John Norquist is the president of The Congress for the New Urbanism, which promotes walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods, sustainable communities, and healthier living conditions. Norquist explains the surprising upside of traffic congestion.
"Optimum value engineering" gets you the biggest bang for your construction buck. Learn how to use common sense and weigh your goals against your options to apply this thrifty approach to your next project .
As children, playing in the dirt served as a natural pastime for many of us, but with age and responsibilities, playtime has dwindled away. Dig This, the first heavy equipment playground in the United States, now makes it possible for adults to relieve stress, have fun, and relive their early excavation days on a much larger scale.
An unassuming giant box covered in green is camouflaged by surrounding trees and grass. Pedestrians hurrying by may take little notice of it, while some might curiously ask, “What is that?” It is a 2008 project called the Green Technology Showroom by Vector Architects that inhabits the central lawn of a residential compound in the Guanganmen district of Beijing, China.
If you have noticed water damage near the base of your toilet, chances are your toilet’s wax ring has failed. Although toilet leaks have several common causes, only a bad wax ring will require the removal and resetting of the toilet. When this problem occurs you could call a plumber or you could arm yourself with a little know-how and fix the leaking toilet yourself. To complete the job you will need towels, a flathead screwdriver, a crescent wrench, gloves, a putty knife, and a hacksaw.
Ceiling fans represent an old-fashioned but effective approach to comfort and efficiency. Here we discuss the more technical aspects of ceiling fan selection and placement and installation tips and take a look at the most advanced, energy-saving models available today.
Create an eco-friendly and attractive DIY Rain Barrel for your garden.
Rachael Ranney, the host of {Re}habitat, shows you how to construct and install a DIY rain barrel. By using a recycled plastic drum to collect, store, and dispense rainwater, you can keep your garden growing strong, even through the drier months of the year.
Weathering steel, more commonly referred to by the U.S. Steel tradename Cor-Ten™, is a group of steel alloys that develop a stable oxidation requiring no additional coating. Upon exposure to normal environmental stresses, it acquires a dense, dark brown colored barrier layer that protects it from further oxidation.
Many people like the natural appearance and simple maintenance that weathering steel fabrications provide. In addition to being used in structural framing, roofing and siding panels, weathering steel is often used for decorative fabrications, including signage and sculptures.
In just about every part of the world not the United States -- the only country that dares to use the word "soccer" -- the sport of football makes for extremely important events. It is no surprise that many football stadiums feature impressive architectural design, such as the Bird's Nest National Stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics by Herzog & de Meuron and the World Cup 2010 stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, by Populus (formerly HOK Sport) with local firm Boogertman & Partners. Soon to join that list is the FC Bate Borisov Stadium in Belarus by Ofis arhitekti, a Ljubljana, Slovenia-based firm founded by Rok Oman and Spela Videcnik in 1998.
Over the past few years home improvement and building improvement have taken a dramatic shift toward retrofits with financial benefits. Homeowners and building managers are no longer content with inefficient homes and underperforming assets. Instead, they are looking for multiple ways to lower their expenses. One of many successful strategies has been to decrease water use through the installation of low-flow fixtures. However, the question must be asked: what is the return on investment (ROI) of low-flow fixtures?
It has been over a decade since Americans began to embrace the notion of living "smaller." During these years interest has risen in living in a way that is more energy-efficient and eco-friendly. Blu Homes, a company finding success in the prefab home market, is not only addressing our wish to live smaller and greener but is offering a solution to potential home buyers in the wake of the burst housing bubble of 2007. They aim to sell their modular product at an affordable price point.
Perform a few simple maintenance tasks, schedule professional HVAC service on a yearly basis, and enjoy efficient performance and trouble-free operation of your central air conditioner throughout its expected lifespan (and maybe longer).
Invented after the turn of the 20th century but not mass-produced for homes until after World War II, the air conditioner has increased our comfort and modified the landscape from coast to coast. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 2009 American Housing Survey (AHS), 75% of owner-occupied housing in the United States has a central air conditioning unit. The average life expectancy of these air conditioning units is 10–15 years, according to the Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components, prepared in 2007 by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Neglecting your unit will result in a shortened lifetime, costly repairs, and higher energy costs due to inefficient operation. Maintain your unit and you will extend its lifetime and keep repair and energy costs low while ensuring your comfort on those hot summer days.
