Spring cleaning is just around the corner, only to be followed by spring decorating! Five interior designers give us tips on how to give our space a fresh spring look without breaking the bank.

The intent of concrete reinforcing is to increase the concrete's strength, and metal reinforcing bars are the additive most commonly used for this purpose. Because of concrete's massive weight and the amount of reinforcing material required to build solid concrete buildings of any significant height, most reinforced concrete is used for horizontal slabs. When buildings are constructed with concrete walls, the buildings are generally limited to a few stories. Reinforced concrete buildings and building components have distinct advantages over other construction methods, including durability, fire resistance, and wind resistance.

Concrete in various forms can be dated back to 5600 BCE, where in Serbia the remains of a hut were found with a floor made of a mixture of red lime, sand, and gravel. In the Roman Empire, a concrete made from quicklime, pozzolanic ash/pozzolana, and an pumice aggregate was used. It was very similar to the modern portland cement concrete which was developed in the 1840’s and is currently in use today.

Recently, I had the opportunity to observe firsthand the installation of an underground water storage tank for the purpose of fire-fighting in rural western Howard County, Maryland. An underground water storage tank can serve as a water source for firefighters in an area where hydrants connected to water mains are either unavailable or located at great distances from each other. Underground water storage tanks provide greater fire safety, are more compact and visually unobtrusive when compared to aboveground models, and could represent cost savings to local government agencies as well as homeowners.

As stated in Watts it Matter to You? Electricity Transmission, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) assigned the United States’ ENERGY infrastructure a grade of “D+” on their 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. “Electricity Distribution” explains the final step in the path of electricity from a power-generating facility to your home or business. It covers the electric utility business model, how the distribution infrastructure drives generation and transmission decisions, and metering electricity.

According to the Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components, which was prepared in 2007 by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the average life expectancy of a whirlpool tub is 20-50 years (number based on the fixture itself, not the circulation system). The life expectancy of the circulation system (the pump, fittings, and piping) will vary depending on the amount of use. A whirlpool tub should be maintained like any other bathtub or shower, with one exception: what you don't see. A whirlpool tub's circulation system isn't readily visible, providing a perfect environment for the growth of bacteria.

As stated in Watts it Matter to You? Electricity Generation, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) assigned the United States’ ENERGY infrastructure a grade of “D+” on their 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. Electricity transmission, which is the second of three installments on energy, covers transmission lines and grid networks, “green” power transmission, and "smart" grids. Electricity distribution will be covered in installment three as we follow the path of electricity from a power generating facility to your home or business.

"I'm a lawn hater," says Jamie Durie, the popular Australian host of HGTV's The Outdoor Room and PBS's Victory Garden, who gave a gracious presentation for garden enthusiasts who gathered at the 2010 Central Ohio Home and Garden Show. A founder of PATIO Landscape Architecture and Design, Durie specializes in transforming the everyday backyard into a private garden oasis. Durie is the author of multiple landscaping idea books which are full of details and design tips for a variety of spatial scenarios.