Don't be afraid to try your luck at an auction. Rachael Ranney, host of Buildipedia's {Re}habitat, shares some insider tips for making your first auction experience a successful one.

Let me start by admitting openly that I love, love, love auctions! The moment I score a great deal on that one-of-a-kind, beautiful piece is an unassailable thrill. Listening to a great auctioneer generate buzz and excitement about the wares he is selling will never cease to entertain me.

The notion of harnessing energy from the sea has captured the human imagination for years. With interest in renewable energy at an all-time high, steps are being taken to turn this idea into a reality.

As the global need for renewable energy sources continues to surge, one innovative company has released technology that could have a major impact on utility and energy companies, as well as their customers, well into the future. The Pelamis Wave Energy Converter, made by Scottish company Pelamis Wave Power, is the first commercial machine that can generate electricity from offshore wave energy. Since the company first tested its prototype wave energy converter between 2004 and 2007 in Scotland, four additional Pelamis machines and two designs – the P1 and the second-generation P2 – have been created.

Find out, step-by-step, how to make an old chair new again with a small investment in second-hand leather belts in this DIY project that anyone can do.

A sturdy old chair, $70 worth of thrift store belts, and a little upcycling resulted in this lounger, a truly unique eye-catching piece that looks good from any angle. Rachael Ranney, the host of {Re}habitat on the Go Green channel, shows how she gave an abandoned chair an entirely new lease on life.

Meet Jeff Wilson, construction industry expert and host of more than 200 episodes of home improvement shows. Get the inside scoop from Jeff right here on his Everyday DIY blog – and join in the conversation yourself!

I know you’ve been diligently following my DIY Video Series on the At Home Channel here at Buildipedia.com... I mean, c’mon, who would miss all of the excitement of home renovation “as seen on At Home?”

Does your home repair to-do list seem to be taking over your life? Jeff Wilson, host of Buildipedia's At Home channel, sympathizes and offers sage advice for how to tame that ever-present "Honey-Do" list.

Every aspiring handyman (or handywoman) has a List. Not the list you make when you head out to the home improvement store for materials, or even the short list of things you need to accomplish this weekend. I’m talking about THE List.

American universities have committed to greening their campuses. Three institutions — the University of Michigan, the University of California, and University of Pennsylvania — share their experiences.

Whenever you flip a light switch or adjust a thermostat at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, you’re unwittingly interacting with Henry "Hank" Baier, or at least with his department. Baier, Associate Vice President for Campus Facilities and Operations, oversees a city-size infrastructure supporting 80,000 students, faculty, and staff on a 3,200 acre campus with 500 major buildings, including 150 health clinics, three hospitals, two golf courses, and “The Big House,” also known as Michigan Stadium, the largest sports arena in the United States. As Baier sees it, “Energy is the lifeblood of our competitive society.” And by extension, the lifeblood of the university. “Our energy consumption and environmental footprint has become more important at the University of Michigan, because it’s become more and more important to our students and faculty,” says Baier. It’s become more costly, too; Baier’s campus devours $155 million energy dollars every year, meaning the concept of sustainability has become a fiscal necessity as well as an environmental imperative.

Two large-scale construction projects, one an interdisciplinary research building on the University of Colorado campus and the other a new arena located in Lincoln, Nebraska, shift away from awarding contracts based solely upon lowest bid.

Many business-as-usual practices within the building industry are being rethought. Among them is the practice of automatically awarding a contract to the lowest bidder. It is becoming more common for clients, architects, and general contractors to team up early and work closely together for the good of the client, the project, and the project’s end users. Such is the case for the Colorado Initiative in Molecular Biotechnology, with a new building on the campus of the University of Colorado at Boulder that was designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, and for the new Haymarket Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Adding a finished surface to your basement wall will make it feel more like a "real" room. Learn the how-to steps here and find out what material choice would work best for you.

An unfinished basement can be a dark and damp place that is rarely used for anything other than storage. Although the basement is commonly left unfinished when a home is built, at some point during the life cycle of the home the residents usually require additional living space; the square footage of a basement typically provides ample space for a family room, home office, or even a playroom. A key component to finishing a basement is applying finishes to the exterior foundation walls. Understanding what types of finishes are available will assist you in creating a fully habitable, comfortable, and healthy living space.

An urban infill project in Venice, California, provides an example of flexible home design.

Multi-functional spaces have been receiving attention in the design world lately, as homes become smaller and every room must do double – or triple – duty. The 700 Palms Residence was designed by founding Principal Steven Ehrlich of Ehrlich Architects to have a modest carbon footprint and to fit into an existing residential community, so creating flexible spaces was key.

The final step in most ceramic tile projects is to seal the sanded grout. Unsealed grout gets stained and dirty, moldy and mildewed. This simple home maintenance task should be performed every six or 12 months and will save you lots of time scrubbing.

Sealed grout is waterproof and easier to maintain, which makes for a better looking floor. Sealed grout holds its color better and will prevent water from leaking around your tiles. Sealing sanded grout is also a quick DIY project that you should do once or twice a year to keep your tile floors and bathrooms looking sharp. It only requires grout sealer and a brush. Watch this episode of 60 Simple Seconds for a brush-up on how to seal sanded grout.

Clean your bathroom grout to get your bathroom looking tiptop. In this episode of 60 Simple Seconds, homemade grout cleaner is an effective way to do this dirty job dirt cheap.  

Is dirty grout diminishing the look of your tile floor? Grout, especially in ceramic tile floors and bathrooms, collects dirt and grime. Sealing grout can help to keep it clean, but it’s important to get grout clean before sealing it annually. There are many methods for cleaning grout and some depend on the type of tile you have. Before spending money on an off-the-shelf grout cleaner, try a grout cleaning solution that can be made by using basic household supplies like baking soda, ammonia, and white vinegar. Watch this episode of 60 Simple Seconds for a simple method of cleaning grout.

Have a leaking toilet? Fixing it is easier than you think. Watch our easy solution to a leaky toilet in 60 Simple Seconds.

Finding water all over your bathroom floor from a leaky toilet is never a good situation. Fortunately, fixing the leak is only a few flushes away. One of the most common causes of a leaky toilet is the wax ring that sits between the toilet and the drain. Replacing a leaky wax ring is a quick DIY job that should be done when you first notice the leak. Watch this episode of 60 Simple Seconds for a quick look at how to replace a wax ring and fix that leaky toilet.