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Paint failure occurs for many reasons, but moisture is a common cause. It is important for a homeowner to not only notice moisture problems, but to hire a competent painting contractor who can identify their causes and make the necessary corrections. Moisture as a source of paint failure falls into three general categories: systemic moisture, structurally caused moisture, and moisture caused by human error.

With the coming of 2011, we’re not only seeing the beginning of a new year, but a new decade as well. Many things have changed over the course of the last ten years -- politically, economically, and culturally. We spoke with architects and designers nationwide to see what design trends and ideas are here to stay and what recent events have shaped the exteriors of residential building.

Make your basement feel like it's above grade with these helpful tips.

Light. Organic. Structured. Natural. Airy. Geometric. Breathtaking. These are just a few words that could be used to describe the juxtaposition of design elements that the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) chose to incorporate as inspiration for the new structure erected alongside Castle Peak Bay in Hong Kong’s New Territories. The structure is the new Chu Hai College of Higher Education campus, and beginning in 2013 students will begin populating the lavish facility surrounded by rolling hills and tranquil views of the bay.

A second home in Connecticut features an earthy materials palette that is detailed to look clean and contemporary.

Architect Alan Organschi’s experience as a cabinet maker and carpenter colors his firm’s thoughtfully detailed designs, which celebrate materiality. He believes this hands-on approach has set the ethos for his practice, Gray Organschi Architecture, which he founded with partner Lisa Gray in New Haven, Connecticut. The duo has designed a range of institutional, commercial, and residential projects, such as the Kent House. The design of this home exemplifies the unique balance the firm has achieved between functional and bespoke.

Toyo Ito is the 2013 Pritzker Prize winner.

Reducing paper usage has been one of the most iconic and understandable of the green movement’s mandates. The intricacies of forest management have remained obscure to most of us, however,  although forest management is the real key to preserving woodland habitats as well as our wood supply. Most consumers now recognize that it is an eco-friendly choice to look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label on wood products, to guarantee that they are sustainably produced … but what does this label mean, exactly, and is there more to the story of sustainable forestry?

The Marcellus Shale, a subterranean rock formation that extends to 10 eastern and Appalachian states as well as Canada, may well become the proving ground for hydraulic fracturing, an increasingly controversial method of drilling for natural gas, with Pennsylvania currently the flashpoint of this controversy.

Having ice in your gutters is not simply an inevitable part of winter. Icy buildup along gutters is symptomatic of uneven heating and snowmelt. Ice dams can result in damage to your home, but you can take steps to safely remove them. You should also consider performing the following simple maintenance tasks once warmer weather arrives in order to prevent ice dams from forming in the future.

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 University of North Texas (UNT) Apogee Stadium is on track to be the first new collegiate venue to make use of on-site, renewable wind power. Its three wind turbines are under construction now; the stadium itself hosted its first game in September 2011.

Madrid’s Matadero, or slaughterhouse, has been renovated to serve as a social and cultural space, but remembrances of its macabre past remain.

One part of a renovation project has nothing to do with heavy machinery, building materials, or even endless CAD documents. It’s that challenging moment that occurs with every repurposing plan, when planners must decide exactly what percentage of the original building will stay and what should be discarded. How much of the building’s original essence is relevant within the new design?