In times like these, people often turn inward, focusing only on their own problems. This year's Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award recipients, however, took a different path and are changing lives in the U.S. and around the world.
With authentic detailing and conveniences to suit the modern boomer, this stately Gulf Coast plantation home brings a fresh look to Orlando’s luxury market.
Ever the optimists, a clear majority—55 percent—of the 744 home builders who responded to our "State of the Industry" survey say 2008 is the year the downturn hits bottom and the industry begins to recover.
To say that jobsite theft is rampant in home building would be an understatement. In a recent Builder survey, 90 percent of respondents said they had been victims of theft within the past year. Losses ran from lumber and copper wiring to office supplies and diesel fuel. Of those who reported thefts, 60 percent had been hit more than three times.
Now more than ever, managing cash flow is crucial, as builders seek to survive and thrive during the downturn.
Of course, post-industrial houses do have their benefits (indoor plumbing, beer fridges, hi-def surround sound), so the task becomes figuring out how to integrate antiquity’s greatest green lessons into designs that meet the lifestyle demands of today. That is what Tradewinds, our show home for the 2008 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla., set out to do.
One knock on sustainable housing is that it’s pricey. Green is good, some say, but only for those who can afford it. Not at EcoUrban Homes, a St. Louis start-up that’s bringing green to the masses with LEED Platinum–rated prefabricated homes for urban infill sites throughout the city—and maybe other markets in the near future.
The GreenT line of hardwood plywood panels from Springfield, Ore.-based Timber Products Co. (www.greentproducts.com) is now available with resins containing no added urea formaldehyde, thus reducing emissions that can degrade indoor air quality. The proprietary process also helps the panel line meet federal emissions standards and those of several states, including California's tough CARB air-quality legislation. In addition, the GreenT line features optional -recycled-content core material in its hardwood plywood, MDF, veneer-core, and particleboard-core panels, and all GreenT panels use wood certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
A risk management expert works with PATH to employ new protocols for preventing and mitigating mold in new homes.
The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction in Switzerland is soliciting entries through Feb. 29, 2008, for the annual Holcim Awards, a global program with a $2 million purse.
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) is spearheading a rating system for landscape design and implementation to supplement other green building programs. The Sustainable Sites Initiative focuses on soils, water, vegetation, materials and waste, and energy, and will include a pilot phase in 2010. For more information, visit www.sustainablesites.org.
A sincere effort to improve energy and resource efficiency has sparked the resurgence of professional architects in housing.
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Seminars for smaller and newly started Eastern hardwood manufacturers are scheduled for 2008.
Everybody knows that Congress tends todrag its feet when making decisions on the major issues of the day. But as we saw by the tail end of last year, that definitely was not the case when it came time to consider what to do to stop the nation’s deepening mortgage credit crunch and build a new foundation to support homeownership opportunities in the aftermath of the subprime meltdown. In the autumn and winter of 2007, with housing in trouble, Washington didn’t resemble the usual political morass. And the surge in bipartisan activity centered around housing wasn’t limited to Capitol Hill. The White House and such key players as the Federal Reserve Board, the Treasury Department, and HUD all sprang to life, tackling hard issues with a tenacity and resourcefulness not always seen in our government.
Proposed legislation that would broaden the authority of the Clean Water Act is a leap in the wrong direction, the NAHB told the U.S. Senate Committee on Environmental and Public Works on Dec. 13. The NAHB has long supported the goals of the Clean Water Act, which is called into play when homes are built near rivers or wetlands and when builders take steps to avoid stormwater runoff from construction sites. But broadening the scope of the act to include all waters within its regulatory reach loads on more regulation without a corresponding environmental benefit, Duane Desiderio, NAHB staff vice president of litigation, told Senate leaders during the hearings.
In recognition of the phenomenal growth of green building, the NAHB will celebrate Green Day on Thursday, Feb. 14, at the International Builders' Show in Orlando, Fla. On Green Day, the association will officially launch the NAHB National Green Building Program and will unveil the new Certified Green Professional educational designation for home builders, remodelers, and other industry professionals.
The House Judiciary Committee on Dec. 12 completed its markup of the Emergency Home Ownership and Mortgage Equity Protection Act of 2007. Introduced by Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), the measure would allow bankruptcy judges to reduce the value of a home loan, extend the terms of the loan, lower the interest rate, delay the effective date of an adjustable rate increase, and make other similar changes to a mortgage for homeowners going through Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings.
Nothing is safe, and nothing is sacred.
Tips from the field on reducing theft.
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Looking for more information on systems, fixtures, and finishes inside Tradewinds, the 2008 BUILDER show home? Try this list of suppliers, tradesmen, and artisans.
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At Shinn seminar, builders get a dose of reality to go with survival strategies.
In the current market, the banks hold all the cards.
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Passive thermodynamics have heated and cooled homes for thousands of years. Builder’s 2008 show home marries classical architectural principles with high-performance building systems in a residence that’s built to last. Distributor Electronics Source, using its expertise in consumer electronics, assisted the Tradewinds team in outfitting the home with all the high-tech bells and whistles.
This year’s winners have used home building to help thousands of poor families.
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Seminars for smaller and newly started Eastern hardwood manufacturers are scheduled for 2008.
