{Re}habitat

It’s easy to get Spanish blood boiling here in Madrid. Just mention the M-30 to a local, especially one living by the Manzanares River in the Arganzuela district south of the city. Their hostile reaction would be due to the fact that this part of town has been under major construction for what seems like an eternity. Once complete, Madrid’s M-30 urban renewal project will include improved roadways, pedestrian pathways, and West 8's Puentes Cascaras, which were inaugurated in September 2010.

Due diligence. In different segments of the AEC industry, these words mean different things, but they boil down to this: Do your homework before you plan, design, or build. In the matter of building codes, due diligence can mean the difference between a successful inspection or a rejection, between obtaining occupancy on schedule and experiencing a delay.

Although there are far more residential fires than those involving non-residential structures, commercial fires still have a hefty price: in 2009 the 103,500 non-residential fires cost 105 lives and over $3 billion in losses, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Preventive actions are critical to avoid these losses altogether. That’s where a properly designed and installed fire alarm system comes in.

Homeowners have not paid much attention to the bathroom in the past, but in recent years the bathroom has come under scrutiny in the design world -- and consumers are wanting more. Because the bathroom is such a small space, it presents some challenges in finding balanced and poignant design and décor. We’ve talked with expert designers about current trends in bathroom design, as well as some ideas for incorporating these fresh elements.

Whether you have a broken electrical outlet or just want to update the look of your home’s electrical devices to go with the new decorating, installing a new 120-volt electrical outlet is a simple project. A broken or faulty outlet is a definite concern, and, as with any electrical project around the home, safety is the number one concern. With a little bit of advice and a focus on safety, any homeowner or DIYer can replace an electrical outlet. Join the At Home channel’s host, Jeff Wilson, for a quick lesson on how to install a standard 120-volt electrical outlet.

Green roofs mitigate urban heat island effect, control stormwater run-off, reduce sound reflection and transmission, and lower heating and cooling costs, as well as sustain local wildlife. They also look really, really cool.

Instead of discussing the benefits of green roofs, we are celebrating the visual appeal of these sustainable works of architecture from around the world. Included are BIG’s 8 House and TED Cube Building; Renzo Piano’s California Academy of Sciences; the Nanyang Technological University School of Art, Design, and Media; Vector Architects’ Green Technology Showroom; the OUTrial House by Robert Konieczny of KWK Promes; and Zaha Hadid’s Dongdaemun Design Park and Plaza.

After a bicycle accident left her paralyzed 12 years ago, Rosemarie Rossetti realized that the two-story home she shared with her husband, Mark Leder, would never be able to fully accommodate her needs. Rossetti and Leder began to look into design options for a new home, and soon their personal project evolved into a mission to research, design, and build a home that would serve as an educational resource for the building industry as well as for consumers. The product of their campaign is the Universal Design Living Laboratory (UDLL), a National Demonstration Home in Columbus, Ohio, that seeks to incorporate three different design movements: universal design, green building (targeting LEED for Homes certification), and healthful, chemical-free products.

Install new casement trim around your front door to increase energy efficiency and to amp up curb appeal. Here's how.

Now that you’ve installed a new front door, your home radiates curb appeal. We have one more project to complete the new look – door casing. With the right tools and a little know-how, installing door casing is a job any DIYer can accomplish. Join our host, Jeff Wilson, for a quick lesson on how to install simple casement trim around a new front door.