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What makes for success as an interior contractor and what are the basics of staying in business? An experienced contractor takes a look at some of the misconceptions that plague the industry and brings the focus back to fundamentals that can help you understand the full value of your skill set.

Being in business in this economy means understanding the fundamentals of our industry and where it's going. As a small business owner I've seen my fair share of ups and downs. Usually most of the misunderstandings and problems can be solved by a little inquiry and a lot of listening.

When disaster-prone states come to mind, California, Florida, and Louisiana likely top the list. Surprisingly, an average of eight strong-to-violent tornadoes hit Illinois each year, and because the damage to homes is often random, many homeowners don't qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding. Students of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign participating in the 2011 Solar Decathlon competition identified an opportunity to create a disaster housing solution that is much more comfortable and attractive than the typical trailer. The design of Re_home features flexible spaces to accommodate the diverse needs of families while fostering community recovery.

Ten home safety essentials that you can check today to prevent accidents at home and protect your family and property.

Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, is in the midst of a $20.6 million -- $1.2 million of which represents the information technology (IT) portion -- construction project that will double the physical size of its Conservatory of Music. Expected to be completed by the fall of 2011, the project includes major renovations and new construction; joining two existing campus buildings with the adjacent church complex. Upfront planning is crucial to ensure a good IT installation that meets all the needs of their students and professors and wisely uses capital funds. Here are the basic concepts involved in IT system planning and infrastructure. Greg Flanik and Daniel Stilla from Baldwin-Wallace’s IT department provided Buildipedia a look into the planning and technologies involved in getting their new building “wired for sound.”

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.

Due to the unique constraints of the Ray and Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine Building’s narrow site, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) expected a vertical building organization, stacking research groups on top of one another. Instead, Rafael Viñoly Architects created a horizontally oriented building that hugs the topography as it descends the north slope of Mount Sutro, fostering collaboration at every opportunity.

 DIY remodeling projects have many benefits, but transporting drywall isn't one. Learn how and why to get your drywall delivered, saving yourself time, money, and headaches.

This second of our insulated siding articles focuses on the technical aspects of using this exterior cladding as an insulation product. We will also touch on some relevant details regarding its installation.

The industry definition of insulated siding, or IS, is an exterior cladding product with a significant thickness of insulation permanently adhered, so that both cladding and insulation are installed in one step and as one product. This is currently limited to some aluminum and many vinyl siding products. (There also exists a line of contoured foam insulation manufactured as either a universal backing, or a product-specific backing for several types and brands of solid plank siding, including fiber cement. We will discuss this material separately.)

Stay warm, healthy, and happy indoors throughout the winter season.

Welcome to the On Site channel’s first Construction Administration Column. David A. Todd, P.E., CPESC, gives his opinion on a common issue with shop drawing approval.

Columnist David A. Todd, P.E., CPESC, has 37 years of experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry and has performed much construction administration during that time. He will answer questions from our readers or from his own practice and will provide answers based on his understanding of the construction process and administration of the construction contract. The focus will be on the customary duties of the owner, contractor, and design professional as typically described in the contract documents.

Marina Lofts, a new mixed-use development by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), will enliven a formerly industrial site along the waterfront in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Vancouver Convention Centre, which was featured on the Go Green channel as a case study in April, has an extremely unique design feature – an artificial reef (also referred to as a “habitat skirt”). The concrete habitat skirt steps down in five tiers from the underside of the public walkway into the harbor. The skirt was designed with input from marine biologists and other consultants to make it mimic a natural environment.