take a front-row seat on the work site, learning from the experts as they notch and stack the straw bales and mix the mud. Learn about foundations, post-and-beam wall framing, roof construction and insulation, interior thermal mass walls for improved efficiency, rainwater cisterns, electrical wiring, and photovoltaic systems. Learn earth-plastering techniques that create beautiful wall finishes. Understand how window placement and other structural elements can help to heat and cool your home and lower your energy bills. See how the structure works as a whole and how both energy efficiency and superb aesthetics can come from the same materials. Ted Owens lives in Corrales, New Mexico, and lectures widely on sustainable design. He is president of Syncronos Design Incorporated, a company that promotes the use of appropriate technology and sustainability in our built environment.