Natural stone has been used for centuries as a respected and elegant building material, in the architecture of Greece, Rome, and in other famous structures like the Taj Mahal in India, which is clad entirely in white marble. Even today, it’s a revered material to use in construction because of its durability, visual appeal, and environmental friendliness.Natural stone is a wonderful and practical option if you are thinking of tiling a room in your home.

It can be such a great material because it takes long to weather and erode, and it provides a very solid foundation that could prevent from freak accidents like trees falling through one’s rooftop. Consider how horrible it would be if someone in the house was struck on the head by a branch, if the house was ruined, or both. Natural stone doesn’t just provide protection from trees: it can also provide more protection from fires, hurricanes, and many other natural weather problems that could be a threat to one’s home and the people in it.

Another benefit is that it can lower heating costs by insulating a lot of heat, which will save money in the long run, and it can make the home very quiet, so one can be at home resting peacefully, knowing that the cars driving down the road or the dog barking next door will be, at the most, minimally heard. As prices rise everywhere, and since the energy bill is the most important one to pay, it might be a good idea to lower energy costs as much as possible. Knowing how stone can save money, let’s look at a type of of stone that one can use that’s both appealing and sturdy.

Marble stone definitely fits the description of an attractive and sturdy material. First of all, it’s very pretty, and as mentioned before structures like the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, were built using this material. There are many types of marble that one can choose from, and it can come in many different colors, not just pure white like one might usually imagine.

Other than marble, there are many other types of stones that one can use to build a home. With the rising costs of lumber and concrete (and the rising costs of everything in general), selecting to build a home out of natural stone could be a great option that many previously may not have considered. There are numerous other sources on the web now that speak about the benefits of using stone to build a house.

It shouldn’t be automatically assumed that natural stone is too expensive. A wise move would be to take a look at natural stone distributors in the area.Even if stone is not going to be used to build an entire home out of, it can easily add appeal to one’s fireplace or flooring. In conclusion, this is a material that should not be overlooked by homeowners or by anyone planning on building or remodeling their home.

Intellectual property is the collective reference for the intangible rights owned by an individual or business over their non-monetary products. Although intangible, intellectual property (also known as IP) can be sold, assigned, licensed much like ordinary assets.

There are four main types of UK intellectual property:

1. Copyright – copyright is a protection that is automatically granted over someone’s own original work, for example written work or art. If the work is copyrighted, then the owner can control when it is published, sold or reproduced and who is allowed to do so. Copyright does not apply to ideas, theories or methods; the work protected must be in a physical and permanent form.

2. Patents – a patent protects an original idea, invention or product. In order to qualify for patenting, the invention or idea must not be currently in use, must not be a scientific theory or method, a method of medical treatment or animal or plant.

3. Trade Marks – trade marks are usually given to individual logos, brand names or distinctive designs. A trade mark identifies something as being legally owned and therefore cannot be reproduced without permission from the owners. A trade marked object should not be currently generically used, make reference to a particular product, make reference to the quality of a product or make reference to a geographical area.

4. Registered Designs – a registered design number is given when an individual or company want to protect an original design. The design must not have been previously published. The registered number gives protection for the design’s individualistic features such as colour, shape and texture. The registration must be made in reference to a specific geographical area. Once registered it prevents others from using not only the same, but also similar designs.

These different forms of intellectual property can be registered and protected by applying online to the ‘Intellectual Property Office’, which is a government owned body.

The benefits of having your UK Intellectual Property Rights protected:

- Copyright: it gives the owner of the original asset the right to start legal proceedings against someone who has used their copyrighted material without being given permission. The presence of the © symbol discourages potential infringers. An injunction and/or damages can be awarded for copyright infringement. Profit can be made in owning a copyright by licensing out or selling it. A copyright can be awarded for up to 50 years.

- Patents: this gives the owner the right to stop others replicating their patented invention. An injunction and/or damages can be awarded for a patent infringement. A patent can be licensed out for a fee or sold. A patent is normally awarded for 5-20 years.

- Trade marks: using the trade mark symbol acts as a deterrent to others before using a trade marked object. It also gives the owner a legal right to take action against someone who uses the object without permission. Those who counterfeit trade marks run the risk of criminal prosecution by Trading Standards and/or the Police. A trade mark can be licensed out for a fee or sold. A trade mark can be awarded for up to 10 years.

- Registered Design: this personal registration number provides the owner with exclusive rights over the appearance of their design. An injunction and/or damages can be awarded for plagiarism of the design without permission. A registered design can be licensed out for a fee or sold. A design can be registered for up to 15 years.