The Brand-New House Book, by Katherine Salant, Three Rivers Press, July 2001. Syndicated new home columnist Katherine Salant took time off from her duties with The Washington Post to write the definitive how-to book for new home buyers. By most accounts the result is very near the goal. To help new home buyers make confident decisions every step along the way, Salant taps the expertise of every relevant expert - from builders, architects, real estate lawyers and mortgage lenders to house cleaners, acoustics consultants, cabinetmakers and flooring manufacturers. She also offers advice on when to buy a production house and when to build a custom home. A resources-and-glossary section is another helpful feature. Order this book today
GreenSpec Binder from Building Green, Brattleboro, Vt., publisher of Environmental Building News newsletter. GreenSpec Binder is an updated version of a comprehensive, authoritative guide to green building products and materials. The two-part tool includes the 300-page GreenSpec Directory of more than 1,400 building products that have been carefully vetted by the editors of Environmental Building News and 140 pages of manufacturers’ product literature and other resources. Directory listings cover more than 250 categories - from access flooring to wood-plastic composite lumber. To purchase the binder or inquire aobut the criteria used for product inclusion go to www.buildinggreen.com .