Adobe, or mud brick, has been widely used as a building material in the American Southwest, including California. The vulnerability of many original adobe structures to damage or destruction from earthquakes has been of great concern. The guidelines presented here address the practical aspects of this problem and represent the culmination of 12 years of research and testing on the seismic retrofitting of adobe buildings. These guidelines can assist in the planning of seismic retrofitting projects consistent with both conservation principles and established public policy.

The Encyclopedia concentrates on resources that are useful, in an easy-to-use format to enable the Architect to access this wealth of knowledge. More than a simple listing, the Encyclopedia provides the "intelligence" to find, evaluate, and contact the resources that can save time and money in the day-to-day practice of an Architect. The Encyclopedia will have a system to indicate to readers which listings are the most targeted in terms of the "best" sources. There will be four indexes: Keyword index, Name index, Master Format index, and Acronym index.