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 Plumbing is by far one of the most important systems in our homes and buildings. In the United States water comes from two types of sources, municipal water plants, private on-sight wells, or rainwater harvested. With these two sources of indoor water, there are different types of water and they have specific uses. Portable water is water that has been deemed acceptable drinking water. Black water is waste water that contains sewage and this is not safe for any use indoor. Gray water is waste water from sinks, bathtubs, and washing machine Plumbing is referred to as "the introduction and elimination of water and human by-products to and from a building" (Tucker page 155).  Plumbing systems can be broken down into two simple categories; water supply and water waste. Water supply systems are operated under pressure whereas water waste operates by gravity, which is where slopes in plumbing is needed. In the United States, toilet flushing takes up an average of 21% of residentia...

 Something that I love about lighting is not only the statement the fixture can make but, how the color and temperature of the lighting can change the feeling in a space so drastically. Having interiors with shadows and contrasts can make a space feel cozier and more private, whereas a space with bright lights and little to no shadows makes a space feel more public and more active. The warmth and coolness of a lighting fixture differs from lighting type. Warmer toned lights are incandescent lighting, having warmer tones within the bulb. This lighting type was once very popular but in recent years has become less popular since more heat is given off than sufficient lighting to a space. Cooler toned lights are fluorescent lighting and have cool blue tones to the bulb. These bulbs are often used in commercial spaces, workplaces, and schools. Fluorescent lighting is great for conserving energy, the mercury content in these has reduced in recent years making them a better and safer choi...

 As interior designers we are able to use the ceilings of a space to help define the rest of the space. With different ceiling types we can create different feelings and effects in the space and help solidify our designs. Cathedral ceilings are joined with the pitch to create an open and tall ceiling height. This can help the space feel larger but, can be a tricky ceiling to place lighting fixtures within. This ceiling type may need a creative solution for the lighting   troubles that can come along with these ceilings. Exposed ceilings can be used in order to showcase the celling lines in a space. Materials such as wood and metal can be used as a decorative pieces to show greater emphasis to the lines. Exposed mechanical ceilings, on the other hand, are very easy to place items like lighting, HVAC, and plumbing systems. These ceilings are most often used in spaces that are going for an industrial or rustic aesthetic. These systems can be painted to math the colors or lef...

Walking into Carlson's Flooring this past week I could not wait to look at all the different flooring options they held. I was at first draw to go and look at the tiles, mainly the marbles. Since marble is a natural stone it is a great sustainable option. Most people would not think marble and immediately think sustainability. Marble is a very strong and durable stone that can be used for flooring, backsplashes, countertops, etc. With the life cycle of marble being so long, it helps reduce the effects on the environment since less product needs to be replaced and disposed of. Since it is natural, that also means its a recyclable material.  From there I went to go and look at wood flooring options, they held many different types of flooring. They carried engineered woods, hard woods, laminate, and vinyl floors. I looked closely at the hard woods options. Natural hard wood flooring is in fact sustainable since it is from a natural material. The brand I looked at contained info on the...