Electrician Harry Cunningham and Kim Hansen of Square D / Schneider Electric join Bob to explain the electrical box that supports the household power and backup generator. Two power sources feed into the service box -- the utility and the generator. There is a safety check in place to prevent the generator from automatically taking over the power load or feeding out into the street to power the neighborhood. The switch in the box must be flipped to protect power from surging through the outlets when work is being performed or the environment is unsafe. The generator allows for flexible power and the opportunity to switch between circuits. The homeowners can decide to power up an air conditioner during a storm, switch circuits to do laundry, or power up the TV and family computer. In an emergency, the system allows homeowners to tailor their energy use to suit the needs of their home and family.

The demolition crew has removed all the old cabinets, fixtures, and electrical boxes in the kitchen before knocking down the divider wall to make room for a kitchen/dining peninsula. Bob watches as the crew uses sledge hammers to take out the old drywall and metal studs. In just a few hours the apartment goes from close and dark to open and airy. Bob watches as the crew sledge hammers out the old drywall and metal studs. In just a few hours the apartment went from closed in and dark to open and airy.

In this segment Bob meets Eddie Fisher, the master electrician on the Brooklyn project's infrastructure team. The team of five electricians from AC/DC Electric is rewiring the building from basement to roof deck. Fisher's team is pre-wiring the building for telephones, computer and cable TV. New York City building codes often require the use of materials and techniques not often seen in residential construction. Codes enacted in the summer of 2003 in New York City require a separate power line from the main electrical box to each GFI (Ground Fault Interrupt) circuit. Also required by code in this building is the use of BX, or metal-shielded, cable. BX is a rigid, flexible metal conduit with a wire bundle, consisting of individually insulated conductors covered by a flexible spiral-wound layer of metal. BX will typically last longer than vinyl-clad cable and may prevent some inadvertent damage in the future.

Plumber Kevin Hanley reviews the installation of the new half-bath. A pedistal water basin and an antique toilet are installed. Electrical wiring is run to the kitchen where remnants of early wires are found. New wire is pulled through the walls and to the new electrical box.

Replacing an outdoor lighting fixture with a motion activated spotlight can conserve energy and increase home security.

George Saylor from Owens Corning is on location in this episode to discuss the insulation products that will be used in the Waterfront Warehouse Rehab project. Before work begins, Bob notes the importance of wearing protective gear including gloves, hat, long sleeve shirt, pants, particle mask, and eye protection when working with fiberglass insualtion. Owens Corning has provided a fiberglass insulation that delivers an insulation value of R15 in only three and half inches of thickness. The material's higher density creates smaller more uniform cells of trapped air to provide a greater degree of insulation in a tighter space, making it more efficient. Saylor also explains how to insulate around outlets and other building infrastructure. On the exterior walls, extruded polystyrene insulation is being installed between the studs and wallboard to prevent thermal transfer from the metal studs to the building's interior. The additional material will create a R20 wall. In the living spaces, interior walls are filled with fiberglass batt insulation to prevent the transfer of sound from room to room.

Mike Kintzing from Owens Corning introduces Bob to a new to residential acoustical ceiling product. QuietZone's Solserene attaches directly to hard surfaces to absorb reverberations. Solserene is a unique product in that has no visible seams in rooms less than 16 feet wide. During the installation, an acoustical high-density fiberglass panel is screwed to the ceiling. Then the installer mounts a retention track around the room. The fabric is then stretched flat and flush to the ceiling. Solserene fabric is a flame-retardant, locking-knit woven polyester that does not fray when cut. From underneath, it looks like a standard drywall or plaster ceiling.

Replacing a light fixture with a ceiling fan can bring comfort and energy savings to the home.

Outlets should be checked periodically for wear, cracks or other signs that they should be replaced.

A visit to the Nuestra Comunidad in the Roxbury section of Boston. Director Evelyn Friedman Vargas and project manger Robert Vargas descibe the rebuilding efforts of this low income area.