Modern biotechnologies give us unprecedented control of the fundamental building blocks of life. For designers, across a range of disciplines, emerging fields such as synthetic biology offer the promise of new sustainable materials and structures which may be grown, are self-assembling, self-healing and adaptable to change. While there is a thriving speculative discourse on the future of design in the age of biotechnology, there are few realized design applications. This book, the first in the Bio Design series, acts as a bridge between design speculation and scientific reality and between contemporary design thinking, in areas such as architecture, product design and fashion design, and the traditional engineering approaches which currently dominate biotechnologies. Filled with real examples, Living Construction reveals how living cells construct and transform materials through methods of fabrication and assembly at multiple scales and how designers can utilize these processes.

The house of your Dreams does not have to be expensive. The key is all in the planning. How much a house costs, how it looks, how comfortable it is, how energy-efficient it is--all these things occur on paper before you pick up even one tool. A little extra time in the planning process can save you tens of thousands of dollars in construction and maintenance. That is time well spent! Living Homes takes you through the planning process to design an energy and resource efficient home that won't break the bank. Then, from the footings on up to the roof, author Thomas J. Elpel guides you through the nuts and bolts of construction for slipform stone masonry, tilt-up stone walls, log home construction, building with strawbales, making your own terra tile floors, windows and doors, solar water systems, masonry heaters, framing, plumbing, greywater, septic systems, swamp filters, concrete-fly ash countertops, painting and more. Living Homes was completely re-organized and revised for the new sixth edition, based on five additional years of building experience with low-cost, high efficiency construction methods. Get the latest ideas on how to build a high-performance house that will stand the test of time! The sixth edition includes fifteen pages of new material covering the latest stone masonry tips, plus revised and expanded tips and techniques throughout the book.

Bergeron and Lacinski's new book Serious Straw Bale is the first to look carefully at the specific design considerations critical to success with a straw bale building in more extreme climates-where seasonal changes in temperature, precipitation, and humidity create special stresses that builders must understand and address. The authors draw upon years of experience with natural materials and experimental techniques, and present a compelling rationale for building with straw-one of nature's most resilient, available, and affordable byproducts.

For fans of Open Book and Sell It Like Serhant, a heartfelt, humorous personal memoir and relatable guide to overcoming obstacles, wising up about romance, and getting ahead in your career from the star of Netflix’s hit reality show Selling Sunset. In this engaging, witty, and inspirational memoir, Chrishell Stause shares her story of living an unconventional childhood in small-town Kentucky marked by periods of homelessness, family addiction struggles, and dreams of one day being on a daytime soap, all while managing the local Dairy Queen. Through resilience and grit, she overcame obstacles and pushed past every barrier in her path to become one of the most envied luxury realtors in Los Angeles and buzzworthy cast members in reality TV. She takes us behind the scenes of Selling Sunset, reveals never-before-told stories from her life in soaps, and even pulls back the curtain on her highly publicized love life, offering insight not before shared. With her signature honesty and charm, Stause also gives tangible advice based on the lessons she’s learned over the years and offers unique insight about how to stay resilient and positive no matter how many times life knocks you down. Under Construction is for anyone who wants to remember that no matter what happens or how, you have to get up, dress up, and show up, and walk back into the room stronger than ever before.

Rick H. often starts his “talk” at recovery meetings with this statement: “I come here because the Rick of old will drink again. So, I need to change, and this is where my professors are.” He then adds that, to live a sober, happy life, he had to find a replacement for the alcohol that he used in his struggles to cope with the realities of life. As his recovery from alcoholism proceeded, he recognized that associated anxiety and depression were also holding him back from a fulfilling life. No one knows without question the connection between addiction, anxiety and depression. Some people suggest anxiety and depression may be the prelude to addiction; other say it’s the engagement of addictive activities that causes anxiety and depression. Still others suggest these illnesses develop in tandem. These debates didn’t really matter to Rick. He understood he is prone not only to alcoholism, but to anxiety and depression as well, whether it be by nature or nurture or both. He accepted this reality. What he desperately wanted to know is how to live a good life and strive to be the best version of himself given that he had these challenges. What are the practical tools he could implement to allow him to be the best version of himself? With this critical need in mind, Rick H. expanded the scope of a previously written book (Under Construction, 25 Life-Building Tools for Addicts in Recovery) to include anxiety and depression. The new book, titled “Under Construction, 25 Life-Building Tools for Living with Addiction, Anxiety and Depression,” is a compilation of tools that reflect a wide range of powerful insights and practical wisdom learned over many years from fellow sufferers met in countless meetings, retreats and workshops. The book’s primary purpose is to provide a simple reference guide consisting of 25 coping tools, described in a practical, easy-to-read format. It also includes real life stories of how these tools have been applied. In addition, he includes probing questions that will challenge the reader to explore how these 25 tools can help the reader’s personal journey of healing. Proceeds from this book will be donated to organizations supporting addiction and mental health.

“Recommended for academic collections, public library collections and individuals interested in homesteading in a nature-friendly manner.”—Library Journal. “A copious compendium of old timey skills and ambitious projects...beautifully illustrated.”—Mother Earth News. “Beautifully detailed....I strongly recommend this book.”—Last Whole Earth Catalog.

The construction industry is bombarded with ever-changing building materials—components of which are more and more difficult, if not impossible, to identify. Building material emissions have been implicated as a major source of indoor air pollution, and toxic gases, often unidentified, are generated in building fires. Building Materials: Product Emission and Combustion Health Hazards undertakes the task of identifying building materials emission and combustion health hazards. This practical guide introduces the complex world of polymers commonly used in building materials along with plasticizers and additives that are not regulated by OSHA. It also explores the topic of building materials as they relate to function and their emissions/combustion products along with thermal decomposition and combustion products as they relate to fire first responders. Engaging environmental professionals, construction management firms, architects, first respondents, and students, this valuable reference delivers a comprehensive spectrum of knowledge needed to face the challenges of managing building materials in the twenty-first century. Awareness is the first line of defense!