Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. For those interested in residential design and construction, I recommend two books that are more useful, and certainly more accessible, than Ching’s book.

It illustrates residential structures and materials in great depth, but offers no systematic design guidance. First, he said I could get into construction, get really good at it, and then graduate to becoming a developer. S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as a consensus among its members—federal/state/local agencies, suppliers, architects, engineers, contractors, and building owners—and is continually being evaluated and refined in response to new information and feedback. What is relevant to any discussion of sustainable design is that most of the building sector’s energy consumption is not attributable to the production of materials or the process of construction, but rather to operational processes—the heating, cooling, and lighting of buildings.

Whether you are brushing up on the basics or looking for inspiring new construction ideas, Ching's Building Construction Illustrated is an essential reference guide.

It is therefore important to always follow the manufacturer’s recommendation in the use of a material or product and to pay careful attention to the building code requirements in effect for the use and location of a planned building.For nearly three decades, Building Construction Illustrated has offered an outstanding introduction to the principles of building construction. In July 2003 Canada obtained a license from the USGBC to adapt the LEED rating system to Canadian circumstances.