5 comments about Standard Handbook of Architectural Engineering.

1. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE STUDYING FOR THE NEW ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING PE EXAM - IT IS NOT USEFUL AT ALL. I bought this book as reference to study for and take the newly established Architectural Engineering PE exam and was sorely disappointed. The author fails in his self-proclaimed attempt to distill engineering design formulations into an easy-to-read format. The equations throughout the book are simply "dumbed down" linear statements of esoteric symbols with next to no regard to engineering notation conventions. The example problems may resemble some types of common design problems, but are rarely general enough to apply to varying situations. I didn;t refer eveon one time to any equation or example problem in this book when studying for or taking the actual PE exam in April 2003.



2. This book is very helpful for the architects understanding of structures with its companion CD, is a unique problem-solving tool and provides solutions to difficulties as they arise on the job.



3. Excellent resource for professionals who need ready access to common architectural design issues. Provides excellent emperical techniques not available in academic texts. Real time saver. One disappointment - the computer disk of calculations was for the P. C. computers and not usable by the MacIntosh community which I am a part. Even without the computing aid, the book was well worth it's price.



4. Excellent resource for professionals who need ready access to common architectural design issues. Provides excellent emperical techniques not available in academic texts. Real time saver. One disappointment - the computer disk of calculations was for the P. C. computers and not usable by the MacIntosh community which I am a part. Even without the computing aid, the book was well worth it's price.



5. Me gusta mucho la manera como se expresa el autor, y las muchas posibilidades de investigacion que se pueden encontrar en ese libro

No comments about Building Codes Illustrated for Elementary and Secondary Schools: A Guide to Understanding the 2006 International Building Code.

3 comments about A Basic Guide to Fair Housing Accessibility : Everything Architects and Builders Need to Know About the Fair Housing Act Accessibility Guidelines.

1. This book should be the first resource for anyone wanting to educate themselves in FHA design problems. The author clearly lays out the issues in a manner that instills confidence in a subject with many variables. It is also delitefully easy to read. I actually took it on vacation with me.



2. It's bad enough to have persons without disabilities profit from their work and advocacy, but it's particularly offensive to copy to works of both Government and Ron Mace, put their name on it and call it an original work.
   
   Shame on this book...



3. I am an elementary school teacher. This passed school year, I had a student whose mother was in a wheelchair. We spoke about his mother�s situation and the difficulty his mother had getting into their home and maneuvering around the house. The doors of the house are too narrow; there isn�t enough space in the bathroom for her to safely transfer out of the wheelchair onto the toilet. Also, the mother has received many burns from reaching over boiling pots to turn the knobs on and off. I decided to do some research over the summer for this family regarding how homes can be made to be more accessible for people with disabilities. I came across this book in the search for books and decided to by it. I found the book to be well-written, clear and concise, and easy to read. The diagrams also added to the readability. They were very useful in giving a visual explanation. This book opened my eyes to many issues regarding the accessibility of people with disabilities.

5 comments about Leed Prep: What You Really Need to Know to Pass the Leed NC V2.2 and CI V2.0 Exams.

1. Had I not read the full text version (from USGBC) first, I would not have passed the exam. Yes, the full version is very long but at least you would understand the intent of each credit and how the USGBC was thinking when they created the credits. With this book, you have no background on the subjects, just short lists of facts to memorize but no way to understand how they are really applied. Using just this book would be something like taking calculus, deciding to skip all the classes, and just before the final, obtaining a copy of someone else's `cheat sheet'.
   
   Because it is so short on detail and is just lists of bullet points and words to memorize, you really can't use this as a reference book later.



2. I liked this book because it was written how I study. With all of the memorization of many percentages and points involved in studying it was great to have it laid out for you. I never purchased the one directly from the site, but that would be the only way to know for sure you have all of the info. I passed with a 181



3. I am not one to write reviews but will take the time to forewarn anyone looking for a good way to study for the LEED exam- Do not go this route. The book is not organized in a logical manner. Rather then presenting the information in the same structure as the exam- by section and points, it talks around the structure in theoretical and broad ideas of green architecture and forces one to constantly cross-reference an index of what this general information relates to on the actual exam. It is basically useless and I give it one star because zero is not an option.



4. This publication was of little use to me while studying for the LEED AP exam. If you really want to pass the exam before the roll out of LEED 3.0 (you cannot register for the current exam ofter 03.31.09) then your money is best spent elsewhere.
   
   Had I known that most of the information in this book can be easily found online for free, then I would not have purchased it. Most notably, the "reformatted" credit information simply repackages the credit information available directly from the USGBC as a free pdf. The bulk of this book consists of this reformatted credit information and yet contains no new or insightful information. The charts and advice available from websites such as www.intheleed.com and "Learning to LEED" are much more helpful. The author of the intheleed website also offers the information available on his website in a well organized e-book for HALF THE PRICE of this book.
   
   Real preparation requires complete study of the reference guide, which is pricey if you don't have one available to you. Save your money for that. Also consider spending money on the mock exams from www.greenexamprep.com. They provide exam relevant questions with answers AND analysis, all of which is sorely missing from this book.
   
   I was able to pass the exam handily without recourse to this publication, I would recommend focusing one's attention and resources elsewhere.



5. The format of this book is good. The beginning 60 pages are "textbook" style explanations and recommendations. The information is separated by pre-design, design, construction, and operation. The rest of the book splits up the NC and CI prereqs and required credits (one for every two pages--leaving room for "notes"). The format for splitting up the credits is good, as it outlines the intent, requirements, points earned, and references.
   
   My hang ups were these:
   
   They often used vague explanations and filler material in the beginning literature section. While it was good to read the material in a more discussion style--rather than just a bunch of tables--they were sometimes nondescript and used sentences that had no meaning. Also, the outlines for the credits took up too much space (nearly 2/3 of book). I think they should have provided some practice questions.
   
   I have not taken the exam yet so I can't say whether this was a sufficient prep guide. I feel like I'm learning, but we'll see.

1 comments about Illustrated 2009 Building Code Handbook (Illustrated Building Code Handbook).

1. I got this for my own education, 'cause i don't trust contractors. All the pertinent info that you need, but you definitely need some construction experience before you can understand the terms.

No comments about Quality Out of Control: Standards for Measuring Architecture.

No comments about Going Green with the International Residential Code (The Green Destination Series).

2 comments about Time-Saver Standards for Housing and Residential Development.

1. I was a student of J. Panero at FIT in NYC in 1975. He and Martin Zelnick were wonderful professors. I was around when they were putting together their first book and was glad to see this one. Keep up the good work



2. Have you ever been enthralled with those thick, illustrated books that line the shelves of every architect's office? This isn't one of them...its sitting open next to their cad station. I have few books that have followed me from college into practice, but this revised edition has assisted the design development of many residential projects and earned me high marks with my project managers.

4 comments about Universal Design Handbook.

1. Universal Design Handbook
   by Wolfgang F. E. Preiser (Senior Editor) and Elaine Ostroff (Editor)

   How universal is Universal Design? Wolfgang Preiser, Senior Editor of the Universal Design Handbook and noted expert in Building Evaluation and Programming, said "Universal Design is not about dimensions. It is an attitude." The impact of that attitude is felt across the world.
   The Handbook contains 69 essays from leaders in their fields. Voices from the Third World propose solutions for densely populated regions. Europe and the United States continue to look to technology for labor-saving devices. What they all share is a commitment to design for the greatest number of potential users.
   The literary styles are as varied as the solutions they propose. Case studies provide guidelines for professors considering similar studies. Theoretical papers discuss positions and implications. Historical narratives describe accomplishments to date. Topics range from transportation systems to bathroom design, from kitchen gadgets to computers. The authors are extremely candid about their successes and their failures. The common thread is their belief that solutions for one user group often benefit others.
   The most remarkable aspect of the Handbook is the list of references at the end of each essay. Almost none of the authors reference the same sources. This is due in part to the fact that there are practitioners in almost every country in the world; however, until the Handbook, there was no keystone, defining text. Future scholars take note!
   Elaine Ostroff, editor of the Universal Design Handbook, identifies the start of the Universal Design movement as the landmark legal decision Brown vs. the Board of Education. The resolution of the issue of segregated education led to the demand for inclusion in the classroom for children with birth defects. Activist veterans in turn demanded access to the workplace for veterans maimed in combat. With the support of various Civil Rights groups and the American Association of Retired Persons, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed a decade ago. The hammer of litigation has codified the gains made by this particular movement, resulting in widespread resentment against it. The philosophy of the movement has been undermined by compliance enforcement. Universal Design as an idea goes beyond the letter of the law to benefit the world.




2. ...I received a copy of Universal
   Design Handbook. On first inspection I thought it was going
   to make great door stop, or hold back for the overflowing
   collection papers and pamphlets accumulating on my shelves.
   However after only a couple of months I already find that it
   is regularly dipped into. This massive document is a
   fantastic and fascinating resource for researchers who are
   interested in the subject of universal and inclusive design
   and something of this type has been long awaited by the
   design research community. It also provides a good resource
   for those who wish to bring universal design into their
   design teaching, giving them sound information on which to
   base any teaching programme.

   This is probably the most comprehensive reference work on
   universal design to date. It brings together writings from
   an international panel of experts in the field, each being
   thoroughly referenced and providing an excellent entry point
   for further research. The book, with its 69 international
   contributions, addresses a wide selection of universal
   design projects that range in scale from an office work
   station, to interior architecture, buildings, landscape
   architecture, facilities, such as on campus; urban design,
   and all the way to parks and wilderness areas. It also
   includes some chapters that relate to product design such as
   the one on universal design in automobile design.

   The research questions, methodologies and findings presented
   are focused on how universally designed products and
   environments can be created to be usable by most people,
   regardless of ability/disability, health, gender, ethnicity,
   or cultural context.

   Though the emphasis is on the application of universal
   design in the built environment, there is a mass of material
   that it pertinent to anyone researching or teaching
   universal or inclusive design. The fact that it covers a
   wide set of issues across the various design communities is
   especially useful as it helps designers and researchers
   place their own practice and interests in context with
   approaches in other design fields.

   In my role as a researcher of inclusive design I have found
   each contribution to hold something of relevance, which has
   added to my body of knowledge and contributed to my own
   research activities. As a design teacher I have been able
   to draw on the experience of others in framing my own
   teaching programme, the parts 7 and 8 on education and case
   studies being particularly useful. And as a practising
   designer I have been very interested to compare my own
   experiences with those of others as outlined in Part 6.
   I am sure that in the USA the additional CDROM is also very
   useful, enabling readers to access and understand the laws
   that have driven some of the universal design activities to
   date. Regrettably there is no equivalent disk for European,
   UK, Japanese or other country's legislation.

   I would not recommend the book as an introductory document
   on universal design as it would overwhelm the uninitiated.
   It is, however, very comprehensive and in bringing together
   the work of the major researchers gives access to this
   essential information to a much wider audience than that
   which regularly participates in the universal design
   dialogue.

   Cherie Lebbon, Research Fellow, Helen Hamlyn Research
   Centre, Royal College of Art, London




3. The publication of the Universal Design Handbook makes accessible the breadth of recent research on Universal Design. The editors have produced a remarkable resource, bringing together a collection of readable essays by the world's leading experts on Universal Design, "the design of environments and products that respect the diversity of human beings." (xvii)

   The Universal Design Handbook is a clearly organized reference book. It begins by defining its subject, proceeds with its history and accomplishments, presents research and case studies, and concludes with a look to the future. Web accessibility and telecommunications are presented as industries positioned to integrate universal design principles in their own infancies, while the notion of "smart technologies" promises opportunities for a universally designed future.

   As an architect and educator, I applaud the arrival of this valuable resource, both its practical, highly-focused research and its theoretical, broad inquiry. I appreciate the extensive case studies linking the theories and research with practice. Principles are illustrated with examples of built environments that go beyond the minimum requirements of codes, showing how accessible design can enhance a space for all users and/or presenting ways accessible features can be integrated into a pleasing spatial composition. These studies suggest the need to include questions about the ways people experience a space or object when programming a project, so that the resulting products are created to be usable by most people, regardless of ability/disability, health, gender, ethnicity, or cultural context. Examples range in scale from simple hand-held industrial pieces such as scissors to transportation systems such as buses and subways to entire landscapes and cities. This range requires the support of individual designers and clients as well as public, governmental support and corporate recognition that the goals of human-centered, universal design benefit both the citizenry and the economy. Various methods for reaching these constituencies are discussed in a number of chapters, primarily in "Part 4: Public Policies, Systems and Issues."

   The handbook arrived just as I was teaching a Spring 2001 course entitled "Social Agenda in Design and Architecture." In addition to the important facts discussed in chapters such as "Principles of Universal Design," students responded to many of the case studies I presented, based on readings from the handbook. Students were reassured that social responsibility and aesthetics are not mutually exclusive, particularly when shown examples from high-design cultures such as Italy, France and Japan. One of the goals of the course was to challenge students to see social concerns as design opportunities and as a basis for contemporary theories of form-making. In addition, I was able to document the relationship of Universal Design to the other hot topic: Sustainable Design. The chapter "Sustainable Human and Social Development: An Examination of Contextual Factors" outlines how a sustainable built environment is necessary for sustaining human accessibility as well as for benefiting the natural environment. Conversely, the Universal Design movement reminds the Sustainable Design initiative that together their goals are truly human-centered.

   In addition, at one faculty meeting we used the distinction between " injection and infusion" as defined in the chapter "Advances in Univeral Design Education in the United States" as a means of considering strategies for bringing Universal Design and other social issues into the curriculum. The discussion considered examples from other programs and sought ways to adapt these to fit the BAC program. As a result of the approach, our discussion was seen as part of an education-wide paradigm shift toward a user-centered design philosophy.

   The Universal Design Handbook is an important, timely text that is a welcome and much needed resource for those committed to making this new century accessible to all.

   Sally L. Levine, AIA




4. The Universal Design Handbook (UDH) is an excellent collection of the works of 84 international experts. Many marketing, MIS, architecture and engineering professionals would agree that it makes sense to design products to be usable by people of all ages and abilities to the greatest extent possible.

   Unfortunately many people do not know how to achieve this objective. The UDH compiles much of this information for you. The word "handbook" is misleading. You can't hold this book in your hand. It weighs six pounds and contains about 1,200 pages. The UDH organizes information into 69 chapters and ten sections. The CD, included with the book, contains technical and design data.

   The first few chapters of the book provide the reader with a rich history of the birth and evolution of Universal Design (UD). The reader soon discovers the term Universal Design has different meaning, to different people, in different parts of the world. Gaining familiarity with many new dimensions of UD helped me better understand how my knowledge of accessible information technology design, fits into the "big picture."

   The big picture in this case incorporates UD guidelines, public policy, accessibility standards, residential environments, UD practices, education, research, and many case studies from every corner of the world.

   I found chapters 65 - 68 interesting. These chapters focus on information and telecommunications technologies including the worldwide web, film and media and even smart card technology.

   The final section of the book addresses, "The Future of Universal Design." It discusses how the legacy of the twentieth century is defining the challenges and opportunities that facing all of us in the coming decades.

   There is a natural attraction that causes consumers to buy one product over another... that transcends status, cost, quality and service. If manufacturers were able to identify, capture and integrate the spirit of this "attraction" into their products and services they would have a mine of gold. Understanding the essence of what UD is all about will move them one step closer to making this a reality.

   For those wishing to see the "Forrest for the trees" of Universal Design, having a copy of the Universal Design Handbook in their library is a must.

1 comments about ADAAG Manual: A Guide to the Americans with Disabilitities Accessibility Guidelines Building News Edition.

1. Finally a well written and understandable printed version of ADAAG with pictures and graphics that match the ADA Law! This is without a doubt a must have book for anyone attempting to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). I'll be using this book daily in my work as an ADA Consultant, so I'm glad that it's finally worthy....