In architecture, construction, and real estate development the word building may refer to one of the following:

1. Any man-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy or
2. An act of construction.

To differentiate buildings and other structures that are not intended for continuous human occupancy, the latter are called nonbuilding structures.

The concept of a building

---

• Physiological. The human body can be sustained and may effectively function only within a limited range of climatic conditions such as temperature, humidity, moisture, sunlight, and amount of oxygen and pollutants in the air. Along with access to food and drinking water, the need to creating places that are protected from the outdoors and where one can comfortably live, work, eat, sleep, procreate or engage in leisurely activities has always been a top priority for humans. A building as a shelter represents a physical division of the human habitat into the inside (a place of comfort and safety) and the outside (a place that at times may be harsh and harmful).
• Psychological. Buildings are an inseparable and in most cases an essential part of basic attributes of a human life, such as home, family, work, and sex.
• Philosophical. The ability to create, control and change their living conditions is what separates humans from animals. Unlike less intelligent species who are driven purely by a natural instinct when building their nests, humans can construct buildings for purposes other than creating a shelter. Buildings can be used to express a religious belief (see Religious architecture), make a political statement (see Freedom Tower; Nazi architecture; Stalinist architecture), or serve as status symbols that reflect the wealth and high social status of their owners (see Egyptian pyramids; Mansion; World's tallest structures).
• Aesthetical. Humans have a remarkable drive to reflect on their lives and express themselves through art. Ever since the first cave paintings, the buildings and everything on, inside and near buildings—walls, ceilings, furniture, furnishings, appliances, plumbing fixtures, lighting, gardens, courtyards, streets and public parks—have become objects of artistic expression.

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Should Apple Even Care About the Enterprise?
Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:02:10 -0400
Apple might be targeting the enterprise, but the real question now is whether or not it should. Is Apple a hardware company or a software company? This question is coming to the fore again because with the advent of Windows 7, enterprises will deciding whether the time has come to finally upgrade the hardware to the new version. But given Apple's long-established market strategy, it just might not be important for Apple to win new enterprise converts to its operating system platform. - The debate over whether or not the business world should deploy Windows 7 rages on. Some say it's an iterative update over Windows Vista and thus, not worth deploying. Others believe it's the operating system that Microsoft should have created in the first place. They believe it's perfect for ...
SMP-enabled Sun xVM VirtualBox 3.0 Turns Up the Heat on VMware
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:58:07 -0400
Version 3.0 of Sun's xVM VirtualBox desktop virtualization tool adds support for multiple guest processors--a major feature addition which, when considered alongside the product's low cost (free) and broad host platform support, is certain to give VMware Workstation a run for its money. - Sun Microsystems' xVM VirtualBox, a no-cost virtualization tool that enables virtual machines to run on a variety of standard operating systems, continues to improve its position as a potential challenger to workstation products from VMware and Parallels. Sun release version 3.0 of xVM VirtualBox on...
Apple iPhone 3GS Jailbreaking Tool Hits the Street
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:24:04 -0400
The hacker who made the news in 2007 for unlocking Apple's first iPhone has released the a new application for jailbreaking the iPhone 3GS. The tool is currently available for Windows only. - George Hotz, the 19-year old hacker who made headlines for unlocking Apples original iPhone, has now released the first-known jailbreaking tool for iPhone 3GS. The tool, called ‘purplea1n, is only available for versions of the Windows operating system - excluding Windows 7 - at the moment, but H...
China Says Green Dam Still Coming, Mac Version in the Works
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:36:49 -0400
Chinas Ministry of Industry and I.T. reportedly said it “will definitely carry on the directive on Green Dam.” And while Apple has so far been on the sidelines of the Windows-based filtering software mandate, Green Dam maker Jinhui is said to be testing a Mac-compatible version. - The latest news on China's Green Dam filtering software is that the debates not over yet and Apple may finally be pulled into the fray. In early June the Chinese government announced to PC makers that, by July 1, all computer sold in China would have shipped with Green Dam Youth Escort, a Web...
Government Spends $440 Million Per Year on Wasteful Printing, Report Says
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:09:56 -0400
A report from printer manufacturer Lexmark claims the federal government wastes $440 million dollars a year (almost $1 million per day) on unnecessary printing. - While it could probably be said that most businesses, large, medium and small, print more paper than is necessary, a report by printing company Lexmark International revealed the U.S. government wastes a staggering $440 million annually on unnecessary printing--more than $1 million per day–almost as...
Spate of iPhone Overheating Reports Roast Apple
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:17:21 -0400
Sales of Apple's iPhone 3GS aren't the only thing hot about the device: Reports of overheating issues on the new version of the smartphone caused Apple to release an advisory on how to keep your iPhone cool. - While the debut of the iPhone 3GS, the latest edition of Apples sleek, popular smartphone, has been a runaway success (sales after three days on the market bested 1 million models sold), Apple acknowledged the devices may have an issue when it comes to overheating. In response to numerous ...

The Seattle Times: Business & Technology

Downturn dating: Hearts flutter as markets stutter
Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:26:07 -0700
Credit the recession for staycations and bringing us more game-night parties at home. But also give it a shout for spurring more first dates.
Car dealer fights Chrysler over franchise
Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:58:06 -0700
A poster in Jim Tarbox's office at his North Kingstown Chrysler Jeep dealership declares: "Challenge: The harder the course, the more rewarding the triumph."
Schwarzenegger legacy entwined with fiscal crisis
Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:21:06 -0700
California voters gave Arnold Schwarzenegger a single, blockbuster-sized mission when they sent him to Sacramento six years ago in an unprecedented election: Fix California's chaotic budget system, once and for all.

NYT > Technology

Spinning the Web: P.R. in Silicon Valley
By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:54:09 -0000
P.R. gurus are courting influential voices on services like Twitter to endorse new companies, Web sites or gadgets, perhaps forever altering their roles.
That Long, Long Road From Idea to Success
By VINDU GOEL Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:03:07 -0000
Four years after it was founded, GreenPrint Technologies has struggled to sell corporations on its software that saves on printing expenses.
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By ERIC PFANNER Sat, 04 Jul 2009 05:43:12 -0000
The slowing growth in online advertising is pushing traditional ad agencies and Internet companies to work together.

CNN.com - Technology

10 humor sites sure to make you LOL
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:40:32 -0400
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Unlocked cell phones coming to U.S.
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:06:20 -0400
Nokia and Sony Ericsson are targeting the U.S. with a new set of unlocked phones. But without hefty carrier subsidies, will they ever be able to crack the U.S. market?
Dell turns netbooks into navigation devices
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:25:37 -0400
Say hello to your latest personal navigation device: a netbook. Dell plans to introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be integrated into the company's netbooks to turn them into gizmos that can offer turn-by-turn direction as well as any Garmin or TomTom.

NPR Topics: Technology

Europe Solves Cell Phone Charger Problem
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:21:00 -0400
The European Union has reached an agreement with all major mobile phone manufacturers to produce a common phone charger. Apart from reducing the frustration of customers juggling incompatible chargers, proponents say the agreement will encourage recycling and reduce electronic waste.
Long Distance Shrinks Amid New Phone Technology
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:01:00 -0400
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The Extraordinaries: Will Microvolunteering Work?
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:01:00 -0400
Got five minutes? Rather than check on your car insurance, you can engage in all sorts of do-good efforts these days thanks to a slew of Web sites, including The Extraordinaries, a microvolunteering service. But the idea has plenty of potential pitfalls — and could end up just a flashmob in the pan.

BBC News | Technology | UK Edition

Mixed results for green IT goals
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:54:03 -0000
A majority of tech workers in the public sector do not know about the emission reduction targets they face, says a survey.
Billions stolen in online robbery
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:22:39 -0000
Details emerge of why billions in virtual cash disappeared from a virtual bank in Eve Online.
Facebook criticised over privacy
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:48:54 -0000
The social networking site comes under fire for planned changes to privacy settings.

Reuters Video: Technology

MJ tributes rule Viral Video Chart
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:06:55 -0400
Jul 03 - Videos from throughout Michael Jackson's lengthy music career and tributes to the artist dominate this week's Viral Video Chart in an unpredecented fashion.
Puffins fitted with "sat-nav"
Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:14:24 -0400
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Mobile TV, video and apps - oh my!
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:24:28 -0400
Jul 01 - After years of talking up the potential of TV on the very small screen with disappointing results, there is a movement within the mobile industry to take video in new directions.

AP Top Technology News At 11 a.m. EDT

Omg! Positive tone boosts Yahoo celeb site to top
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BT offers staff time off in exchange for pay cut
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US wants privacy in new cyber security system
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CNET News.com

Photos: How the Army tests biological, chemical weapons
Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:30:00 -0700
At the U.S. Army's Dugway Proving Grounds facility in the Utah desert, scientists look for ways to protect soldiers against various chemical and biological weapons they might encounter in combat.
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Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:00:00 -0700
At Promontory Summit, Utah, the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad met on May 10, 1869 after 1,776 miles of track had been laid over six years.
Road Trip 2009 hits 2,000 miles near largest bombing range in U.S.
Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:00:00 -0700
In the days since 1,000 miles, Road Trip 2009 has visited some of the most incredible scenery America has to offer--and learned about some of the most sobering military realities.

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