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The SEED Project at Clemson University: Safe Housing for Haitians

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The earthquake in Haiti that hit on January 12, now seven months ago, left more than 230,000 people dead with 1.3 million homeless and 600,000 internally displaced. Undaunted not only by the immediate devastation of the quake but also by the political and governmental fragility that makes reconstruction difficult, Clemson School of Architecture Associate Professor Doug Hecker and Assistant Professor Martha Skinner continue to work to provide housing for Haitians long after they began an immediate post-quake creative search for emergency shelter for the displaced and homeless in Haiti. Their efforts resulted in the successful use of shipping containers as emergency housing -- the SEED_Haiti project.

Maintenance Tips: Dryers

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Dryers remove moisture by blowing hot air over wet, tumbling clothes. The hot, moisture-laden air is exhausted outside the home through a dryer vent duct. According to the Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components, which was prepared in 2007 by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the average life expectancy of a clothes dryer (gas or electric) is 13 years. Dryers are a fairly simple appliance with a long life expectancy as compared to other appliances, but present both personal and property hazards. Timely dryer maintenance will reduce potential problems and ensure it is functioning as excepted.

Reclaiming an Outdoor Firepit

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Find out, step-by-step, how to make a firepit for your backyard or patio by using a salvaged metal stove. To see Rachael in action, watch her {Re}habitat video series on adaptive reuse and upcycling.

It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to create a unique place to entertain in your backyard. A salvaged woodburning stove can become a stylish outdoor firepit in a few hours, with a few simple tools, for a couple bucks. Join Rachael Ranney as she demonstrates how she took a rusty stove and turned it into the pride of her garden.

Successive Alkalinity-Producing Systems (SAPS)

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A challenge of mining operations and any project that disturbs large volumes of earth below grade is the potential to generate contaminated water runoff at the surface known as acid mine drainage (AMD). Precious metal and coal mine shafts traditionally require excavation below the water table, exposing metal sulfides in the disturbed earth and waste soils to the atmosphere and water. Similar exposure can occur during major highway construction projects. Stormwater runoff and water discharged from dewatering pumps related to these construction activities can be very low in pH (acidic) and can contain harmful metal ions. Eric McCleary of Greenhorne & O’Mara helped develop the successive alkalinity-producing system (SAPS) process to treat this AMD water and shares insights regarding this innovative technology with the Buildipedia audience.

Eight Great Innovations for the Kitchen of the Future

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As the most utilized and action-packed room in the home, the kitchen has long been a focus of forward-thinking product engineers and manufacturers. The latest appliance innovations on the market include induction cooktops that can boil water in a mere minute, LED-lit refrigerators with specialized temperature bins, and dishwashers that can silently steam clean an entire dinner party’s worth of dishes.

Vintage Suitcase Side Table

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Creating a multifunctional side table to augment your living room furniture is easier and more affordable than you think. Join {Re}habitat host Rachael Ranney as she turns a vintage suitcase into a useful and chic addition to her living space.

Vintage suitcases are one of my favorite ways to keep clutter hidden and my home organized. Buried deep in the dark corners of my closet and all around my office you will find piles of them. I use old funky suitcases to hide my crafting supplies and photos and to store my out-of-season clothes.

Environmentally Conscious Landscaping Tips for Challenging Climates and Terrain

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Uneven terrain and climate extremes are two of the biggest challenges homeowners face when attempting to create beautiful, low-maintenance, environmentally conscious residential landscapes. Having a realistic expectation of cost and time requirements, as well as a thorough knowledge of native plants, soil composition, rainfall expectancy, irrigation systems, and local permitting regulations can dramatically impact the long-term success of an outdoor project.