Other stories by Scott Gibson

  • Wood substitutes come at a higher cost but promise fewer maintenance headaches.

    A lot has happened since four enterprising Mobil executives found a way to meld recycled grocery bags and wood flour to create the first wood-plastic composite decking. The development of what became Trex in 1996 marked the beginning of an industry that's giving wood decking a run for its money.

  • The Systems Sub

    Custom electronics designer Charles Apostolos is making his first house call of the day, a 160-mile round-trip from his office in Woburn, Mass., to Keene, N.H., to see a potential client. None of this extra work would be necessary had the client thought to bring Apostolos and the builder together...