Convergence is based on the thermodynamic premise that architecture should maximize its ecological and architectural power. No matter how paradoxical it might initially seem, architects should maximize energy intake, maximize energy use, and maximize energy feedback and reinforcement. This presumes that the necessary excess of architecture is in fact an architect's greatest asset when it comes to an agenda for energy, not a liability.

But how do we start to understand the full range of eco-thermodynamic principles which need to be engaged with in order to achieve this?...

What is the best way to achieve sustainable energy savings in buildings? The mainstream construction industry has been saying for decades: it s insulation. Today there is a growing movement among architects who claim that, by contrast, it isintelligent design thatprovides the best energetic results. This book describes the history, theory and facts of the mainstream insulation technology and the emerging alternative design approaches.

The laws of thermodynamics and their implications for architecture have not been fully integrated into architectural design. Architecture and building science too often remain constrained by linear concepts and methodologies regarding energy that occlude significant quantities and qualities of energy. "

The Hierarchy of Energy in Architecture" addresses this situation by providing a clear overview of what energy is and what architects can do with it. Building on the emergy method pioneered by systems ecologist Howard T. Odum, the authors situate the energy practices of architecture...