Danish furniture chain BoConcept has an interesting marketing strategy: selling coffee tables by talking about coffee. And why not, if that’s what it’s really for? Drop by their website and learn how to make frappe, macchiato, cappuccino, espresso, caffe latte and green tea. While you’re at it, see their sleek, minimalist coffee tables from $199 to $949, all at 20% off until June 15th. You can also create a customized coffee table in a range of tabletops in different sizes, surfaces from white lacquer to brushed steel, and legs in various designs and heights. We smell Scandinavian design a-brewing.

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Nope, they don’t include plants(for now), it’s the drive to lessen the energy we use each days, our many buildings though they were designed and built with the latest materials available when they were built. They were seldom designed to be energy efficient and maximized the potential of the materials available. Energy used to be so plentiful that we didn’t pay much attention to the pollution during the industrial revolution but today, with the weather going wild due to so much pollution it has altered the environment so much we have no choice but to care. From better insulation to trimming down electricity use with better and more efficient technology, they are all being slowly infused into existing buildings and built into new ones being built greening them from the bottom up.

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Ever since the Grand Canyon Catwalk opened, people have been amazed at the ability of glass, used to construct the walkway allowing unimpeded views of the canyon walls and floor below. They have been used as promotional stunts for some classy high-rises but now you can get them installed right in your own home. Made of laminated glass with a protective plastic cover to prevent permanent scratching, it makes a novel patio but just in case you don’t have a stomach for heights you can settle for the glass on the walls or sides and have normal floors instead.You might need to change your lifestyle when it comes to clothes as you step out in the morning to breathe in the cool morning air for having neighbors underneath would be a sure way to get them to look up to you, for sure.

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Many of today’s condos feature integrated within the design, glass lots of it. Enough to cover at least half of the condo’s walls and sometimes even the roof to get natural light in lessening the need for lighting. There is also a very recent interest in the greening of our condos through green retrofits that lessens the need for electricity. The glass panes we see may look plain but they are normally insulated through a process called double-glazing where two panes of glass are separated by space and even filled with gasses or held at a vacuum to prevent heat from getting in or out. They can be sandwiched with plastic to give it more strength for structural needs such as glass patios and even now on the floors.

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Tinting products for heavy duty sun-protection is one of the ways you can save on electricity these days and with condos being way up in terms of height, the amount of electricity spent on cooling and heating is one aspect that you can save on with simple window tints. Commercial tints have long been used for automobiles where they work by reflecting more of the sun’s harmful rays out of the room or space, effectively cooling it by a few degrees. that few degrees, amounts to quite a lot of energy and is a simple add-on to complement your condo. New technologies such as self tinting Continue Reading »

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Condos are mostly modern living quarters loaded with some of the latest gadgets and gizmos as well as consumer electronics that have become more efficient in the way they function yet still consume electricity even when not in use. Called vampire power, the standby mode that is built-into your electrical appliance still eats a sizable amount of electricity as it waits for your next use. Effective yet simple upgrades such as occupancy switches that turns off the electrical supply to a room when it doesn’t sense any movement or at pre-set times. The technology is being developed for sensors that are either worn by the user or some other method such as movement sensors can tell the smart-electrical Continue Reading »

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As with any other new development in today’s recession stricken economy, green is in. There are a lot of new developments that incorporate green technologies that lessens the burden on mother nature with the use of green machines and other incorporated technologies. Double glazed glass produced with green technology, new heating and cooling systems that use only what is needed, and a garbage disposal system that supports trash segregation.
Glass condos receive coatings and films that minimize UV penetration while retaining heat and cold which is one of the biggest costs of maintaining and living in a condo. Most city’s now have requirements for contractors to use products that are renewable and environmentally friendly. Laminated bamboo furniture, hemp and jute for the carpets and furnishings, it makes for a chick but warm space that everybody will love.

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Image Source: site.ecorug.net

The jute weave is a strong coarse fiber used to make a burlap. It usually comes from India and its neighboring countries. Jute fused with yarns of other fiber is the main composition of its warp (vertical weave) and weft (horizontal weave). This weave is then laminated to a paper backing to come up with a variety of finished products.

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Check out this article in the Global Property Guide: Most Expensive Cities In 2008. This should come in really handy if you’re planning to invest in a flat or a condo. Not surprisingly, London and New York are the top two placers in the race for the most expensive property values. Moscow comes in a close third.

Of course, common sense will always tell us that the most expensive properties are found in the more highly urbanized areas, usually the cities that are centers of government, fashion or business. Not only are the prices of real estate high in these areas, cost of living is usually sky-high as well.

Of course, for those who can cheerfully afford it, owning a flat or a condo in these areas will surely elevate their prestige, and dare I say it, self-worth. Chances are your investment is also secure since these areas are already well-established and property values are less likely to fluctuate.

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Image Source: www.atlantacondos.info
A dockominium is the water-based version of a condominium; rather than owning an apartment in a building, one owns a boat slip on the water. The term is a portmanteau of “dock” and “condominium.” In addition to the exclusive right to use the boat slip, ownership also provides one with the right to use the common elements of the marina, much the same as one would have the right to use the common areas in a residential condominium development. Additionally a unit owner may use, rent or sell their unit at any time, subject to association approval.
Similar to a condominium, a management company manages the common areas and provides all required services such as maintenance, security, insurance, bookkeeping, legal and overall management and supervision of the dockominium facility. A monthly fee is charged to cover these expenses. Typically, water is included, while electricity and cable, etc. are billed separately via the management association. Real estate taxes are separately assessed by the municipality and are the responsibility of the unit owner.

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