These days, we provide thermal comfort in winter by heating the entire air volume in a room or building, an approach that consumes a lot of fossil fuels. In this book, LOW←TECH
MAGAZINE focuses on our forebear’s concept of heating, which was more localized. They used radiant heat sources that warmed only certain parts of a room, creating micro-climates of comfort, and they used personal heating sources that warmed specific body parts. It would make a lot of sense to restore this old way of warming, especially since newer technology has made it much more practical, safe, and efficient.
Contents table:
Restoring the Old Way of Warming: Heating People, not Spaces
Insulation: First the Body, then the Home
The Revenge of the
Hot Water Bottle
Energy Labels Oblige Frugal Homeowners to Make Unsustainable Investments
How to Keep Warm in a Cool House
Sunbathing in the Living Room: Tile Stoves and Other Radiant Heating Systems
Heat Storage Hypocausts: Air Heating in the Middle Ages
The Revenge of the Circulating Fan
The 142 page paperback book is available from
lulu.com
They have also published the
books,
How to Build a Low-tech Internet and
How to Downsize a Transport Network
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