Penguin Books Australia

Sustainable ideas, using natural energies, to improve existing houses in a cool-temperate climate

In 1991, architect and solar consultant Derek Wrigley moved into a townhouse in Canberra and faced a new design challenge – how to retrofit an existing suburban house to use renewable energies rather than fossil fuels.  Convinced that building design could do more to achieve sustainability...

DIY provides everything you need to know about home maintenance, repair, and improvement, from fixing a dripping tap to putting up a wall to planning and replacing a bathroom.

DIY provides everything you need to know about home maintenance, repair, and improvement, from fixing a dripping tap to putting up a wall to planning and replacing a bathroom.

The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Solar Power for Your Home, Third Edition, helps readers understand the basics of solar (photovoltaic) power and explore whether it makes sense for them, what their options are, and what's involved with installing various on- and off-grid systems.

Major topics include:

Renowned organizing...

However, architects can be very costly- but only if you use them.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to...

'It's not merely good, it's foundation-shaking.'
- Seth Godin, Seth's Blog

From his unique vantage point as editor in chief of Make magazine, Mark Frauenfelder takes readers on an inspiring and surprising tour of the vibrant world of do-it-yourself.

Today, there is no longer any question that toxic chemicals in consumer products are harming our families.  But how do we protect ourselves, and where do we start?  In Toxic Free , Debra Lynn Dadd, who has been hailed by The New York Times as the 'Queen of Green,' discusses in easy-to-understand language the hidden toxic chemicals that are already in our homes, their varying degrees of danger...

One of the country's most sought-after professional organizers makes his foolproof rescue plan available for everyone

The indispensible guide to having a clean, well-organised home with minimum effort and fuss.

Express Housekeeping is about getting the job done quickly, with plenty of pictures that show it all. Well-thought-out plans set out how to blitz every type of room, whether it's the kitchen, bathroom or bedroom, in prescribed time slots. Cleaning Kit spreads will show you how to put together an essential kit...

Woodwork know-how with step-by-step show-how for success every time.

Whether you want to build your own bed or put a bookshelf together, find out how to tackle your chosen woodwork task with confidence, using this step-by-step guide.

This handbook teaches the full range of crafts and skills necessary to producing...

'Sublime . . . A Victorian gem'   Julian Barnes

Firmly of the belief that a home should be run as an efficient military campaign, Mrs Beeton, the doyenne of English cookery, offers timeless tips on selecting cuts of meat, throwing a grand party and hosting a dinner, as well as giving suggestions on staff wages and the cost of each recipe.