Includes bibliographical references (pages 358-361) and index.

1. The natural way of life and the traditional house, its inception and demise -- 2. Traditional building materials, their sustainability, and the contrast with modern materials -- 3. Traditional sustainable building construction-- ancient and modern -- 4. Thermal performance and the breathing wall -- 5. Climate, site, and thermal performance -- 6. The role of the building regulations in the sustainability of traditional building construction -- 7. The pathology of traditional buildings.