Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Green Roofs Grow a Whopping 115% in 2011, Industry Announces
Washington, D.C., ranks as No. 1 market.
Green roofs may only represent a very small part of the total U.S. residential market, but the industry still saw triple-digit growth last year. “The green roof industry grew by 115 percent over the course of 2011, up significantly from 28.5 percent growth recorded in 2010,” says Steven W. Peck, president of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), an association that promotes the development of green roofs and walls in North America. Full Story.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Report: Homebuilding to rebound after prices hit bottom in 2013
SONOMA COUNTY, CA - Residential construction in the North Bay’s most populous county is projected to improve this year as prices finally hit bottom heading into 2013, but the pace of homebuilding going forward will be slower than before the economic recession and profits will be pinched harder, according to a new county government report. Full Story.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Slow building recovery means it's a good time to remodel
ST PAUL, MNPeg Wangensteen and her husband, Doug, had been in their St. Paul home for about 40 years when a number of things inspired them to remodel their upstairs bathroom this spring. "One was our granddaughter saying to us, 'Grandma why do you have paint peeling off the ceiling of your bathroom,'" she said. "But it was also that the water pressure wasn't as good. It was the room was kind of cool because it had two outside walls." Full Story.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Cree and Lutron Introduce World’s Most Efficient Lighting Control and Delivery System
Industry Leaders Integrate LED Products and Controls for Maximum Energy Efficiency
DURHAM, NC - The growing demand for energy-efficient LED lighting solutions combined with increasingly stringent energy and building codes require an advanced level of lighting and control integration. Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE - News) announces a first-of-its-kind agreement with Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. to embed Lutron EcoSystem technology on a chip in Cree luminaires to accelerate LED adoption and increase energy efficiency for building designers, contractors and owners. Full Story.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Dayton Says Sprinklers a Must
DAYTON, MN - There is a proposed change to the state building code, and it's making home builders unhappy. Fire officials are supporting a change that would require sprinklers in all new single-family homes. Governor Mark Dayton agrees with this, citing safety for residents and firefighters. Full Story.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
States With Low Nonfatal Injury Rates in the Construction Industry Have High Fatality Rates
The good news and the bad news: States that report low numbers of nonfatal injuries among construction workers tend to have high rates of fatal injuries, while those with low fatality rates tend to report higher numbers of nonfatal injuries, according to a new study from the RAND Corp.
Researchers found that the states with the low nonfatal injury rates and high fatality rates tended to be in the South, have lower workers’ compensation benefits, be less unionized and pay lower wages. In contrast, states with high nonfatal injury rates and lower fatality rates tended to be in the West, pay higher benefits and wages, be more strongly unionized and carry out more workplace inspections. Full Story.
Friday, May 4, 2012
NEW BUILDING CODES MAY 3RD, 2012
CASPER, WY - The Casper Building and Code Enforcement Manager holds an informal meeting at City Hall, inviting all local contractors to learn about new building codes which will soon be implemented throughout the city. This year, they hope to make some changes which would be more beneficial for both the environment, and residents' wallets. Full Story.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Hart column, Lessons in Roofing 101
Is it a good idea to get a building permit to re-roof your house? Is it required? The answer to the first question is a definite yes, and the answer to the second question is a most probably yes. Let me explain. Is it a good idea? Whether you are doing the work yourself or you hire a roofer, it is never a bad idea to have an expert look the work over and give suggestions or recommendations. Full Story.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Bill aims to cut risks of cowboys in building
Cowboys in the construction industry are being targeted by a bill that will introduce fines of up to $200,000 for jobs done without the proper paperwork. The Government is aiming to make building contractors more accountable for their work by making companies or individuals provide upfront evidence of their skills and track record, and insisting that they fix any faults quickly and efficiently with no questions asked. Full Story.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Officials focus on enforcement of building codes
HARLINGEN, TX Recent building code enforcement by Cameron County may result in closing down eight-liner parlors for a few days, but the high profits yielded from those businesses ensure they will reopen quickly, county officials said. However, officials said they are keeping an eye on eight-liner halls that were shut down for code violations but reopened without addressing the problems. Full Story.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Group to aid city with 'green' building codes
PITTSBURGH, PA - Representatives of a green advocacy group will be in Pittsburgh for two days to help city officials infuse more environmentally friendly language into building and zoning codes. Councilman Bill Peduto said Pittsburgh was one of 15 municipalities chosen for the Smart Growth America workshop. He said several hundred of municipalities had applied for the federally funded program. Full Story.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
El Paso City Council wants building codes and inspection procedures revised
The decision comes on the heels of a historic building fire
EL PASO, TX - The demolition of a historic downtown building continues after nearly two weeks. The El Paso Fire Department estimates the cost of the fire that gutted the building to be just more than $65,000. That figure and the loss of a building encouraged El Paso city leaders to change how they inspect buildings and review their building codes. The El Paso fire chief, Otto Drozd, said the estimated $65,000 doesn't even include the costs of the nearly one million gallons of water they used to douse the flames or the cost of the investigation that is ongoing, but he said this fire is an eye opener to a bigger problem in downtown. He said all most of the buildings have become storage warehouses. Full Story.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
STATE BUDGET: Home-building bonus cut a blow to buyers
MELBOURNE, VIC, AUSTRALIA - MPs have lambasted the State Government’s decision to scrap a bonus for first-home buyers building their house from scratch. But The Real Estate Institute of Victoria says the move will be offset by a $65 million fund to cut stamp duty costs for first-home buyers from January 1. The $13,000 payout for city houses and $19,500 for regional areas was in addition to the $7000 first homeowner’s grant, which will remain.Full Story.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Modest Cement Consumption Growth Expected for 2012, Greater Growth Beyond
Stronger than expected job creation and the beginning of a construction industry recovery means gains in real construction spending will materialize this year - after seven years of consecutive declines. According to the new forecast from the Portland Cement Association (PCA), increases in cement consumption will follow. PCA revised its fall forecast upward, anticipating a modest 3.7 percent increase in 2012, followed by a 7.6 percent jump in 2013 and a 14.1 percent increase in 2014. Full Story.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Solar shingles on roof can lower utility bills
It can pay off to pay attention to your roof. Homeowners in the market for a new roof or buyers of a new house will find they have options beyond the basic asphalt shingle. While some of the choices of roofing materials are more costly than shingles, newer materials may be longer lasting and help homeowners shave their utility bills, experts said. Full Story.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Green homes trending in local tour of new homes
FORT WAYNE, IN - As the landscape is turning green this spring, so are more of the region’s homebuilders. “Green” – as in environmentally friendly – is a recurring theme among the new homes being showcased in this spring’s edition of the Home Builders Association of Fort Wayne’s Town & Country New Home and Specialty Retail Tour. Full Story.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Earthquake-proofing incentives could threaten Jerusalem's historic neighborhoods
Architects warn proposal, now awaiting final approval, could spell disaster for areas built up before 1948 - areas with rich architectural history.
A change to Jerusalem's building code could threaten the capital's unique architectural flavor, particularly in neighborhoods belonging to the classic era predating the country's independence. Meant to encourage developers to earthquake-proof buildings in Jerusalem, a proposed amendment to the National Master Plan would provide incentives to developers to reinforce structures in more areas of the city. But architects warn that the proposal, now awaiting final approval, could spell disaster for areas built up before 1948 - areas with rich architectural history and distinctive streets and houses, dubbed the "historic city."Full Story.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
'It has not been a good week' in B.C.
In the same week as mill tragedy, families remember lost workers
VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA - During a 45 minute ceremony to recognize the annual Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job, Gary LeFrancois and Jane McLeod held each other for support, dabbed at tears and proudly carried a sign with a picture of Kyle Woods that read: "Lost to a preventable roofing accident." Full Story.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Why Are Homes Not More Resistant to Wind?
Local builders do not always offer safe rooms, ways to make homes more wind-resistant
An NBC 5 investigation has found that local building codes, concerns about cost and a lack of information prevent people from building homes that could give them additional protection from tornadoes. In most parts of Texas and across the country, local codes only require that homes and businesses withstand a 90 mph gust. Full Story.
Friday, April 27, 2012
U.S. growth slows as inventory accumulation wanes
U.S. economic growth likely cooled modestly in the first quarter as replenishing of inventories by businesses slowed, though stronger demand for automobiles and a lift to homebuilding from warm weather blunted the blow.
Gross domestic product is expected to have expanded at a 2.5 percent annual rate, according to the median of a Reuters poll. That would be a moderation from the fourth quarter's 3.0 percent pace, but decidedly stronger than economists' predictions early in the quarter for growth below the 1.5 percent level. In some ways Friday's report on GDP should stack up well when compared with data for the fourth quarter. In the final three months of last year, inventory building accounted for nearly two thirds of the economy's growth; in the first quarter, demand from businesses and consumers is expected to have taken up the slack. Full Story.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Inland Empire construction jobs not booming, but better
UPLAND, CA - Take a drive along local freeways on any given day of the work week, and you might see signs of life - economic life. Developments are popping up - housing and commercial. They might not be enough to take the Inland Empire off its economic respirator, but they are enough to get some attention in an area hit so hard by the recession. In Upland, there's renewed life at the Colonies Crossroads, where construction has started on the next phase of the shopping center at Campus Avenue and 19th Street. Retailers such as Nordstrom Rack, Babies "R" Us and Toys "R" Us, T.J. Maxx as well as Tilly's and G Stage clothing stores are set to move in. Full Story.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Emergency shelter program conflicts with building codes
County inspectors want several area churches to make changes before housing homeless next winter
FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA - Seven years into Fairfax County’s hypothermia prevention program, the effort to make sure homeless people have a warm place to sleep in the winter is tangling with state building codes. County building inspectors have told a number of churches, which help provide emergency shelter for homeless people during the winter, that they might need to make changes to their buildings to continue participating in the hypothermia program. Changes include installing new fire alarms or using a different part of the building as sleeping quarters. Full Story.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Call for Nominations: CWA Silver Hard Hat Award Recognizes Construction Industry Leaders
CHICAGO, IL - The Construction Writers Association (CWA) is now accepting nominations for its Silver Hard Hat Award. The award recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions either in service to the construction industry or service to CWA. Entry deadline is July 1. The Silver Hard Hat Award is CWA's most prestigious award and has been presented since 1969. The award is not necessarily given every year. Full Story.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Comstock Diversifies to Adapt to Changing Housing Market
The Reston, Va.-based builder is revamping its name and much more.
RESTON, VA - Comstock Homebuilding Companies Inc. doesn’t just build homes anymore, and it’s changing its name to reflect the new multi-tasking, diversified business it has created to survive. Comstock Holding Companies will be the publicly traded company’s new name, subject to shareholder vote in June. It’s ticker symbol remains CHCI. “When the company went public in 2005 or so, a pure-play home building company made sense,” said Chief Financial Officer Joseph Squeri. “But our skill sets are not limited to that.” Full Story.
Monday, April 23, 2012
New FDI to create 1,500 build jobs
The recent strong flow of investment projects for overseas announced recently will deliver a major boost for the embattled construction industry with the creation of up to 1,500 jobs, according to the IDA. Ten recent investments will have a combined total requirement of over 1.5m square feet, predominantly for manufacturing. The IDA estimates this will lead to a need for 1,500 construction workers over approximately 2 years. Full Story.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Sarnoff: Rising job market fuels home-building boom
HOUSTON, TX - Houston's economy is bolstering the region's new-home market.Areawide, builders sold 4,990 homes during the first three months of 2012. That's up 34 percent over the same period a year earlier, according to a report from industry consulting firm Metrostudy. Full Story.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Downtown El Paso Fire Prompts Closer Look at Building Codes, Enforcement
EL PASO, TX - City officials are calling for stricter building codes and enforcement after 130 years of El Paso's history burned to the ground Thursday night. City Rep. Steve Ortega and City Manager Joyce Wilson said the lax building codes, among other things, might have led to the fire that burned the building at 100 E. San Antonio Ave. "This is an indication that some of our (building) standards are not high enough," Wilson said. Built in 1882, the building was the First National Bank and the second floor once housed the law offices of gunslinger John Wesley Hardin. Full Story.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
WEEK IN REVIEW: Reporters' Notebook
LAS VEGAS, NV - Las Vegas city officials went out of their way last week to avoid having developers and builders get cheesed off over an update to building codes. Some extra sharp eyes in City Hall noticed that the recently updated "Unified Development Code" included a typo in some street-building requirements that called for "curd and gutter" instead of "curb and gutter," a situation one councilman milked for a cheap pun. Full Story.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Trends in the Commercial Construction Industry
MINNEAPOLIS CITY, MN - Mayor R. T. Rybak's 2011 budget address on August 17, 2010 must have brought cheer to the Minnesota commercial construction industry. The mayor, speaking from Minneapolis City Hall, put a lot of stress on "growth." He also rejected the popular belief that Minneapolis, locked in by other municipalities on all sides, is fully developed. He listed many areas capable of absorbing extensive growth. Full Story.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Green Jobs: The Housing Construction Industry
The housing industry fuels the economy. To create green jobs could pull us out of this slump and reduce our independence on foreign oil and other fossil fuels. According to the EPA, buildings consume about 1/3 of the electricity in the US, so energy efficient upgrades are a smart way to start saving money and energy. This will train workers and create jobs, careers and businesses. The green economy is the future! Full Story.
Friday, April 20, 2012
New report on nanotechnology in construction
This report published by Nanoforum describes the impact that nanotechnology is having in the construction industry. It includes an analysis of applications in concrete; steel; wood; glass; coatings; fire protection and detection; and sustainability and the environment. A survey of experts in the construction industry reveals their opinions on the understanding of nanotechnology by the industry, where R&D is going and what might be needed to achieve these goals. Full Story.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
13 violations found at Celebration Barn
JOHNSON COUNTY, KS - An evaluation by Johnson County building inspectors of Dick Schwab’s facility in rural Johnson County - an inspection ordered by the Board of Adjustment last month as a condition of granting him a multiple special events permit - turned up 13 areas that didn’t meet county building code standards. Full Story.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Sports and Athletic Field Construction in the US Industry Market Research Report Now Available from IBISWorld
LOS ANGELES, CA - Growth in the Sports and Athletic Field Construction industry has slowed considerably during the past five years. Some sports venues reduced investment in upgrades, while colleges and other markets postponed projects. These negative trends reduced industry revenue, despite growing demand for alternative fields, such as artificial turf. As the US economic recovery gains steam, construction projects are projected to revive. Further, the demand for the installation and maintenance of sports and athletic fields will also improve. The installation of new artificial (i.e. synthetic) turf is also expected to increase in popularity, spurring revenue growth. For this reason, industry research firm IBISWorld has added a report on the Sports and Athletic Field Construction industry to its growing industry report collection. Full Story.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Polk Home Building Sees Uptick
LAKELAND, FL - Local home construction activity saw a yearly increase in March, capping off an encouraging first quarter for builders. A total of 89 permits for new single-family homes were recorded in Polk County last month, up 22 percent from 73 permits the year before, according to county and city building departments. March's total was down from 107 permits in February. Polk had 315 home permits during the first quarter, rising 28 percent from the year prior. Full Story.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Evolve Announces Updated Wind Code Documents and Engineering Serving Florida Customer Base
COLUMBIA, MD - Continuing with their philosophy of covering all current and anticipated customer needs, Columbia, Maryland based Evolve Composites reacted to recent changes related to building code reviews in Florida by completely revamping their repository of code documents for their popular and industry leading Hurricane Pad product families. Full Story.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
March Permits Improve 47 Pct.
MEMPHIS, TN - Last month proved to be a positive one for local homebuilding activity, with a 47 percent increase year over year in new home permits. Shelby County homebuilders in March filed 75 permits averaging 3,224 square feet and $243,143, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports. That compares to 51 permits filed in March 2010, which averaged 3,062 square feet and $221,174. Full Story.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Expect a Turnaround In Housing By This Time Next Year: Mark Zandi
The National Association of Home Builders today reported its first decline in homebuilders' confidence in seven months, but that may be just a blip in the fledgling housing recovery. "The housing crash is now over...and by this time next year, housing will no longer be a drag for the economy but a tailwind," Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics tells The Daily Ticker. Zandi says this year's spring selling season is off to a pretty good start, although by historic standards prices are still low. But that may not be all bad: Low prices means homes are more affordable to buy. Full Story.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
LNR Industries Announces Their Patented "A" Clamp Will Save Taxpayers Money In Western NY
NEWFANE, NY - Every year, millions of taxpayer dollars are spent treating water that does not need to be processed. LNR Industries, in Newfane, NY, has been committed to providing a solution to that unnecessary waste since 1995. With their patented "A" Clamp, they are able to offer both municipalities and homeowners an affordable and effective solution. Full Story.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Upcoming Economic Webcast: A Construction Recovery At Last - But How Long And How Strong?
NORCROSS, GA - Chief economists from Reed Construction Data, the Associated General Contractors of America, and the American Institute of Architects are joining forces once again to host the upcoming economic webcast: A Construction Recovery At Last - But How Long and How Strong? The webcast on May 3, 2012, will feature leading construction industry chief economists, Kermit Baker of the AIA, Bernard Markstein of Reed Construction Data, and Ken Simonson of the AGC, in an analysis of likely future activity within the various construction sectors. Full Story.
Saturday, April 14, 2012, 2010
Homebuilders busy again in corners of metro Phoenix
PHOENIX, AZ - Homebuilding, metro Phoenix's biggest industry before the housing crash, is on the rise again. Unlike in the past, this burst in the region's homebuilding isn't being driven by buyers going farther and farther out to find a house they can afford or investors looking for bargains. In some areas of metro Phoenix, including Chandler and Gilbert in the southeast and Peoria and Surprise in the northwest, short-sale home prices are climbing so high due to multiple offers that resale home prices are rivaling new-home costs. Full Story.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Briefs: Home building permits jump 25% in 2011
DETROIT, MI - The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments said Wednesday that 4,209 residential building permits issued were issued in 2011, a 25 percent increase over 2010. Within the seven-county region, SEMCOG said, 3,353 demolition permits were issued, resulting in a net gain of 856 units. That marked a turnaround from the previous three years, in which more homes were demolished than built. Full Story.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Review of Deadly Stage Collapse Finds Inadequate Rigging, Emergency Plan
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - An engineering review has found that stage rigging that collapsed and killed seven people during last summer's Indiana State Fair wasn't built strong enough to meet state building codes. Scott Nacheman, of engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti, told the state fair commission Thursday that the metal rigging structure didn't meet requirements that it withstand wind gusts of 68 mph. Full Story.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Masco Home Services, Inc. and BASF Collaborate to Offer Program for Energy Efficient Homes
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - Masco Home Services, Inc. has announced that it has entered into collaboration with BASF Corporation on a new sustainable residential construction program – BEYOND Applied Building Science - that can help homebuilders construct homes that outperform conventional, code-built homes. The program combines high-performance BASF products and Masco Home Services' Environments For Living program's advanced principles of building science into a program for builders that can benefit homebuyers. Full Story.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
New housing starts in Tampa Bay rise 26 percent
ST PETERSBURG, FL - Tampa Bay area home builders have pounded a lot more nails so far this year. New housing starts rose 26.8 percent in the first quarter, according to Tampa's Metrostudy, a national company that tracks the construction industry. Local builders started 1,040 homes between January and March compared to 820 last year. Full Story.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
3C Network to Adapt Roofing Contractor Technologies for Insurance Carriers to Prompt Faster Storm-Damage Restoration
Accomplished Insurance Executive, Ken Cook, Added to 3C Network Leadership
WESTMINSTER, CO - The 3C Network, a roofing technology and business service company, has appointed Ken Cook as its first Senior Vice President - Insurance Business Development and Operations. 3C Network pioneered roofing contractor methods to inspect, estimate and manage roof, siding and gutter construction with greater efficiency and accuracy using technology and services. In this new role, Cook will oversee insurance carrier alliances to bridge the gap between carriers' storm damage documentation needs for claims and what roofing contractors and adjusters consistently produce. Cook will leverage 3C Network's mobile technology to automate and standardize the documentation from contractors digitally in order to expedite repairs and minimize expenses associated with property insurance loss adjustment. Full Story.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Colorado contractors urge Gov. Hickenlooper to lift incentive program cap
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - Leaders of three of Colorado's construction industry groups today urged Gov. John Hickenlooper to sign legislation that would eliminate the cap on the number of projects that can receive state support under a 2009 law designed to promote tourism. The Regional Tourism Act, known as RTA, allows a portion of state sales taxes generated by a project that advances tourism to be used to help finance its infrastructure.As the law stands now, up to two projects can receive the incentives, which cannot exceed a combined $50 million a year. Full Story.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Task force to join on Milford inspections
MILFORD, MA - A group of town officials seeking to ensure housing is safe and blight is reduced will begin accompanying Department of Inspections workers as they complete inspections of multifamily housing required by the state building code. Since last fall, the Neighborhood Task Force had been walking street-by-street looking for health, zoning and building code violations in an effort to reduce the number of blighted properties. Full Story.
Monday, April 9, 2012
City considers historic building code
Council concerned about safety issues, looks to Dubuque.
BURLINGTON, IA - Looking up at the ceiling outside council chambers at Burlington City Hall, local developer Mike Darnall gestured about, a smile on his face. "Will you look at that," he said, "No sprinklers." Darnall had just finished advocating the adoption of Dubuque's historic building code to the city council during Monday's work session meeting. Most of the concerns council members expressed to Darnall centered around safety issues, and whether Dubuque's code is stringent enough to address them. Full Story.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Building Codes: Simple Energy Savings
PETERBOROUGH, NH - In energy policy, lawmakers often prefer carrots to sticks because it minimizes the opposition. But mandatory rules, like building energy codes, can save energy and pay back several times over during the useful life of buildings. The state of Illinois is poised to become a regional leader by adopting the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and example of small-seeming rules with big impact. For example, 40 percent of primary energy consumption in the U.S. is in buildings, along with about 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, adopting the 2012 IECC (as Illinois is doing), with energy efficiency standards 28 percent stronger than the 2006 code, can make a big dent in carbon emissions. Full Story.
Monday, April 9, 2012
New board and batten shutter now available from Ply Gem
CARY, NC - Ply Gem, leading manufacturer of exterior building products for new construction and remodeling markets, introduces Board & Batten shutters, available through Mastic Home Exteriors by Ply Gem, Cellwood by Ply Gem and Richwood Exterior Finishings by Ply Gem. Designed as an alternative to sturdy, handcrafted wood slats, Ply Gem's Board & Batten shutters offer the warmth and durability of wood with less upkeep. Available in 17 colors to complement an individual home's color scheme, the Board & Batten shutters are ideal for enhancing a rustic look. They are particularly suited to accent the architectural styling of Tuscan, French Country and Craftsman style homes as seen in The Designed Exterior Collection by Ply Gem. Full Story.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
International Residential Code to be considered
NORMAN, OK - Changes in Norman’s building codes will be implemented in the near future. In May 2009, the Oklahoma Legislature created the Oklahoma Uniform Building code Commission made up of 11 members from various fields and tasked with creating a statewide Uniform Building Code. That Commission made amendments to the 2009 International Residential Code which effective July 15, became the minimum building code for all residential construction in the state. Full Story.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Lynchburg-area builders adjust to new mandates for energy efficiency
LYNCHBURG, VA - A recently updated statewide building code is turning up the dial on energy-efficiency measures that will mean more costs for homebuyers in a struggling economy. But some Lynchburg-area builders are optimistic the changes - which went into full effect last month - will help potential buyers save in the long run with less energy costs. The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, updated and adopted very three years by the General Assembly, is placing a major emphasis on energy conservation in residential and commercial construction. The Virginia code reflects a mandate from the federal government to increase energy efficiency by 30 percent by 2015, said Gary McIver, Bedford County’s building official. Full Story.
Friday, April 6, 2012
The Green Building Code Bible Gets a Much-Needed Update
An update to the green building certification standards will encourage development oriented around public transit and walk-able communities.
WASHINGTON, DC - Most presentations on sustainable building design do not begin with a meditation on early human technology, replete with references to Shakespeare. But, then again, most senior executives at the U.S. Green Building Council do not have a background in opera. At a presentation Thursday in Washington, Scot Horst, former opera singer and senior vice president of the Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, praised the latest iteration of the green building certification system: LEED 2012. Likening the principles of LEED to the hope and magic espoused in The Tempest, Horst used his penchant for storytelling to depict LEED as an instrument of engagement that brings architects, engineers and designers together, one that challenges them to think deeply about the environmental impact of their work. Full Story.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Tornado pushes council toward building codes, zoning, home rule
HARRISBURG, IL - Three major issues that have been debated for decades will soon be brought up for votes based on action taken Thursday night by the Harrisburg City Council. This triad of trouble for past councils seems to have been swept away by the aftermath of the Leap Day Tornado. Before his hospitalization last month Mayor Eric Gregg urged the council to take a page out of Marion’s playbook for the growth and rebuilding that community experienced following their 1982 tornado. That twister killed 10 and destroyed or damaged every commercial district of the city other than the downtown. Full Story.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Metro home building on the rise
Demand for apartments is fueling an increase in building in the metro area, especially in Minneapolis and inner-ring suburbs.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Housing construction in the Twin Cities is getting a big boost from robust demand for rental apartments and dwindling supplies of existing houses. During March, Twin Cities home builders were issued 234 permits to build 530 units, a 51 percent increase in permits and a 164 percent increase in units, according to a monthly report using data gathered by the Keystone Report for the Builders Association of the Twin Cities. Full Story.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Construction industry loses 7,000 jobs in March
TACOMA, WA - The construction industry lost 7,000 jobs last month, inching the unemployment rate up to 17.2 percent from 17.1 percent in February, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Year over year, construction industry unemployment is down compared to the March 2011 rate of 20 percent. The industry added 55,000 jobs over the past 12 months. Full Story.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Proper Toppers
No matter what shape the economy is in, home buyers want a special countertop
WASHINGTON, DC - You can probably blame the formerly white hot housing market for the elevated position of granite in the home building industry. During the boom, granite became so popular that even entry level houses and the most basic of condos offer the stone as a standard in the kitchen.The result of this conditioning is that home buyers are likely to want (or expect) a countertop surfacing that is a little more than basic. Richard Brooks, president of Brooks Custom, a countertop and kitchen products fabricator in Westchester County, N.Y., says most buyers - no matter their income level - want a countertop that is durable and low maintenance but also attractive and different. Full Story.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Oklahoma City Council votes against fire sprinkler requirement
The Oklahoma City Council voted Tuesday to adopt a version of the state building code that doesn't require installation of automatic fire sprinklers in new housing construction
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - The Oklahoma City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt modified building codes that don't require automatic fire sprinklers in new housing construction. The council was presented last month with a choice on the sprinklers when it had to adopt the latest version of state building codes. The state left it up to individual municipalities on whether to require fire sprinklers. Full Story.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Construction Innovation: Ideas For Leading Change
NEW YORK, NY - What are the secrets to innovation? How can the construction industry find new ways of innovating tools for the trade or to improve productivity? Sometimes, the answer is not in the black, but in the white space between the lines. You just have to challenge how you think about innovating.That's the word from Matthew May, a popular motivational speaker on business processes, who also writes a blog and columns for the small business website OpenForum.com. Sometimes, he says it's what you don't do that can inspire creative approachs to problem solving - and innovation. It's the notion of subtraction as part of the equation of what to do, and that isn't there can often trump what is. Full Story.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Smart Window Markets - 2012
NEW YORK, NY - After many years of being no more than a niche, the smart windows market now seems ready to take off. NanoMarkets believes that several factors are combining to make this happen. The most obvious perhaps is that there is growing awareness of energy conservation, green building and fuel efficient transportation by building owners and governments. Second, the addressable markets for smart windows are expanding rapidly as the result of the growing wealth in China, India and to some extent Latin America.Concurrent with these demand side changes, improved smart windows technologies are emerging. And as a result of all this, we believe that the smart windows market provides important growth opportunities to everyone from materials/coatings suppliers to glass manufacturers to window manufacturers, not to mention end users such as builders, building owners, home owners, and transportation owners. Full Story.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Prefab firm says it’s a pioneer in homebuilding
ORANGE COUNTY, CA - Imagine watching a 2,000-square-foot home rise from the foundation in just three days. Traditionally, it can take a builder weeks to finish framing a new single-story house. But Newport Beach-based RSI Development claims to be pioneering new techniques to speed up the process and lower the costs of homebuilding. The company uses factory-made components that are assembled like Legos at the homebuilding site. Full Story.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Pace of local homebuilding jumps to nearly 4-year high
March was the strongest month for local homebuilding in almost four years, while foreclosure activity continued to ease - more signs of cautious optimism for the Pikes Peak region’s battered housing market. Single-family building permits, which measure the pace of home construction, totaled 172 last month in Colorado Springs and El Paso County - the highest one-month total since 180 in May 2008, according to a report Monday by the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. Full Story.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Alabama's home construction industry continues to struggle
The home construction industry has not been easy for Sam Almaroad the last few years. His Calhoun County business, Almaroad Construction Inc., had plenty of homes to build in the years prior to the start of the economic recession and the housing market crash in 2007. “It basically just halted,” Almaroad said of construction after the recession hit. “The stuff we did, the way we operated, it just stopped.” Full Story.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Home construction shows signs of life after long downturn
NORTH NEW JERSEY - From new luxury homes in Saddle River to town houses in Garfield to rentals in Fort Lee, Elmwood Park, Hackensack and Wood-Ridge, North Jersey is seeing small signs of life in the deeply troubled housing construction industry. Full Story.
Saturday, March 31, 2012, 2010
Oklahoma City builders, Realtors dancing to increased market tempo
Housing in Oklahoma City is booming on the pressure of pent-up demand, according to builders and Realtors. It's a welcome story and they're sticking to it, despite continued economic and political uncertainty, and lenders who are still keeping credit tight. Full Story.
Saturday, March 31, 2012, 2010
Positive Signs For The Home Construction Industry In Northwest Florida
PANAMA CITY, FL - There are some positive signs pointing to the local housing market and construction industry making a comeback. Some of those signs are in Walton County. "Construction in this immediate area pretty much shut down in 2006. It even went to absolute zero in years to follow that," said Hunter Harman, a real estate broker. After several construction projects began in early 2012, officials believe the industry has a few signs of hope. Full Story.
Saturday, March 31, 2012, 2010
Home building index signals recovery from recession’s depths
DAYTON, OH - A housing market index that surveys home builders nationwide and measures the health of the industry is at its highest level since June 2007, but a visit last week with David Crowe, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, and Walt Hibner, executive director of the Home Builders Association of Dayton, shed some light on just how catastrophic the industry’s last four to five years have been. Total production of new homes plunged 70 percent over that period — the worst performance since the U.S. was in the throes of World War II. Full Story.
Friday, March 30, 2012
City: Codes helped protect in tornado
BRANSON, MO - The city of Branson’s building codes appeared to have some bearing on which structures sustained the most damage during the Leap Day tornado, according to Planning and Development Director Jim Lawson. Many of the properties on 76 Country Boulevard were constructed prior to being annexed by the city, therefore before there were building codes, Lawson said. However, the new buildings or the ones recently renovated seemed to fare better, he said. Full Story.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Alabama Soon to get Statewide Building Codes
DOTHAN, AL - The way contractors build and renovate homes will change soon. Alabama is in the process of implementing its first ever statewide building codes. News 4's Muriel Bailey tells us what this means for homeowners and builders. Full Story.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Iowa construction job growth is 4th best in the nation
DES MOINES, IA - The warm winter helped boost Iowa’s construction industry into the top tier of employment growth for February. A new study by the trade association AGC of America lists Iowa No. 4 in percentage growth of construction jobs for the 12 months ending in February. Full Story.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Factory homes faster, cheaper to build, firm says
ORANGE COUNTY, CA - An Orange County homebuilding company has built the skeleton of a Costa Mesa home in less than four days. Starting with little more than a concrete slab, RSI development began assembling factory-built walls on Tuesday. By Friday, the roof was in place. Full Story.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Residential Real Estate Is Ready to Recover
NEW YORK - The housing market's shadow inventory of unsold homes is starting to clear, certain areas of the country are experiencing signs of more robust activity, and, despite low levels of new-home production (based on historical data), homebuilders are even regaining pricing power in several geographic regions. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Manufacturing picks up; construction spending sags
WASHINGTON - U.S. factories stepped up hiring and production in March, the latest evidence that manufacturing is growing at a healthy pace and fueling the recovery. But a separate report on construction spending showed that building activity declined in February for the second straight month, disappointing economists. Full Story.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Green-building code moves ahead in Ketchum
KETCHUM, ID - City officials in the central Idaho resort town of Ketchum are proposing a new green-building ordinance that would require construction companies to follow environmentally-friendly requirements. Full Story.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Homebuilders optimistic of a stronger housing market
The American dream of owning a home has been crippled for many Americans following the 2008 housing crisis. Those woes still continue on in 2012. According to the National Homebuilders Association new home sales declined 1.6% across the nation in February. Meanwhile new home sales in the Midwest declined 2.4% during that same month. Despite what those numbers indicate, those in the home building industry say they are optimistic a recovery is near. They say many people aren't ready to let their American dream fade away so easily. Full Story.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Florida construction jobs nearly at bottom, economist says
Employment in Florida's construction industry has been bad, but last year it got worse. The state lost the most construction jobs, 20,700, of any state in the nation, bringing industry jobs in Florida down to 307,800 in January, according to an Associated General Contractors of America report. The peak was 687,200 in June 2006. "We're probably close to the bottom, if we haven't reached it," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. Full Story.
Saturday, March 24, 2012, 2010
Flood code may raise building costs North Carolina
New homes in North Carolina as well as additions to existing homes must be built a foot higher off the ground in flood-prone areas under new regulations, adding an obstacle for homebuilders fighting to survive a sluggish construction industry. The new North Carolina building code, which took effect March 1, surprised some contractors. Full Story.
Saturday, March 24, 2012, 2010
Business looking up for home builders
LA CROSSE, WI - There's another sign the economic turn around may be gaining strength. The government said building permits for new homes increased by more than 5 percent last month nationwide. That's why home builders are hopeful this spring construction season will be the best it has been in years. Full Story.
Friday, March 23, 2012
New home sales dropped in February
NEW YORK - New home sales fell in February, dashing construction industry hopes that the long-overdue housing recovery may be finally arriving. The Census Bureau reported Friday that new homes sold at an annualized pace of 313,000 during the month, adjusted for seasonal factors. That was a 1.6% decline compared with January's 318,000 sales but 11.4% above last February's 281,000. Full Story.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
After the recession, Ohio is gaining construction jobs; projects in the Columbus area are leading the growth
COLUMBUS, OH - Boosted by expansion at local hospitals and colleges, the number of construction jobs in Ohio slowly has begun to rise. The state’s construction industry employed 177,300 workers in January, an increase of 4,500 — or 2.6 percent — from January 2011, according to a new analysis of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Full Story.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
To stretch or not to stretch?
Ashby Town Meeting will be asked to adopt building code that is more energy-efficient
ASHBY, MA - Town Meeting will decide in May whether to adopt the stretch code, an optional appendix to the Massachusetts building code that allows cities and towns to choose a more energy-efficient alternative. Adopting the stretch code is the last step before the Energy Efficiency Committee submits its application for Ashby to become designated as a Green Community and be eligible for state grant funding on green-energy initiatives. Full Story.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Available work in the construction industry
MONTGOMERY, AL - A bill is currently before the House that could change the perception of the building industry and the number of available jobs in Alabama. The Associated Builders and Contractors Association is asking the legislature to help fund incentives to draw folks back to the industry. According to them there are positions that can be filled today. Associated Builders and Contractors President Jay Reed says these are great paying jobs with benefits. The jobs ready for the taking include electricians, pipe-fitting, masonry and carpentry. Full Story.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Housing: "Signs of Life"
A couple of excerpts from an article by Neil Shah and Nick Timiraos at the WSJ: Housing Shows Signs of Life. For the first time since 2005, investment in residential real-estate, including home building and renovation, has contributed to U.S. economic output for the past three quarters. Full Story.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Contractors question new minority hiring goals (update)
MINNESOTA - Minnesota is raising the bar for minority hiring on state-funded construction projects, but some contractors say the new aggressive goals aren’t realistic — especially in the current climate of high unemployment in the construction industry. Citing what it calls a “disproportionately alarming” jobless rate for minorities, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights said Wednesday that it is tripling its goals for hiring minority workers on state-funded construction projects in the metro area. Full Story.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Better prepared: Mexico's 7.4 quake causes damage, but no deaths
Mexico's worst earthquake in nearly 30 years was met by stricter building codes and a city prepared by evacuation drills and early warning systems.
MEXICO CITY - By the time the powerful 7.4 earthquake rumbled in Mexico City Tuesday, the 56 students ages 6 months to 6 years attending the Montessori Kid's Place in Mexico City were already evacuated, gathered in the front lobby of the school, a location city engineers had earlier indicated as the safest spot. Full Story.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
City ponders following Dubuque's lead
Council discusses adopting city's historic building code.
Redevelopment of historic sites may get easier in Burlington if the city council adopts Dubuque's historic building code. Council member and local developer Becky Anderson proposed the city look at Dubuque's code at a recent meeting, saying she often hears developers complaining about how difficult it is to work in Burlington. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
MPP proposes bill to increase wood frame construction to six storeys – UPDATED
ONTARIO, CANADA - A private member’s bill expected to be announced Tuesday would amend Ontario’s building code sooner to increase the height limit of some buildings to boost the lumber industry. “It’s surprising how many companies in North Bay are part of the massive supply chain of the forestry sector,” Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli said Monday. Fedeli wants to follow British Columbia’s lead by increasing the height restrictions of wood-frame buildings to six storeys from four storeys. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Flagler County OKs wind speed design rules for new buildings
BUNNELL, FL - New buildings will have to sustain higher wind speeds in Flagler County to meet new state building codes that went into effect less than a week ago. The County Commission at a public hearing Monday unanimously approved an amendment to the county ordinance pertaining to wind speed and wind-borne debris that meets the new wind protection requirements. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Maryland sprinkler bill would end local opt-out provision
ANNAPOLIS, MD — A Senate bill that would require all new homes to be built with indoor sprinkler systems is getting push-back from senators who say it could intrude on local building codes set by county governments. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Alabama Adopts Its First Statewide Building Code
Enforcement of the 2009 International Residential Code begins on October 1.
The Alabama Energy and Residential Codes Board last week voted to adopt the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC) for new-home construction and the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for commercial construction. The adoption of these codes, which take effect on October 1, represents the first time that Alabama will enforce a statewide standard. The new codes “will assure that every Alabama home built in areas without locally adopted building codes will be built to a nationally recognized standard,” said Greg Wren, a state representative who co-chairs the board. “Further, the codes will promote energy-efficient construction in every part of the state, saving homeowners and businesses on their utility bills.” Full Story.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Home building permits near 3.5-year high
WASHINGTON - Permits for homebuilding neared a 3.5-year high in February, suggesting a budding recovery in the housing market was still on track even though groundbreaking activity slipped. New building permits surged 5.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 717,000 units last month, the highest since October 2008, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Transportation Bill Could Lead to Widespread Construction
All eyes are on the House as the construction industry hopes for a surge of government funds to fix roads, bridges and tunnels.
The Senate's passage of a $109 billion transportation bill could lead to large infrastructure projects all over the United States. The bill will create 2.8 million jobs and fix 70,000 bridges across the country, said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) There is also significant funding for the building and maintenance of roads and tunnels. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Homebuilder Confidence in U.S. Holds at Highest Since 2007
Confidence among U.S. homebuilders held in March at the highest level since June 2007 as sales expectations climbed for a sixth month. The reading of 28 in the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo index of builder confidence was less than projected and followed a February figure that was lower than initially reported, figures from the Washington-based group showed today. The median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News called for a rise to 30. Readings below 50 mean more respondents said conditions were poor. Full Story.
Saturday, March 17, 2012, 2010
Area's homebuilding permits jump 40% over a year ago
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Homebuilders filed permits for 281 new homes in February in the Indianapolis area, a 40 percent increase from a year ago. Full Story.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Study: Pennsylvania Headed In Wrong Direction On Building Codes
PHILADELPHIA, PA – A new study finds that Pennsylvanians could save $400 a year if the state invested in improving the energy efficiency of buildings. But, the state is going in the opposite direction. Full Story.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Small homebuilders see rebound
NEW YORK, NY - Charles Ruma is suddenly busy. His company, Virginia Homes, is getting five to 10 visits from prospective homebuyers each weekend. During the last three years, he was lucky to get five in a month. Through the housing crisis, the challenges of big regional and national homebuilders such as Beazer Homes USA Inc. and Toll Brothers Inc. were widely broadcast. But the devastation in the industry also was acute for many private homebuilders and other small businesses that are part of the housing industry. Full Story.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Oklahoma City considers fire sprinkler requirement for new homes
The Oklahoma City Council is considering adopting a new building code that would require automatic fire sprinkler systems to be installed in new homes. The matter is set for a public hearing March 27 and a potential vote April 3.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - A pending decision by the Oklahoma City Council on whether to require automatic fire sprinkler systems in new homes appears to pit public safety advocates and housing industry organizations against one another. The new Oklahoma building codes allow individual cities to decide on an optional part of the updated rules that would make automatic fire sprinklers mandatory in new construction of houses and duplexes. Full Story.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Building a Better Tomorrow, Today
Renovating existing homes is a way forward for the struggling construction industry
SANTA FE, NM - The Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, of which Kim Shanahan is the executive officer, has a motto: “building a better Santa Fe together.” The operative word is “building,” which is exactly what’s not happening. Both in Santa Fe and nationwide, the population is growing four times faster than the rate of new home construction, which has left many out of work. The plan: Use federal loan programs to buy up and renovate existing homes. Full Story.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
House passes insurance discounts for strong homes
JACKSON, MS — Mississippi House members want insurance companies to offer discounts on costly hurricane coverage in five southern counties, including three on the coast. Full Story.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
New state code bumps up cost for renovations to Newton's fire stations
NEWTON, MA - A change in state building code requirements designed to protect buildings from earthquake damage means it could be cheaper for Newton to build two new fire stations than to renovate them as planned. The building code calls for municipalities that are renovating what it defines as critical facilities – fire stations, emergency shelters and police stations – to include features that equip the building for earthquakes. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Damage to modern buildings 'wake-up call'
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND - Extensive damage to modern buildings in Christchurch after last February's earthquake is a "wake-up call" for the construction industry, an inquiry has heard. New technology for the central-city rebuild is being discussed before the Canterbury earthquakes royal commission today. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Report: Builders plan to hire more in Q2
Overall jobs outlook improving, says Manpower survey
ST PAUL, MN - The hiring outlook is brightening a bit for the construction industry and employers in general in Minnesota, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. Among Minnesota employers recently surveyed by Milwaukee-based Manpower, 17 percent said they plan to hire in the second quarter of 2012, and 5 percent said they plan to decrease staff. In the Twin Cities area, the percentage planning to increase staff was 19 percent compared with more than 6 percent planning to lay off workers. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Manitoba to see steady gains in construction employment
WINNEPEG, MB, CANADA - Construction will continue to be a leading industry in Manitoba over the next decade with the new residential home building and electrical utility sectors reaching record high employment levels. Industrial, commercial and institutional construction will also see steady gains. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
First Anniversary of the Tohoku Earthquake in Japan Is Reminder About the Importance of Modern Building Codes, says IBHS
In the U.S., only states in the Pacific Northwest and California have taken necessary steps to incorporate the latest earthquake code protections into statewide building practices
TAMPA, FL - As the world commemorates the first anniversary of the massive Tohoku earthquake that shook Japan and caused a devastating tsunami, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) urges policymakers and property owners to effectively reduce potential loss of life and property from seismic events by adopting modern building codes, and retrofitting existing properties. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Iowa businesswoman punished for illegal immigrants
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA — The co-owner of an Iowa City roofing company has been given 18 months in federal prison for harboring and employing illegal immigrants. Samira Zuniga had pleaded guilty to harboring and transporting an illegal immigrant and one count of conspiracy to transport, harbor, encourage and induce illegal immigrants to live in the United States. Full Story.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Court to Notify Those Who Own or Owned a Home, Building or Other Structure Containing a Plumb-PEX Plumbing System About a Nationwide Class Action Settlement
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - A notification program began today, as ordered by the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, to inform people and entities who own or owned a home, building or other structure containing a Plumb-PEX plumbing system about a proposed settlement in a class action lawsuit. The settlement resolves claims about whether Radiant Technology, Inc. and Uponor, Inc. ("RTI" or the "Defendants") sold Plumb-PEX plumbing systems containing ASTM standard F1807 brass insert fittings and stainless steel clamps that may leak and cause damage to property. The Defendants deny all of the claims in the lawsuit, but have agreed to settle the case to avoid the cost and uncertainty of a trial. Full Story.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Baldwin County cities gear up for stronger building codes
ORANGE BEACH, AL - Hurricane Ivan blew through Baldwin County in 2004 and took off thousands of rooftops -- causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in water damage to home interiors. The 2012 International Building Code and coastal supplements for roof systems, impact glass and shutters can help prevent water damage to homes, which accounts for 75 percent of all insurance claims after wind, according to local building officials in Baldwin County. Full Story.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Dangers faced by kids on the stairs
NEW YORK - A new study today is calling for changes in home building and home safety. The reasons? More children are getting hurt. Since 1999, nearly a million children under age 5 ended up in the hospital because of falls on the stairs. Full Story.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Can snore rooms save Baby Boomer marriages?
In the knee-jerk world of home building, flex space, bigger kitchens and upgraded bathrooms are in. Increasingly adaptable bedroom designs may be just the ticket for trend-driving Baby Boomers whose marriages are plagued by snorts, sniffles and wheezing. Full Story.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Modesto area housing projects starting to pick up
MODESTO, CA - New home communities are sprouting around the region, filling in bargain-priced lots left vacant by builders who went bust once the housing market crashed. Subdivisions recently have opened in Oakdale and Manteca, and another is about to launch in Ripon. Modesto's only active development, finally, is nearing completion. And builders are reporting increased action in Turlock and Atwater. Full Story.
Friday, March 9, 2012
People fixing up, not buying homes
DETROIT, MI - Attending the National Association of Homebuilders' International Building Show always gives me insight into the current state of the housing industry. While the NAHB does a great job putting on this annual event, it is hard not to notice that the attendance was half of what it was five years ago, when 100,000 people regularly attended this show. Full Story.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Tornado destruction makes some question building code
CHARLOTTE, NC — Reconstruction is under way at many homes damaged by last weekend's EF-2 tornado. But as some families rebuild, they are left wondering, how the destruction could happen so easily to their homes. "This is devastating to see so many houses destroyed, people's cars flipped upside down, people losing their homes completely, because it will take a while, a long time, to rebuild,” said Reedy Creek resident Erica Bennett whose home was affected by the tornado. Full Story.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Home Depot To Launch A Database Of LEED Products
Yesterday, it was announced that the United States Green Building Council has teamed up with Christmas light-recycling and personal wind turbine-selling home improvement mega-retailer Home Depot to launch an online product database geared towards homeowners and builders attempting to rack up LEED points for green building projects. Full Story.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
South Florida bracing for strict new coastal flood construction rules
Strict new building codes going into effect March 15 could increase the cost of construction and change commercial and home designs in flood zones along South Florida’s coastline, but maps delineating the affected areas are not yet ready.
MIAMI, FL - A week before strict new statewide building standards go into effect for coastal flood zones, builders and building officials across Miami-Dade and Broward counties are scrambling to understand the scope of the impact, which they say will require substantive design changes and markedly increase the cost of new construction in some portions of low-lying shoreline communities. Full Story.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Green Code Now Allows Air Curtains
The addition of air curtains in the International Green Construction Code (IgCC)—the new comprehensive high performance green building code—promises energy and construction cost savings for industrial buildings. Specifying air curtains as energy-saving, cost-cutting alternatives to vestibules in 3,000-square-foot buildings and larger has been a recent trend among consulting engineers and architects. However, many times specifications are blocked by local jurisdictions that have adopted the International Energy Construction Code (IECC), which doesn't yet sight air curtains as vestibule alternatives. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Construction Industry Sees Early Spring
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Despite the warmer-than-usual winter, the groundhog didn't signal the coming of an early spring -- but the construction industry is still getting an early start as the temperatures start to climb. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Building may get more costly in coastal areas
PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL - The cost of constructing or renovating homes and buildings may jump in some of South Florida's beachfront and low-lying areas, as a result of new statewide building codes. In addition, the new code taking effect March 15 may end up driving up the cost of flood insurance in some neighborhoods over the next few years. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Builders May Escape Inventory Shadow: Chart of the Day
A decline in the number of U.S. homes that may have to be sold is “undeniably providing support for a nascent recovery” in housing, according to Robert C. Wetenhall Jr., an analyst at RBC Capital Markets LLC. The CHART OF THE DAY displays the total number of homes that have entered foreclosure proceedings or have mortgages at least 30 days overdue, according to quarterly data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association. Full Story.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Building permits up for new homes in Clark County
CLARK COUNTY, WA - Clark County homebuilding activity showed signs of recovery for the second month in a row in February, according to a report issued Monday. Full Story.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Mississippi ranks last in building codes study of hurricane-prone states
Mississippi has the weakest building standards of all the hurricane-prone states in the U.S., an insurance industry study concluded. The state ranked dead last among 18 states near the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean in a study by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. Building codes can help homes withstand hurricanes and tornadoes, and they also often include measures to reduce electrical, fire and plumbing problems. Full Story.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Homebuilding pace heating up in Sioux Falls
Number of single-family housing permits in January and February is double same period from last year
SIOUX FALLS, SD - New home construction appears to be trending in a positive direction in Sioux Falls after years of stagnation, a fact that has local builders talking more optimistically. Forty-four building permits for single-family units in the city were issued in January and February, up from 21 for the same period in last year and five more than the 39 issued in January and February of 2010. Full Story.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Alabama among weakest of hurricane-prone states in building code study
Alabama’s building standards and enforcement practices are among the weakest of all the hurricane-prone states in the U.S., an insurance industry study concluded. The state ranked 15th among 18 states near the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean in a study by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. Building codes can help homes withstand hurricanes and tornadoes, and they often include measures to reduce electrical, fire and plumbing problems. Full Story.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
A freeze? Mayor discusses moratorium on impact fees
LAS CRUCES — The building/construction industry has shouted to the heavens that, with the economy struggling and the housing scene precarious, the last thing needed are impact fees that, the builders say, increases the price of homes. Word has come recently that a reprieve might be in order. Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima said that he plans to soon take to the city council an idea to put a freeze on collecting some of the building impact fees, at least temporarily. Full Story.
Saturday, March 3, 2012, 2010
Homebuilders offering self-sufficient, sustainable homes
PEORIA, AZ - Homebuilders are trying to capitalize on public angst toward electric utilities by offering "net-zero, no-electric-bill homes" that promise to wipe out monthly bills, but the details are a little more complicated. The homes are built with energy-conserving appliances and insulation, and they use solar panels to generate electricity. Full Story.
Friday, March 2, 2012
PlanGrid Builds A New Market For The iPad: The Construction Industry
Mark this up as one more crucial chapter in the much-thumbed book called “The Consumerization of IT”: a new app has launched from a Y Combinator-backed startup that offers builders the ability to store, manage and view blueprints on and iPad tablet. The unique selling point for PlanGrid, as the app is called, is that it promises to present building blueprints in a far more efficient way than they have been presented before. Full Story.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Custom homes fulfill dreams
If your dream is to build to a custom home with every feature finished to your specifications, you likely will need deep pockets and a plenty of patience. Though some costs of custom-home building have decreased, buying land, hiring an architect and working with a custom home builder is still an experience reserved for those who can afford a home with a million-dollar price tag. Full Story.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Ahead of the Bell: Construction spending
Warm weather, more homebuilding likely boosted construction spending for sixth straight month
WASHINGTON - Builders likely spent more on construction projects in January for the sixth straight month, buoyed by a modest rebound in homebuilding and mild weather. Economists forecast that construction spending rose 0.8 percent, according to a survey by FactSet. The Commerce Department will release the report at 10 a.m. EST on Thursday. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
New building codes will affect SWFL soon
New building codes go into effect March 15 in Florida, and they could have a major effect on homeowners throughout the region. The new codes are designed to better protect people and property from hurricanes. "The goal is to safeguard life and property, that is the business we are in," said Hugo Mir, president of Alufab USA, a company that makes wind-resistant windows and shutters. "This is insurance-driven, they want to limit their liability after a storm." Full Story.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Housing permits show increase
NEW LONDON, CT - The first month of Connecticut building statistics has the construction industry looking forward to a better 2012. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Wis. gov to sign wetlands development bill
MADISON, WI - Gov. Scott Walker says he plans to sign a divisive bill that would help developers win wetland construction permits. The governor says he'll sign the measure at a Madison convention center Wednesday afternoon. The measure would require developers to include mitigation plans with permit applications they hand over to the Department of Natural Resources. The plans could include purchasing credits from groups that have already restored wetlands, paying the state to support wetland restoration work, or enhancing other wetlands. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Building permits continue
WATAGUA COUNTY, NC — Watauga County commissioners and staff adamantly agreed Saturday that the county will continue to issue residential building permits this spring despite a state delay in the printing of code books. The 2012 N.C. Residential Code and Energy Conservation Code scheduled to take effect March 1 will not be available in print by that date due to delays in approval by the N.C. Building Code Council, according to the N.C. Department of Insurance. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Workshop to focus on changes to disability access laws
JACKSONVILLE, IL - A change in building code that would require sprinkler systems in newly-constructed residences will likely be amended during the next City Council meeting. But on Monday, the city passed a balanced budget after a year in the black and heard the latest developments for the city’s Historic District. Full Story.
Monday, February 27, 2012
S.C. and its neighbors battle out of recession
CHARLESTON, SC - The pace of economic recovery in South Carolina has shifted into higher gear, as housing and commercial construction are picking up and manufacturing is beginning to shine, according to Wells Fargo’s regional outlook for the first quarter of 2012. Greenville and Charleston have posted gains over the past year due to strong industrial development activity, according to the report. Greenville is primarily benefitting from growth in its automotive industry, which has spawned gains in R&D facilities, the bank’s economists said. Full Story.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Robots could climb and assemble structures, make construction sites safer
CORNELL, NY - Like something straight out of "Star Wars," armies of robots could nimbly be crawling up towers and skyscrapers to make repairs in the not-so-distant future, so humans don't have to. That's just one thing researchers in Hod Lipson's Creative Machines Lab envision with their latest robot prototype. It can autonomously traverse and manipulate a 3-D truss structure, using specially designed gears and joints to assemble and disassemble the structure as it climbs. Full Story.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
County follows city's lead with plans for energy-efficiency codes
SANTA FE, NM - Santa Fe County staffers think a code requiring new buildings to be more energy-efficient will save homeowners and businesses money. They're working on the new building code as part of the county's revamped growth-management plan. While the county is running computer models and working to convince county commissioners and residents to approve the code, Santa Fe residents Timothy and Sharon Amer are enjoying a new energy-efficient home and monthly savings in the Old Las Vegas Place subdivision. The house was built using the city of Santa Fe's green building code, which took effect two years ago and was revamped in January. The county is learning from the city's experience. Full Story.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Aurora proposes upgrades in condo-apartment units
AURORA, CO — The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to amend some apartment and condominium building codes in Aurora. The proposed changes include mandating in-unit laundry and dishwasher hookups for new buildings, mandating each unit be individually metered for utilities and improved sound restrictions. Full Story.
Saturday, February 25, 2012, 2010
Balance seen in Oklahoma City housing market
Shrinking inventory, healthy sales, low mortgage interest rates and warm winter weather combined to encourage home shoppers, according to the Oklahoma City Metro Association of Realtors in January. Meanwhile, metro-area homebuilders started 2012 with a bang.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Strong sales and reduced offerings combined to chip away at the inventory of homes for sale last month, Realtors said, restoring equilibrium in the market. Eric Hensley works to install a geothermal heating-cooling system in a house by Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity at 625 SE 26 in the Las Rosas neighborhood. January ended with a 5.6-month supply of homes on the Multiple Listing Service, using the average monthly sales for the past year, 1,316.8, as a sales pace. Full Story.
Saturday, February 25, 2012, 2010
Flex appeal: Same house can take different shapes
Homebuyers want it their way. Forget the formal living room filled with fancy furniture or the dining room rarely used except for the holidays. Flex is in. A popular trend in new homebuilding, flex space offers homebuyers just what they want — flexibility. Homebuyers want flex space in their new homes so they can define the space and choose its purpose, then adapt it to other uses as their needs and desires change. Full Story.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Tough Economy May Force Real Estate Researcher to Close Its Doors
LOS ANGELES, CA - The Construction Industry Research Board, which compiles building permit data across the state, may close down at the end of March after nearly four decades of operation. The Building Industry Association of Southern California merged the research board into its operations in 2007 to help support the group as it dealt with declining resources from those who subsidized its research, BIASC wrote in a blog post Friday. Full Story.
Friday, February 24, 2012
New building codes cause confusion
NEW BERN, NC - Residential building code changes adopted by the Legislature but not yet in print are causing concerns for building inspectors and builders from the capitol to the coast. The dilemma prompted Craven County and city of New Bern attorneys, local building inspectors and a representative of the area’s home builders association to meet Friday to clarify ways to keep permits moving for home building planned in the near future. Full Story.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Homebuilders Say Market Positives Trump High Gas Prices
Sales of newly built homes are still stumbling along at historically low levels, but builders claim they are beginning to see the light at the end of a very long tunnel. Sales may not be surging back, but in some of the better local economies, buyer interest is. We saw it at open houses over the President's Day weekend, and it's starting to show up on line even more dramatically. Virginia-based NewHomesGuide.com, the website of New Homes Guide magazine, saw a 46 percent jump in unique visitors from December 2011 to January 2012 and a 47 percent jump from one year ago. Page views were up 59%. Full Story.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Chaney on NFIP: Compromise today, fight later
BILOXI, MS - Mississippi state statute says that hunting and fishing camps are exempt from flood elevation requirements. However, FEMA doesn't agree, and has threatened to kick Mississippi out of the National Flood Insurance Program. "FEMA has put the state on notice that they would kick us out of the program unless we repeal a portion of the state statute," said Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. Full Story.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Local homebuilders hoping for a turnaround year
Local companies say they're seeing growth in sales
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Residential builders in Central Indiana are hoping 2012 becomes the year the industry finally turns around after the recession brought a building plunge in 2007. The local homebuilding sector has thinned considerably since then. Doors began closing in July 2008 with Davis Homes, followed by Gunstra Builders, C.P. Morgan Homes, Chicago homebuilder Pasquinelli/Portrait Homes, Scott Homes, Hansen & Horn and, most recently, Estridge Group. Left behind were partially finished subdivisions and uncompleted clubhouses, pools and other community assets. Full Story.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Sprinkler rule tied to housing permits
LAS VEGAS, NV - Southern Nevada's biggest city has a new fire-sprinkler rule, but the regulation won't affect local homeowners anytime soon. The city of Las Vegas on Feb. 16 adopted an international building code that calls for fire sprinklers in every new home. But because of concerns about imposing thousands of dollars in new costs per home in a flamed-out housing market, the rule won't take effect until Southern Nevada's municipalities issue 10,000 new-home permits in one year. Full Story.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Southern Highlands developers face big foreclosure filing
LAS VEGAS, NV - With the Las Vegas homebuilding industry still mired in a deep recession, foreclosure proceedings have been initiated against big parcels of land controlled by the developers of the Southern Highlands planned community. Lenders claiming to be owed $190.65 million and led by Wells Fargo Bank filed notices of trustees’ sales involving some 517 acres in 13 parcels of land. Dozens more subdivided assessors’ parcel numbers are listed in the filings, which came on Feb. 6. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Bodies needed for homebuilding boom
MANITOBA, CANADA - MANITOBA'S homebuilders are on a tear, and industry officials say one of the biggest challenges they face is finding enough skilled tradespeople to keep the momentum going. The local industry is coming off its best year in nearly 21/2 decades for new-home construction. And the next two years should be even better, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. officials told about 200 delegates attending a CMHC-sponsored conference Tuesday in Winnipeg. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Luxury Items Being Dropped From New Homes
Times are tough in the home-building industry, and many people expect new homes to be more practical and less luxurious. An estimated half-million new homes are expected to be built in 2012, and while the homes are new, they'll be lacking some features that were once popular. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Fire sprinkler debate flares up again in Minnesota
Supporters propose swap; builders resist Minnesota fire officials are trying to strike a deal that would require sprinklers in all new single-family homes built in Minnesota, but homebuilders aren’t budging in their opposition. The Minnesota Fire Chiefs Association feels strongly enough about the issue that it’s willing to eliminate some existing code requirements — including egress windows Full Story.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Not their parents' home
Concept home in Florida designed for a new generation of buyers
ORLANDO, FL - Houses are getting smaller. No, houses are getting larger. And "green" building is hot. Well, no, actually — green cooled off before it even got warm. Such were the conflicting messages at the recent International Builders Show in Orlando, Fla., where the recession-bitten homebuilding industry engaged in its annual scramble to find something, anything, that will resuscitate it. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Home Builders Show Offers Gadgets For The Future
ORLANDO, FL - The International Home Builders Show was buzzing with the newest home improvement gadgets. Lutron electronics which sells energy saving devices from dimmers to switches rolled out battery powered automated window treatments. Full Story.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Builders devise tactics to discredit foreclosure sales
ORLANDO, FL - Homebuilders are switching tactics and confronting head-on one of their biggest nemeses: foreclosed houses that not only lure buyers away with deeply discounted prices, but also simultaneously depress the appraisal values of newly built homes. At a packed session at the International Builders’ Show expo in Orlando, Fla., this month, consultants and builders said that with gluts of foreclosures in major markets around the country — and more forecast to arrive in the next two years — the time has come to stop being passive and to begin aggressively educating buyers about the often hidden costs of buying foreclosures. Full Story.
Saturday, February 18, 2012, 2010
Redding Council tries to spur growth
Builders' permit holiday may be extended
REDDING, CA - The City Council on Tuesday will consider expanding Redding's building fee waiver program that would allow more local homebuilders to take advantage of the fee holiday. But the city would forgo up to about $627,000 of traffic and sewer impact fees if the changes are approved. That money is used to fund road and sewer improvements, city officials have said. Full Story.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Now might be the right time to downsize
ORLANDO, FL - What is a “small house” in today’s homebuilding arena? How do you know whether small is right for you? How can clever design make a small house feel like a big house? These questions were raised during a panel discussion called “Designing to Maximize Space in the Smaller House” at last week’s International Builders Show in Orlando, an annual event that showcases the latest and greatest in trends and new products. Full Story.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Housing Recovery Comes Too Late for Private Builders
A funny thing happened on the way to the housing recovery: The public homebuilders got bigger, and the private construction firms disappeared. Well, not all of them, of course. A significant number, however, have been driven out of business by a perfect storm of economic and financial turmoil. Now, even as the economy appears to have turned a corner and housing starts are picking up, they are losing their fragile grip on the housing market. The house-building climate is warming up, but the private guys are increasingly being left out in the cold as the biggest players in the industry sop up all the gravy. Full Story.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
‘Not good timing’: Drywall prices rising
Drywall manufacturers are holding true to their word — or at least close to it. Federal data released Thursday show that prices are climbing for a variety of construction materials including drywall products, which are heavily used in homebuilding. Last fall, suppliers of gypsum products said they intended to raise prices 35 percent on Jan. 1, and some local builders say they have seen drywall prices increase between 20 percent and 30 percent in 2012. Full Story.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
US housing starts rise 1.5% in January
WASHINGTON - US home building rose slightly in January, but not enough to signal that the housing sector is ready to recover from the worst downturn in decades. Home construction last month increased 1.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 699,000 from December, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Full Story.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Construction industry will not recover in local area until 2015, economist says
FONTANA, CA - After being hammered by the recession in recent years, the Inland Empire economy finally made some progress in 2011, adding more than 22,000 jobs, according to a recent report. However, the San Bernardino-Riverside area will not achieve a full recovery from the 161,000 jobs lost during the period of 2006 to 2010 until it overcomes its weaknesses in the housing market, said prominent area economist John Husing. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
U.P. home building on the rise
MARQUETTE, MI - The president of the Michigan Association of Home Builders is in the U.P., researching homes and seeing how they compare to the rest of the state. Michigan's home building economy has been slow to bounce back after the recession; that's according to the MAHB. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Changes for Affordable Housing in Garfield County
County Relaxes Regulation to Spur Growth
GARFIELD COUNTY, CO - There's new hope for the struggling home-building market in Garfield County. County Commissioners agreed on Monday to change developers' requirements on affordable housing. The hope is that this will get people building and buying more homes. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Homebuilder Confidence in U.S. Increased to Highest Since 2007
Confidence among U.S. homebuilders climbed more than anticipated in February to the highest level since May 2007, pointing to an improving outlook for construction. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo index of builder confidence rose for a fifth straight month, to 29 in February from 25 in January, figures from the Washington-based group showed today. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Insurance industry touts statewide building codes for Alabama
WASHINGTON, DC - The creation of statewide building codes in Alabama is key to solving the state’s property insurance woes and a top priority, an insurance industry group said Tuesday, but the idea is far from passing the Legislature this session. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Council approves ice guard mandate
LINCOLN, NE - The city's residential building code will require that an ice guard material be used on roofs, under code revisions approved Monday by the Lincoln City Council. At least four council members said they had wrestled with the ice guard issue after a number of roofing companies suggested there should be no mandate for using it when reroofing older homes because there iwas no guaranteed solution for water damage from ice dams. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Construction backlog falls in Q4
Associated Builders and Contractors' Construction Backlog Indicator declined 3.2 percent during the fourth quarter of 2011, from 8.1 months in Q3 to 7.8 months, but is still up 10.9 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2010. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Construction Attorney Warns, Developers need to Get off the Sidelines and do what they do best: Build
NEW YORK - He’s the Cassandra of the construction industry, the rabble-rouser of rubble. Attorney Barry LePatner, founder of LePatner & Associates LLP and author of construction shock books Too Big to Fall: America’s Failing Infrastructure and the Way Forward and Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets, has his own 30,000-foot-high view looking down on the current state of New York City’s construction industry. He believes there will be a $25 trillion construction boom in New York and the rest of the country between now and the year 2035. Full Story.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Green homebuilding projected to skyrocket by 2016
ORLANDO, FL - Homebuilders and buyers are expected to go green during the next five years. Environmentally friendly homes represented 17 percent of the residential construction market in 2011 and are due to increase five-fold by 2016, according to a study released last week by McGraw-Hill Construction during the International Builders’ Show in Orlando. Full Story.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Seven Ways to Beat the High Cost of Home Building
All this time you’ve assumed that you can’t afford the home you really want: The cozy, comfortable house with all the neat features that you want to get your hands on, stuff like slate countertops; the island range with the stainless steel hood; the rustic beams on the ceiling. Oh, and some really cool lighting fixtures and a tiled shower with two shower heads. Full Story.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Collaboration reshaping construction industry
HARTFORD, CT - The Construction Institute’s third annual Visionaries Program is Feb. 17 William Cianciwith speakers who are among the industry’s “Visionary Thinkers,” thought leaders who understand that major structural changes are required within the construction industry to survive the current economy. What are some of those structural changes? Full Story.
Monday, February 13, 2012
SMART GROWTH’S REVIVAL
Construction industry sees that planning concept as a path forward at a time of economic stagnation and demographic change
SAN DIEGO, CA - ‘Smart growth,” a planning concept popular since the 1990s, is gaining traction as the construction industry looks to a revival, say advocates of building housing, shops and workplaces near each other and transportation networks. But they acknowledge that neighborhoods still are leery of change. Geoffrey Anderson, president of Smart Growth America, and Bill Fulton, vice president for policy and programs and former mayor of Ventura, sat down during the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference, held last weekend in San Diego, to take stock of the movement and where it is headed. Here are highlights of their comments: Full Story.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Home Building Profits Remained Hard to Come By in 2010
NAHB’s latest survey of builders’ balance sheets shows greater focus on cost control than two years ago.
In a normal market, production and semi-custom builders should be shooting for gross margins that are 26% of revenue to achieve a net operational profit of between 10% and 11%. Those benchmarks derive from the latest NAHB Cost of Doing Business survey, which the trade association conducts every two years. This year’s survey is based on calculations from business generated in 2010 by the 222 builders who provided NAHB with usable responses to questionnaires it sent to 10,000 builders in February and March of 2011. Full Story.
Monday, February 13, 2012
City, builders come up with plan to energize new-home market
WICHITA, KS - With new-home construction foundering and builders buried under the weight of taxes on unsold lots, the Wichita City Council on Tuesday will look at a plan to jump-start the flagging local homebuilding industry. City staff is recommending adoption of a five-year property tax moratorium for the first 1,000 qualifying new houses built over two years. The city and the Wichita Area Builders Association started developing the plan in October in an attempt to reinvigorate a market that has stagnated with declining sales and tight credit. Full Story.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Bernanke Wants to Lend to Real Estate Investors
NEW YORK - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Friday that making loans more easily available to real estate investors for bulk purchases of homes would be an important step in resolving the imbalances in the housing and rental markets. Speaking to home builders at the 2012 National Association of Homebuilders International Builders' Show in Orlando, Fl., Bernanke said that a program to convert foreclosed homes to rentals, while no "silver bullet" for the housing market, has potential. "With home prices falling and rents rising, it could make sense in some markets to turn some of the foreclosed homes into rental properties." Full Story.
Friday, February 10, 2012
SLO County building permits hit 22-year low
SANTA MARIA, CA - The number of new residential building permits issued in San Luis Obispo County last year was the lowest in more than 22 years, according to data compiled the Construction Industry Research Board. In Santa Barbara County, the number issued was the second-fewest since 1990, according to the data compiled from local building departments’ statistics. Full Story.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Fitch Releases Latest U.S. Homebuilding Liquidity Update
CHICAGO, IL - Fitch Ratings has published its latest Liquidity update for U.S. homebuilders. Not much has changed since Fitch's last update. Liquidity is expected to remain adequate for the U.S. homebuilding sector throughout this year. Full Story.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Lack of building code inflates state insurance rates
BILOXI, MS - The Legislature in the nation’s poorest state lacks the political will to mandate statewide building codes, but residents could suffer as a result. Hurricane Katrina’s damage forced building codes on the Coast, but the insurance industry–sponsored Institute for Business and Home Safety recently gave Mississippi a failing grade for its lack of statewide building codes, code officer training and enforcement, and licensing of building trade specialists such as electricians and plumbers. Full Story.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
City attacks province for dragging feet on building code
VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA - Councillors and planning staff at the City of North Vancouver are blasting the B.C. government for failing to include new energy efficiency standards in the new provincial building code. In her report to council, city planner Emilie Adin wrote that in 2009, “provincial staff advised city staff that the B.C. Building Code would move to higher energy standards in 2010. Then both 2010 and 2011 came and went without any energy updates to the code.” Full Story.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Patching Up: Rebounding Construction Markets will Revive Demand for Industry Products
LOS ANGELES, CA - As a result of reduced construction activity over the past five years, the roofing, siding and insulation wholesaling industry experienced declines. Low consumer confidence and declining disposable income also hurt demand for industry products used for home improvement projects. Roofing projects, which are less likely to be postponed, made up the majority of revenue over the period. In response to the recovery in downstream construction activity, particularly in regard to new-home construction, industry revenue is expected to rise. For this reason, industry research firm IBISWorld has added a report on the roofing, siding and insulation industry to its growing industry report collection. Full Story.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Construction Industry Unemployment rises to 17.7% in January.
ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu says economic momentum appears to have returned to level sustained before soft patch of economic activity emerged early last year. Despite addition of 21,000 jobs in January, construction industry unemployment rate jumped to 17.7%, up from 16% the previous month, according to Feb 3 jobs report by U.S. Labor Department. However, construction employment is up by 116,000 jobs, or 2.1%, compared to Jan 2011, and is down from 22.5% rate posted same time last year. Full Story.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Does increase in local construction mean the market is on the mend?
TUCSON, AZ - Despite the struggling economy, you may have noticed more construction popping up around Tucson recently. Some new student housing developments and commercial buildings are slowly coming to life in certain pockets of town. While the increase in activity is a good sign, local experts say the full recovery could still be a few years away. Full Story.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Recovery? Trying to draw meaning from the chaos of new housing news in Florida
TAMPA BAY, FL - Wake up and good morning. So is the Tampa Bay and Florida housing market at a bottom and really ready to start improving? The crystal ball remains murky but there's no lack of housing activity on both sides of the equation to ponder. Full Story.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
The 4 record highs home building hit in 2011
ORLANDO, FL — While single-family housing starts and new-home sales sunk to their worst levels on record in 2011, home builders did manage to hit four record highs for the year. After four years in which the average size of new homes built in the U.S. declined or remained steady, the average square footage of a new home started in 2011 jumped to a record 2,522 square feet in 2001, survey data from the National Association of Home Builders show. Full Story.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Builders group sees pickup in housing this year
LOS ANGELES, CA — The U.S. housing market will begin to mount a turnaround this year, building toward a solid recovery in 2013, according to a forecast issued Wednesday by the chief economist of a homebuilding industry trade group. The outlook by National Association of Home Builders Chief Economist David Crowe calls for U.S. sales of new homes and single-family home construction to improve this year compared to 2011, when they hit record lows. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Builders' show still big but no record-setter
ORLANDO, FL - There was a time when you couldn't get a steak without a reservation when the International Builders' Show was in town. But as the nation's leading homebuilders convention kicked off Wednesday in the giant Orange County Convention Center, there were empty tables during lunch on the patio of the nearby Capital Grille restaurant, and traffic flowed smoothly up and down International Drive between Sand Lake Road and the BeachLine Expressway. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
New York City Mayor Says Green Building Codes Will Help City Meet PlaNYC Goals
New York City’s adoption of new green building codes are expected to result in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 5% and saving $400 million by 2030, says a recently released report from the Urban Green Council, the U.S. Green Building Council’s New York chapter. The codes are also expected to divert 100,000 tons of asphalt from landfills each year; reduce greenhouse gas emissions citywide by 5%; and lower the costs of lighting energy by 10%. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Home building to begin at huge master-planned community in Hillsborough County
APOLLO BEACH, FL — Bulldozers have started pushing dirt again at Waterset, a huge development in southern Hillsborough County that ultimately could boast 6,700 homes. Newland Communities, which already delivered FishHawk Ranch, MiraBay and Covington Park, redesigned its plans for the 2,350-acre site as a result of the Great Recession. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Home Building Outlook: Most Local Markets to Improve in 2012
Hanley Wood Market Intelligence’s new quarterly forecast ranks local markets based on six indicators it says are strong predictors of new-home sales.
Full Story.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Home construction robust in warm winter; good for GDP, but could be sign of glut
TORONTO, ON, CANADA - The pace of housing starts slowed slightly in January but remained robust during an unseasonably warm winter, according to data from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. Strong homebuilding activity will likely to be a boon to the Canadian economy in the short term, but could also signal overbuilding that could wreak havoc in the longer term, economists warned Wednesday. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Home building up, mortgage rates down
GREENWICH, CT - While it's true that there's a virtually unlimited supply of resources to build as many residential and commercial buildings as we want, there is one limiting resource -- land. According to the United States Census Bureau, Greenwich has 47.8 square miles of land and another 19.4 square miles of water in a rectangle making up about one third of the "boot" of Connecticut. In terms of area, Greenwich is roughly twice the size of Manhattan. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Push for better Utah building code stalls — again
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - A building code upgrade that would heighten energy efficiency in Utah homes is stuck in a legislative committee this session, leading proponents to fear it will die for a second straight year. Rep. Fred Cox, R-West Valley City, is proposing in HB262 that the state adopt the 2009 International Building Code. The state currently uses 2006 standards, and Cox, an architect, believes they lack important safety and energy upgrades. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
City building codes update moving forward
Hydropower feasibility study gets approval
FORT MORGAN, CO - In a split vote, the Fort Morgan City Council on Tuesday night approved on first reading an ordinance adopting the 2009 International Building Codes with local amendments. Councilmen Ron Shaver and Brent Nation, Councilwoman Lisa Northrup and Mayor Terry McAlister voted in favor of adopting the codes, which will include a requirement for fire sprinkler systems in new construction of new residential housing other than one and two-family dwellings. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
U.S. homebuilders group adds Detroit area to list of improving housing markets
DETROIT, MI - The National Association of Home Builders has added metro Detroit to its list of improving housing markets. The Washington, D.C.-based group maintains the index with 98 markets, showing areas that have improved off their recent lows. Metro Detroit was added to the improving list along with Miami; Boston; Kansas City, Mo.; Portland, Ore.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Salt Lake City. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Brevard Commission votes to change wind-speed building codes
MELBOURNE, FL - Interstate 95 will no longer serve as a dividing line in Brevard County for building construction wind speed codes under new state regulations taking effect March 15. During the Brevard County Commission meeting this morning, the Commission voted 5-0 to bring Brevard County into compliance with new state regulations that dictate wind speed building codes for new construction. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Homebuilder reports ‘return to profitability’
IRVINE, CA - Irvine-based homebuilding company Standard Pacific Homes reported this week its first profitable quarter in more than a year at the end of 2011, spurred by improved sales and higher home prices. Coupled with positive results for January, company President and CEO Scott Stowell told stock analysts in an earning conference call on Tuesday that it’s starting to look like an economic recovery may be under way. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Bids invited for new road to link Abu Dhabi and Dubai
ABU DHABI - The Department of Transport (DoT) has invited bids for the construction of a new 62km-long Abu Dhabi-Dubai dual carriageway, it was announced here on Monday. The Dh2 billion project (E311), which is expected to be completed by the end of 2014, will start from the end of Emirates Road in Seih Shuoaib and go through Al Maha Forest and Khalifa Port Industrial Zone (B) and connect the Sweihan Road (E20) interchange. Full Story.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Hanley Wood Releases Home Building Outlook
Forecasting Incremental Growth for 2012
WASHINGTON, DC - Home building reached its bottom in 2011, based on both the volumes of new homes sold and the volume of new homes closed, and is forecasted to show improvement in 2012, according to the Home Building Outlook, a new report from Hanley Wood Market Intelligence. The Commerce Department reported in January that new home sales in 2011 totaled 302,000 single family units, which is the lowest annual number reported since the Census began reporting the series in 1963. Full Story.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Local homebuilding gets off to a slow start in 2012
LAS VEGAS, NV - Clark County’s homebuilding industry was off to a slow start in January, with only 17 permits issued to build single-family homes. That represents a 32 percent drop from December and a 10 percent decline from January 2011. Full Story.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Herkes bill seeks to give counties leeway in building codes
HILO, HI — A bill moving through the state Legislature will take out what many consider the more onerous sections of the state building code and give counties more flexibility in defining their own codes. Rep. Bob Herkes, D-Puna, Ka'u, South Kona, North Kona, said he sponsored HB 2358 because of his concern strict requirements for buildings, such as requiring safe rooms able to withstand 500-year hurricanes, would push home ownership out of the reach of Big Island residents. Full Story.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Momentum builds in construction
Companies are adding workers and projects
The nation’s construction industry is beginning to stabilize, with fewer firms expected to make layoffs this year and projects in the private sector expected to expand, according to survey results released recently by the Associated General Contractors of America. The industry also added 21,000 jobs in January, boosting employment to a two-year high, according to an analysis of federal employment data by the same organization. Full Story.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Housing and Banking Stocks: Is The Rise Justified?
Since the beginning of October 2011 the PHLX Housing Sector Index (HGX) has rallied an incredible 67.1% and is up 19.6% year-to-date. This index tracks stocks in the home construction industry including the home builders. The astronomical performance has occurred despite the fact that 2011 was the worst year in history for new home sales. The price of a new home fell 12.8% year-over-year to $210,300 in 2011, and at the end of the year the inventory of new homes was at a record low 157,000. Sometimes it’s difficult to explain why stocks in a depressed sector of our economy can perform with such strength. Full Story.
Monday, February 6, 2012
St. Jude Dream Home Roof Designed to Withstand High Winds and Hail
IBHS' FORTIFIED for Safer Living provides specific standards and guidelines to help homeowners and homebuilders build stronger, safer homes from the ground up
TAMPA< FL - The roof of the St. Jude Dream Home in Eads, Tenn. is being designed in accordance with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s (IBHS) FORITIFED for Safer Living. FORTIFIED for Safer Living is a construction program for new homes that provides specific standards and guidelines to help homeowners and homebuilders build stronger, safer homes from the ground up. Full Story.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Homebuilders Say January Was Another Strong Month (And They're Even Raising Prices)
On Saturday we pointed out how the homebuilders - as measured at least by the homebuilder ETF XHB - is getting close to a 4-year high. How come? Well part of it obviously is the general uptrend in housing starts over the past year. Full Story.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Construction industry feeling wrath of unemployment issues
CHARLOTTE, NC- New numbers reveal a growing unemployment number among people working in the construction industry. The U.S. Labor Department calculates a 17.7 percent unemployment rate in the sector. That figure is about double other careers. Full Story.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Building code changes will better protect new homes from mold, rot
LINCOLN, NE - Several years ago, city building inspection staff began seeing serious mold and rot problems in fairly new homes. Mel Goddard, chief building inspector, has pictures of the ugly and expensive damage caused when water leaked in the walls of a 4-year-old restaurant and into the walls of houses built less than a decade ago because of improper housing wrap and flashing installation. Full Story.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Experts: Idaho’s construction industry will improve this year
A shrinking real estate market drives up demand for new homes
TREASURE VALLEY, ID - Empty subdivision plots mark the valley's landscape, with skeletal sidewalks and roads carving paths through the dirt. Only one or two houses sit on the lonely acreage. Visions of kids playing on the lawn or families walking the dog on an evening stroll never materialized. What also fell through were developers' hopes of making top dollar on their land investments. In 2005 and 2006, what looked like a promising construction boom in Idaho ended with hundreds of builders losing their jobs. Plans to build homes halted. Many lots remain vacant - a desolate reminder of the economic crash that spiked Idaho's unemployment rate from 2.7 to 9.6 in just four years. The rate is now around 8.5 percent. Full Story.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
State protection for homeowners too late for local residents
PITTSBURGH, PA - A proposed bill would protect Pennsylvania homeowners against mechanics' liens filed by subcontractors, but it is too late for 17 Westmoreland County residents who paid a Texas roofing contractor but face liens filed by a building supplier. The bill, introduced in the House of Representatives in May and amended in November, includes a provision that would prohibit a subcontractor from filing a mechanics' lien against an owner-occupied residential property if the homeowner paid the contractor in full. Full Story.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
DFA overseeing program to help strengthen homes
WASHINGTON, DC - Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney says he is working with legislators on a bill that would require insurers to offer discounts to homeowners who have strengthened homes against wind damage. Full Story.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Will Plymouth adopt energy efficient building codes?
PLYMOUTH, MA - Dozens of cities and towns across the commonwealth have attained “Green Community” status, qualifying them for thousands of dollars in grants and putting them on the forefront of an energy efficiency revolution. Kingston was one of the first to qualify, and less than two years later became one of the first South Shore communities to erect municipal wind turbines. Full Story.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Metro Detroit builders cash in on mild winter
DETROIT, MI - This year's warmer-than-normal winter may be hurting ski lodges and other seasonal businesses, but it's an unexpected boost to Michigan's construction industry that traditionally comes to a virtual standstill during the year's coldest months. Builders usually take a break in the first quarter, waiting until early spring for the ground to thaw so they can complete their projects. But this winter's long reprieves from freezing temperatures mean that the industry can skip its work hibernation, allowing revenues and paychecks to flow to suppliers, contractors and builders, as well as skilled trade workers. Full Story.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Council approves new building code
HILO, HI - An unruly crowd chanting "kill the bill" forced two recesses of a County Council meeting Wednesday and brought a dozen police officers to council chambers. At issue was the county building code, which went through its seventh draft as the council tried to find common ground between the public and the Department of Public Works, while meeting state and federal deadlines for an updated code. Full Story.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Homebuilders See Stable Housing Market Ahead
The CEOs of some of the nation's biggest homebuilding companies said Thursday they feel the housing market has stabilized. But they were careful not to be overly optimistic even with the spring home-selling season coming up. A year ago many housing experts forecast housing would begin recovering in 2011, only to see it play out as the worst year for new home sales on records going back a half-century. Full Story.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Gilbert panel OKs proposals for 4 sites, hundreds of new homes
GILBERT, AZ - Developers continue to see Gilbert as a prime location for new-home building as proposals for four more subdivisions went before the Planning Commission on Wednesday. The commission also reviewed early conceptual plans for a 32-acre mixed-use development at Agritopia and a three-story, 90,000-square-foot office building Full Story.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Greenwich Property Assessments Inch Up
GREENWICH, CT - Completed property assessments by the town of Greenwich show property values rose slightly and home building appears to be on the increase. "It went up about 0.9 percent," said Bob Shippan, acting tax assessor. "It's pretty normal. People build homes." Total property value rose about $200 million since 2010. In 2010, 21,332 parcels of real estate were assessed, compared with 21,361 in 2011. Full Story.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Nevada's triple economic whammy
State starting to improve - slowly
The Great Recession has dealt Nevada a losing hand. The Silver State, which will hold the Republican caucus on Saturday, has the dubious distinction of leading the nation in unemployment, foreclosure filings and share of homes worth less than the mortgages on them. The collapse of the housing market wreaked havoc on homeowners, but also caused the once-prospering construction industry to fold, sending the unemployment rate skyrocketing. Full Story.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
NYC Adopts Green Building Codes, Aims to Save $400M
NEW YORK, NY - New city building code that aims to lower carbon emissions, energy consumption and waste is slowly but surely paying off. A new report from the Urban Green Council shows that New York City has been making progress on building construction and renovation standards over the last two years that will save $400 million in energy costs over time. Full Story.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Philly lost highest number of construction jobs in U.S.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - A construction industry trade group says Philadelphia lost the most construction jobs of all metro areas in the nation last year. Full Story.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Builders step up spending for fifth straight month
WASHINGTON, DC - Builders increased their spending in December for the fifth consecutive month, offering more evidence of improvement in the battered construction industry. Housing, nonresidential construction and government projects all showed gains. The Commerce Department says spending on construction projects rose 1.5 percent in December after a revised 0.4 percent gain in November. That pushed spending to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $816.4 billion, the highest level in 20 months. Full Story.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
New-home building remains stagnant in Triangle
RALEIGH, NC - Why aren't more new homes getting built in the Triangle? For the past several years, you didn't have to look very hard to find plenty of reasons to explain the lack of new residential construction taking place. When the housing bust occurred, the market suddenly had a massive surplus of inventory while at the same time the number of buyers was contracting. Banks, reeling from their exposure to real estate loans, were looking to rid themselves of such loans, not make new ones. Full Story.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
HOUSING: 2011 multifamily construction outpaces single family in 2011
SAN DIEGO, CA - Growth in the construction of new multifamily units outpaced single-family units in San Diego and Riverside counties in 2011, according to the Construction Industry Research Board, an industry nonprofit. In San Diego County, builders applied to build 2,903 units of apartments and condos in 2011, 2.5 times as many as they applied for in 2010. They applied for permits for 2,235 single-family units, just 1.7 percent more than they did in 2010. Overall spending on new housing construction cracked the $1 billion level for the first time since 2007. Full Story.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Developer presents plans for solar farm
BENSON< AZ - As part of a conditional use permit process, Ernie Graves of Whetstone Construction, LLC, presented plans Thursday, Jan. 19 for the 1,120 acre solar farm he plans to build on property about six miles south of Interstate 10 and 2.5 miles east of State Route 90, with more meetings coming up. Graves has divided the solar site's 1,120 acres into four phases with 280 acres in each segment and plans to develop each phase one at a time, in sequential order. Each phase is expected to go to a different solar construction company and will be capable of producing 20 megawatts. Full Story.
Tuesday, January 31, 2011
Non-profit in need on help
RICHMOND, VA - 12 On Your Side goes inside a non-profit in downtown Richmond - under fire for building code violations that could shut it down. The organization helps people out of impossible situations and now, it needs help. "Hill Top Promises" is at 2 East Broad Street. The city threatened to condemn the building once before, but the non-profit was able to get the heat fixed. Inspectors are now applying pressure for different reasons. Full Story.
Tuesday, January 31, 2011
Revenue From Net Zero Energy Buildings to Reach $1.3 Trillion by 2035, According to Pike Research
BOULDER, CO - As green building practices become more commonplace in the global construction industry, the goal of designing zero energy buildings, or buildings that consume as much energy as they produce through on-site and renewable energy systems, has emerged as the next major frontier. A number of countries and regions have already established long-term targets and regulations requiring zero energy building construction that will come into effect over the coming years, some as soon as 2016. These stringent regulations will accelerate adoption around the world, causing the industry to undergo a significant transformation in the coming years. According to a new report from Pike Research, worldwide revenue from zero energy buildings will grow rapidly over the next two decades, reaching almost $690 billion by 2020 and nearly $1.3 trillion by 2035. That represents a compound annual growth rate of 43%, with much of that growth occurring in the European Union. Full Story.
Monday, January 30, 2011
Indoor horse arena sparks anger in Bedminster
BEDMINSTER, PA - A Bedminster horse farm has come under fire from the township for putting up an indoor arena without following the proper zoning and building code procedures. Neighbors of Rainbow Ridge Farm on Applebutter Road also are upset with what they call excessive commercial activity on the farm, which offers lessons, therapeutic riding, horse boarding and more. Full Story.
Sunday, January 29, 2011
Landmark Fine Homes of Norman named 2012 ‘America’s Best Builder’
NORMAN, OK - Landmark Fine Homes of Norman has been named America’s Best Builder 2012 by “Builder” magazine, the leading media brand for the residential construction industry and serves as the magazine for the National Association of Home Builders. “The 2012 class of America’s Best Builders encompasses elite companies that represent the best of the industry,” said Boyce Thompson, editorial director of Builder magazine. Full Story.
Sunday, January 29, 2011
Calif. builders top U.S. construction surge
SANTA ANA, CA - Is the region's construction industry finally seeing some light and the end of the yet-to-be-built tunnel? California construction bosses added 21,000 jobs in the year ended in December, the largest boost in employing the building trades in the nation, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. California also had the nation's largest one-month jump -- 4,800 November to December, AGCA says. Full Story.
Friday, January 27, 2011
The changing face of town houses
A recent update to Seattle's building code aims to have new multifamily dwellings take on a different look. Changes include favoring front porches over auto courts.
SEATTLE, WA - As the number of town houses in Seattle-area neighborhoods has mushroomed in recent years, one particular design feature has caught the eye of many a homebuyer and neighbor; the "auto-court" parking area around which some town houses are clustered. With a central, cavelike driveway, often shaded by the town houses' upper floors extending overhead, auto courts typically consist of two rows of Smart Car-sized garages. Full Story.
Friday, January 27, 2011
Homebuilders against Bay Area construction idea
CONCORD, CA - A Bay Area plan for where to build new houses, shops and offices in a way that helps cut greenhouse gases relies on increased population concentrations some communities may reject, a state homebuilding industry representative said Thursday. "My concern is that we are way down the road in this process but not a lot has been explained to the public," California Building Industry Association attorney Paul Campos said. "There is a near poetic discussion of the scenarios but a studious avoidance of the word 'density.' " Full Story.
Friday, January 27, 2011
Governor seeks to stop 'tax pyramiding' in construction industry
SANTA FE, NM - About 30 contractors came to the Capitol on Wednesday to say they are being taxed to death. They stood with Gov. Susana Martinez, who wants to end "tax pyramiding" in the construction and manufacturing industries. Pyramiding refers to a system in which a builder can be taxed each time he hires other businesses people for his project. Martinez described what happens this way: A contractor hires an architect and pays a gross receipts tax. Next he needs a surveyor, so he is subject to the tax again. When it is time to build, he hires a company to bring portable toilets to the job site, creating a third round of taxes. Full Story.
Thursday, January 26, 2011
Frisco looks to cut red tape in building codes
Upcoming ordinance will likely include fee revisions
FRISCO, CO - At its Tuesday work session, the Frisco Town Council reviewed potential changes to the building code, which will likely include fee changes. According to Frisco community development director Jocelyn Mills, revisions to the code are designed to meet the goal of making her government branch “more friendly and efficient.” Full Story.
Thursday, January 26, 2011
Builders help multigenerational families with flexible floor plans
WASHINGTON, DC - The tight economy has more parents, grandparents and adult children living under one roof and new homebuilders are responding with flexible floor plans that can be customized to meet everyone's needs. Some 16.7 percent of the U.S. population lived in a multigenerational household in 2009, according to "Fighting Poverty in a Tough Economy, Americans Move in with Their Relatives," an October 2011 study by the Pew Research Center." Full Story.
Thursday, January 26, 2011
Village rental fees, registration begin Feb. 1
POMEROY, OH - Attention owners of rental properties in the Village of Pomeroy, rental fees and registrations begin on February 1. Under the Amended Housing Ordinance and Building Code passed by the Village Council earlier this month, all rental housing units within the village must be registered with the Village of Pomeroy. This ordinance includes mobile homes and properties being sold under land contract, unless such a land contract is recorded in the Meigs County Recorder’s Office. Full Story.
Thursday, January 26, 2011
Pitt to attend New Orleans homebuilding group gala
NEW ORLEANS, LA - Talk show host Ellen Degeneres and "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson are hosting a star-studded gala in New Orleans to benefit Brad Pitt's Make It Right home rebuilding effort. Pitt will attend the $1,000-per-person gala on March 10 called "A Night to Make It Right," which will include performances by singers Sheryl Crow, Rihanna, Seal and Dr. John, said foundation spokeswoman Taylor Royle. Full Story.
Thursday, January 26, 2011
Springfield biomass energy plant dealt a setback
SPRINGFIELD, MA - Plans to build a $150 million wood-burning power plant in Springfield have been dealt a setback by the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals, which overturned two building permits. The permits granted by the city’s Building Code Enforcement Commissioner were overturned unanimously Wednesday after the board agreed with an appeal filed by residents that the commissioner had overstepped his authority. Full Story.
Wednesday, January 25, 2011
Political tiff: Landlords vs. homebuilders? (Or not)
SANTA ANA, CA - The housing industry, politically speaking, is usually pretty well aligned: anything that’s good for construction is good for us. But we’ve noticed a modest crack in the unity after President Obama’s State of the Union Tuesday night. Full Story.
Wednesday, January 25, 2011
Damage to 1920s-era Carpenter's Home Building Worries Residents
LAKELAND, FL - Residents are worried that one of the city's historic structures could be history — in the wrong sense of the word. The former Carpenter's Home, a 1920s-era, Mediterranean-style building now owned by Tampa-based Without Walls International Church, has fallen into decline since it ceased being used as a private school in 2006. Local residents say broken windows, graffiti and interior damage now define the three-story building on the shore of Lake Gibson. Full Story.
Tuesday, January 24, 2011
Tornado commission recommends more shelters, tougher building codes
CENTER POINT, AL - Weather disasters in the state might be less deadly if storm shelters were required in new mobile home parks and apartment complexes, if tougher building codes were established for homes, and if Alabamians were offered a sales tax holiday on emergency supplies. These were among 20 recommendations the Tornado Recovery Action Council made to Gov. Robert Bentley after studying the state's deadly twister outbreak last April. The group's report was presented to Bentley this morning in Center Point, where he'd come to tour new storm damage that occurred on Monday. Full Story.
Monday, January 23, 2011
New Port Authority head sees post-9/11 drift
Executive Director Patrick Foye lauds his agency's efforts at Ground Zero but vows to return its focus to transportation and economic development projects.
NEW YORK, NY - The executive director of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey said the agency's focus on the World Trade Center over the last decade has led to “mission drift,” and he vowed a return to “core” transportation and economic development projects. Pat Foye, speaking at a construction industry luncheon in midtown on Monday, stressed that the time and money poured into the site has been in the region's interest, and that the site's successful redevelopment has made it a national symbol of the country's recovery from the Sept. 11 attacks. But that recovery has come at a cost—$11 billion spent to rebuild Ground Zero, an increase of $7 billion in Port Authority's debt, and the diversion of attention and resources from investments at the region's airports and bridges. Full Story.
Monday, January 23, 2011
Homebuilders in Bloomington will be required to offer sprinklers as option
BLOOMINGTON, IL - Homebuilders in Bloomington will only be required to educate their customers and offer them the option of installing fire sprinklers in new homes. The City Council on Monday rejected a recommendation from an advisory board to adopt an International Code Council standard that would have required fire sprinklers in all new homes. Bloomington's Construction Board of Appeals had recommended adoption of the standard, effective January 2013, after a year under a "mandatory offer" requirement in which builders would have to offer the choice to buyers. Full Story.
Monday, January 23, 2011
Marcus: An easy solution to unemployment
SHELBYVILLE, IN - In case you did not notice, the major problem in the economy is weakness in the construction industry. Although recovery has taken place in most sectors, construction, particularly residential construction, continues in the doldrums. To put a statistical face on this, the dollar value of residential construction peaked at $620 billion in 2006. In the next four years, it tumbled by 60 percent to $249 billion. Non-residential construction, however, did not peak until 2008 ($710 billion) but fell suddenly to $555 billion in 2010. Full Story.
Saturday, January 21, 2011
Independence Township violates codes, could lose building department
PONTIAC, MI - Serious deficiencies were found in Independence Township’s program to enforce and administer state building codes, according to Michigan’s Bureau of Construction Codes. Before the re-inspection, these deficiencies must be addressed or the township would no longer have its own building department. Without a building department, it would mean all building permits for Independence Township would go through Lansing. Full Story.
Saturday, January 21, 2011
Weight of snow has float homes tilting into water
SPOKANE, WA - A recent winter storm is toppling float homes on Lake Pend Oreille. “They’re top heavy,” said Paul Celeri, office manager of the Scenic Bay Marina & Motel in Bayview, Idaho. “The problem is, there’s not really a lot of building codes on the lake and so people think they can build these things how they want.” Unlike houseboats, float homes do not have motors and are more or less stationary, and they are popular around the Scenic Bay portion of the lake. However, many of the two-story float homes have a boat shed underneath, Celeri said, which makes them less stable as snow and ice pile up on top. Full Story.
Wednesday, January 18, 2011
City Council overhauls building, zoning rules
Changes create mixed-use zones in tornado recovery areas
TUSCALOOSA, AL - With a unanimous vote, the Tuscaloosa City Council on Tuesday approved an extensive overhaul of the city’s building codes and zoning ordinances. The changes, which created mixed-use zones for certain areas within the tornado recovery zone, are the most extensive since the city’s first zoning guidelines were adopted in 1972. Full Story.
Wednesday, January 18, 2011
San Anselmo Council agrees to hear matter
Crescent Road neighbors can air issues next month
SAN ANSELMO, CA - More than 50 Crescent Road neighbors appealed to the San Anselmo Town Council Jan. 10 to review building codes and second-story additions after a flap between neighbors and council member Jeff Kroot, a prominent architect, developed last year. Eric Warner and his wife, Kelley, who live next door to the Kroots, presented the council with a petition with 55 signatures asking the council to re-examine building codes and the requirements regarding second-story additions in town. Full Story.
Wednesday, January 18, 2011
Building proposal triggers concern
HILO, HI - Alternative building materials, such as structural bamboo, rammed earth and straw bales, have found a place in the international building code and the building codes of Hawaii and many other states. But they won't be found in the version of the Hawaii County Building Code currently under consideration by the County Council, which could finalize the code as early as Friday. The council is scheduled then to consider Draft 6 of Bill 270, which has been under consideration in one form or another since September 2010. Full Story.
Monday, January 16, 2011
SMART board approves $103 mil contract for first phase
NOVATO, CA - The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District board on Jan. 9 unanimously approved a $103 million contract for the construction of the rail project between Santa Rosa and San Rafael. Stacy and Witbeck Inc. of Alameda and Herzog Contracting Corp. of St. Joseph, Mo., will design and build the 38.5-mile first phase of the project between Santa Rosa and the Marin Civic Center. A contract for the second phase of the project between the Marin Civic Center and downtown San Rafael is expected to be awarded in the spring. That phase will cost between $17 million and $19 million, SMART’s general manager, Farhad Mansourian, said. Full Story.
Sunday, January 15, 2011
Off-Shore Wind Farm Project Moving Forward
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - The company planning to build what could be the nation's first offshore wind farm says it's ready to start construction on the multimillion-dollar project as soon as New Jersey officials give their approval. Fishermen's Energy of Cape May wants to build the wind farm about 2.8 miles off Atlantic City. It plans to erect five wind turbines that would produce up to 25 megawatts, capable of powering about 10,000 homes. Full Story.
Saturday, January 14, 2011
Union presses opposition to out-of-state contracts
HARTFORD, CT - Organized labor, a key constituency of the Democratic Party, hopes to turn up the heat on Connecticut's Democratic administration and legislature over out-of-state companies that win construction contracts for state-financed projects. Charles LeConche, business manager at the Connecticut Laborers' District Council, is angry that one contract for $130 million for construction along the bus-only route between Hartford and New Britain has gone to a Massachusetts company. Unions have been major supporters of the overall $567 million project aimed at boosting Connecticut jobs. Full Story.
Friday, January 13, 2011
State Energy Office Announces 2012 Schedule For Free Illinois Energy Conservation Code Training Series
SPRINGFIELD, IL - The State Energy Office at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced the 2012 schedule for the Illinois Energy Conservation Code (IECC) training series aimed at the state's construction industry. These training events will be offered at no cost to Illinois investor-owned utility customers and will allow homebuilders, designers, code officials, realtors, and home performance professionals to learn about the most up-to-date energy conservation codes for new construction, additions and renovation projects in Illinois. “This training series will help construction industry and homebuilding professionals stay up-to-date on state rules and regulations guiding the industry, allowing them to better serve their customers while adhering to the highest standards in building construction and renovation,” said Illinois Energy Office Deputy Director Jonathan Feipel. Full Story.
Friday, January 13, 2011
Inspector Sees Employees Exposed to Cave-In Hazards, OSHA Launches Investigation
OSHA began an inspection Aug. 12 of Sunland Construction Inc. when an agency investigator noticed that the company had failed to provide a safe means of egress from a 5-foot-10-inch trench and protect workers from a cave-in hazard at a worksite in Newman, Georgia.
NEWMAN, GA - As a result of these conditions, the company was cited for two willful violations for exposing workers to the possibility of a trench collapse while replacing high-pressure gas lines. OSHA is proposing $140,000 in penalties. . A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health. OSHA standards mandate that all excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse. Detailed information on trenching and excavation hazards is available on OSHA's web site. Full Story.
Thursday, January 12, 2011
Tampa to automate permitting system
TAMPA, FL - Perhaps sensing a pulse in Tampa's flat-lined construction industry, Mayor Bob Buckhorn announced plans Wednesday to bring the city's antiquated permitting system into the 21st century. Buckhorn said the city will spend $2.7 million to hire Accela Automation to develop a computerized system for receiving, reviewing, tracking and permitting construction. The plan must go to the City Council for final approval. Full Story.
Thursday, January 12, 2011
Greening Martha : West Tisbury will discuss green building codes on January 19
WEST TISBURY, MA - The West Tisbury selectmen have asked the West Tisbury Energy Committee (WTEC) to begin the qualification process for designation by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) as a Green Community, which would make available state funding for energy projects. The Green Communities Act signed by the governor in 2008 provides up to $10 million per year in technical and financial help to participating communities through the DOER. Adoption of Green Community standards may be put to voters in April. A Green Community must meet five standards. The most stringent requires is that the town adopt building regulations to comply with the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) "stretch code" for new residential and commercial construction. The code may also apply to major renovations. The stretch code is a more rigorous permitting and inspection process than the BBRS "base code" now in effect, and DOER projects the stretch code to achieve 20 percent better energy efficiency. The BBRS estimates that the stretch code will increase the cost of new construction by about $3,000 for a typical single family home and by one to three percent for commercial buildings. Full Story.
Wednesday, January 11, 2011
Broward School District cans $5.2 million project; legal and financial questions remain
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie has canceled construction on a $5.2 million office building in Pembroke Pines after auditors found that work proceeded despite an expired contract, possible violations of state building code and questions about whether it even was needed. Now, district officials face a potential legal and financial tangle. Royal Concrete Concepts, in Jupiter, billed the district for about $1.5 million in work after getting the green light in late May to proceed with construction, according to auditors. And district staff warned the School Board that it risked a lawsuit if the project was canned. The company has declined comment. Full Story.
Tuesday, January 10, 2011
Critics worry high-speed rail approvals will be fast-tracked
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Since the recession began, the state Legislature has put some big-ticket construction projects on the environmental fast track in the name of creating jobs. At the behest of then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, lawmakers agreed in 2009 to exempt 10 multimillion-dollar highway construction projects from environmental review, including the $400 million expansion of the Caldecott Tunnel, the freeway link between the Bay Area and Contra Costa suburbs. Full Story.
Monday, January 9, 2011
Local housing industry leaders prepare for Columbia rally
COLUMBIA, SC - Hundreds of people in South Carolina's homebuilding industry, including many from Beaufort County, will convene Thursday in Columbia to protest regulations they say hamper their recovery from the economic recession. The "Rally for Homeownership," scheduled for 1 p.m. on the steps of the Statehouse, is the first of several similar rallies planned nationwide that organizers hope will draw attention during the presidential race to homebuilders' plight. Full Story.
Monday, January 9, 2011
Malloy's storm response panel turns in report
HARTFORD, CT - New building codes for the shoreline and tougher standards for the utility companies are among the recommendations of the Governor's Two Storm committee in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene in August and the Autumn Nor'easter in late October. Over the past two months this special committee has heard from the utility companies, town leaders, and first responders and has come up with 82 recommendations. Full Story.
Monday, January 9, 2011
Mississippi ranks last in building standards
BILOXI, MS - A report that rates Mississippi far worse than other coastal states at mandating and enforcing building standards should be a wake-up call for policy makers, Robert Hartwig of the Insurance Information Institute said Monday. “That kind of puts Mississippi very much in the minority here,” said Hartwig, who heads the nonprofit alliance of insurance companies. “Not only is Mississippi last, but beyond that, other states get a much higher grade for the adoption of (building) codes. It seems like a logical step. I don’t know the politics of the state that have caused the solutions to the problem to stagnate, but this is a reminder that Mississippi is going to remain exposed. Another storm like Katrina is going to cause major damage in the state.” Full Story.
Monday, January 9, 2011
Greater Cincinnati new home market improves
Six months of improvements shown
CINCINNATI, OH - Smiles were evident Monday on the faces of many members of the Greater Cincinnati home building industry. They appeared because there were new indications the economy is showing signs of improvement, which could set up a domino effect on consumer spending. The good news was that the National Association of Home Builders named the Tri-State to its Improving Market Index (IMI) of housing markets showing measurable gains. Full Story.
Monday, January 9, 2011
Partners in Building plans seminar on custom home building
AUSTIN, TX - With interest rates as low as 3.9 percent and the real estate market picking up speed, now is the perfect time to dream about a new custom home with room for those holiday boxes. Partners in Building will help you start the new year off right with a "New Year, New Home" custom building seminar Jan. 17. "The timing is perfect to start a new custom home now," said area manager Shannon Nelson. "Families can move into their new home in time for the new school year while taking advantage of the hot summer market to sell an existing home." Full Story.
Monday, January 9, 2011
New Report from IBHS Evaluates Building Codes in 18 Coastal States
The report combines IBHS’ engineering expertise and regulatory research to examine the three main elements of a state’s building code system
TAMPA, FL - The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) today released a new report which provides an analysis of residential building codes in the 18 hurricane-prone coastal states along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Coast. Building codes are intended to increase the safety and integrity of structures, thereby reducing deaths, injuries and property damage from hurricanes and a wide range of other hazards. “Rating the States: An Assessment of Residential Building Codes and Enforcement Systems for Life Safety and Property Protection in Hurricane Prone Regions” is the first of its kind, state-by-state assessment of individual state performance in developing and promulgating a residential building code system, which uses modern building codes, coupled with strong enforcement related activities to enhance the protection of homes and families. Full Story.
Friday, January 6, 2011
Electrical union pays members to "intercept'' anti-stadium group in Santa Clara
SANTA CLARA, CA - If you thought that the fighting and politicking was long over regarding a new 49ers stadium that Santa Clara voters approved in 2010, you'd be wrong. As anti-stadium activists plan to fan out Saturday to try to persuade city leaders to revoke a vote to take out a massive construction loan for the project, an electrical union is offering money to people who will "intercept" the critics. Full Story.
Thursday, January 5, 2011
Florida's lien laws could hamper expansion
Business owner says Florida construction lien laws may chase off businesses looking to relocate here.
FORT MYERS, FL - A business owner who expected to open two data companies in Fort Myers says his plans are on hold because he is being sued for foreclosure on his $1 million-plus headquarters due to a $22,000 bill for roofing supplies a contractor didn’t pay. Roger Hutchison had planned to open Digital Data Destruction Services and eTriage, a data recovery company, in about two weeks, but he learned in December that the Tampa offices of supplier JGA-Beacon had filed a foreclosure on his building at 3131 East Riverside Drive. The complaint filed by JGA-Beacon on Dec. 16 states the company is still owed $22,152, including interest, by Camp-Rigby Roofing, of Cape Coral. Full Story.
Thursday, January 5, 2011
CMAA will hold seminar
SAN DIEGO, CA - Construction Management Association of America will hold a seminar on updates in construction law from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Jan. 27 at the Mission Valley Marriott, 8757 Rio San Diego Drive. Attorneys Mark Budwig and Laurence Phillips from McKenna Long and Aldridge LLP will review statutes and court decisions in the construction industry over the past year. Cost is $55 for members, $85 for nonmembers and walk-in fee $15. Parking is $5. Preregister no later than noon the day prior to the event. Visit cmaa-sd.org or call 619-692-3800. Full Story.
Thursday, January 5, 2011
Air quality permits granted for construction of Greene County plant
GREENEVILLE, TN - The state of Tennessee has granted the air quality permits needed for construction of the U.S. Nitrogen ammonium nitrate solution plant in Greene County, clearing the way for construction to begin. “We are very pleased to receive the air permits needed to move our project forward. We will soon release a timetable for groundbreaking and construction,” said Jim Boldt, vice president and chief financial officer of Austin Powder Company, the Cleveland, Ohio-based parent of U.S. Nitrogen. Boldt said the permits were issued Wednesday afternoon. Full Story.
Wednesday, January 4, 2011
Will log homes be felled by modern building codes?
TORONTO, CANADA - They are icons of the Canadian landscape, rough-hewn testaments to both a pioneering spirit and an unforgiving climate. But now, log homes are weathering a different adversary – modern building codes. As governments push for greater energy efficiency, builders of traditional log homes across the country fear they could be left behind. And some worry the day will come when they will no longer be able to build log homes as we know them. Full Story.
Tuesday, January 3, 2011
Homebuilding Boosts Construction Spending
WASHINGTON, DC - Construction spending jumped in November as builders spent more on single-family homes, apartments and remodeling projects. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that spending on construction projects rose 1.2 percent in November, following a revised 0.2 percent drop in October. The increase was the third in four months and the largest since a 2.2 percent rise in August. Full Story.
Monday, January 2, 2011
Buchanan Abbey must bring facility up to fire code
INDEPENDENCE, IA - Add a new concern to Ryan St. Anne Scott's growing list: building codes. The Iowa State Fire Marshal's Division during an inspection Nov. 30 noted numerous deficiencies at the alleged monk's new facility, the Buchanan Abbey. Full Story.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
D.A.’s Office and State License Board team up to fight insurance fraud
FONTANA, CA - The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office Workers’ Compensation Fraud Prosecution Unit has partnered with the California Contractors State License Board’s (CSLB) Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) to assure contractors and those engaged in home improvement and construction activity have the proper workers’ compensation insurance coverage and appropriate licensure for the job. As a result, during the past two months, investigators from the District Attorney’s office and SWIFT conducted the first of what will be many compliance checks at jobsites throughout San Bernardino County.
Full Story.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Building codes to tighten across Texas
AUSTIN, TX - The international symbol for Texas’ energy-guzzling habit is a monster pickup — pulling another pickup. But homes and other buildings are also big offenders, accounting for roughly 40 percent of the state’s overall energy use. The opportunity for savings — and to draw down some energy-related federal stimulus dollars — has spurred action by state and local officials. Full Story.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Rebuilding Missouri through energy efficient building codes
SAINT LOUIS, MO - As the weather turns cold, we know Missouri households will see their monthly heating bills rise. No big surprise, right? Well, not so fast. This time, the bad news first: The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy just named Missouri the 44th-worst state in energy efficiency. That means Missourians are paying hundreds of dollars a year more for utility bills. Full Story.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
WCI improves efficiency, reduces paper use with new tablet technology
BONITA SPRINGS, FL - Modern technology — now being used by WCI Communities to enable homebuyers to view photos of their home under construction and for website visitors to tour a model home from anywhere in the world — is helping the company's construction managers to efficiently balance all the pieces in the home-building equation. Construction managers in WCI's new-home communities from South Tampa to Naples are using tablet-sized technology to streamline the building process — a move that improves efficiency and saves paper, according to Tom Fichter, the company's vice president of construction. Full Story.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Cheaper, greener modular homes could be the future of home building
NEWPORT NEWS, VA - When Jack and Gina Sheehan wanted to demolish and replace their 1952-built waterfront home in Yorktown, Va., they didn't choose the custom-built route. Instead, they went with what is mostly a modular home. "I did a lot of research online, looking at modular, the pros and cons, and visiting a couple of factories in Virginia and North Carolina," says Sheehan, a retired aeronautical engineer who is now a business development consultant. Full Story.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Builders stymied on 'navigable' Santa Cruz
DC court says group has no standing to appeal EPA decision
PHOENIX, AZ - A federal appeals court has slapped down efforts by homebuilders to overturn a decision that two stretches of the Santa Cruz River are legally "navigable." In a unanimous ruling, the three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit sidestepped the question of whether the Environmental Protection Agency made a proper legal determination that the stretches are navigable. Full Story.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Group pipes up on plumbing issue
Report: Reply to request by investigator seems to support allegations
LANTANA, TX - A family’s complaint to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners that their $300,000 home suffered catastrophic damage for want of $50 in plumbing materials has held water with a building code group. A state investigator’s report appears to support allegations made by Phil and Kay Smith. At issue is whether Lantana officials were correct in allowing water pipes to be run through interior beams differently than exterior beams. In an interpretation requested by the investigator, the International Code Council said no, according to a draft report obtained through an open-records request by the Denton Record-Chronicle. Full Story.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Problem uncovered at another Neenan-built school
DENVER, CO - A company that built a school in northwest Colorado that was closed to students after an inspection found it failed to meet building codes says repairs are needed at another school elsewhere. The Denver Post reports (http://bit.ly/soy7n4 ) part of the roof at Sargent Junior-Senior High School near Monte Vista is at risk of collapse if it bears 10 inches of snow or more. Full Story.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Lead can add to house work costs
CANTON, GA - A couple of years ago, real estate expert John Adams started ringing the bell about a relatively unknown federal regulation that would be a veritable tidal wave in the construction industry. It’s called the RRP rule, and it requires all contractors to test for the presence of lead-based paint on structures built before 1978. If the structure tests positive, then the contractors are obligated to contain, minimize and clean up the dust that can cause health problems — especially to children. Yawning yet? I was, too. Still John kept telling me this was a really, big deal. Why? Contractors caught failing to abide by the law would be fined and prosecuted. That got my interest. At TrustDale.com, my team and I research and recommend companies that deliver — through our seven-point review process — the best combination of price, quality and customer service. That combination requires those companies to also follow the law. (Cut corners if you wish, but the first time a contractor does work on your home — and their employee gets injured — you’ll be shocked to find out you’re the one responsible for his medical bills — and you’re the one he’ll sue. Full Story.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Zoning, building code plan advances
TUSCALOOSA, AL - The enactment of an extensive overhaul of the city's building codes and zoning rules for certain areas within the tornado recovery zone took one more step toward adoption Tuesday night. As part of the approval process, the City Council voted unanimously to formally introduce the zoning amendments. The next step will be to publish the 51-page document as a legal notice, which will appear in Friday's edition of The Tuscaloosa News as a pull-out section. Full Story.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Texas building code 'Going Green'
TYLER, TX - According to the Texas Tribune, the state will adopt a new building code in January that should cut the energy consumption of new single family homes by more than 15%. East Texas builder Gary Bayless tells KETK most of the new requirements are things that good builders already do. So he's not complaining. Full Story.
Saturday, December 16, 2011
Lawmaker pushes for sprinkler law relief for businesses
Looks to 'grandfather' historic buildings
NEWMARKET, NH - A number of businesses have been negatively affected by fire and building code sprinkler regulations updated in April 2010, and state Rep. Adam Schroadter, R-Newmarket, recently filed legislation to address the issue. As currently written, Schroadter's bill would grandfather historic buildings from the updated state fire and building code sprinkler regulations. However, Schroadter admitted changes could come to the bill when it is vetted in the House, and he said his bill doesn't define "historic building." Full Story.
Friday, December 15, 2011
Home builder says Plainfield Township building code official lacks certain credentials
EASTON, PA - A Moore Township-based home builder claims a Plainfield Township building code official has been performing inspections for the past five years without proper certification. Ean Sussick, owner of Ean Sussick & Sons Inc., appeared before the Plainfield Township Board of Supervisors on Wednesday night and claimed that the township's building code official, Charles Knecht, has been performing improper inspections over the last five years because he lacked certain certifications. Full Story.
Thursday, December 14, 2011
Eco-friendly Ballard home is earning money for its owners
SEATTLE, WA - A Ballard couple's frugal approach to home building is paying off, and they're now the proud owners of the first home in Seattle that actually produces more energy than it uses. Eric Thompson said he and his wife were just an average couple faced with the common problem of wanting to buy their first home but not liking anything in their price range. Full Story.
Thursday, December 14, 2011
Firefighters press for home sprinkler requirement
BOSTON, MA - Firefighters, mourning the loss of one of their own in a Worcester house fire last week, pleaded with state public safety officials Tuesday to give cities and towns the authority to require sprinkler systems in new one- or two-family homes. But they ran into stiff opposition from homebuilders, realtors, engineers and contractors. Full Story.
Thursday, December 14, 2011
MakeIt Labs, the new ‘hackerspace’ in Nashua, closed by the city for permits, other issues
NASHUA, NH - Four months after it brought a blend of do-it-yourself-ism and geek philosophy to a former foundry in Nashua, creating what one person described as a “gym for professional engineers,” MakeIt Labs has been shut by the city because of concern about permits and building codes. The nonprofit group hopes to fix the problems and reopen soon. Full Story.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Engineering News-Record Launches Redesigned Career Center Website with 100,000+ Open Construction Positions
NEW YORK, NY - Engineering News-Record (ENR), McGraw-Hill Construction's award-winning publication and website, has launched a redesigned career center, ENR Industry Jobs at enr.com/industryjobs, now featuring a robust database of more than 100,000 construction industry positions for construction managers, engineers, architects, designers, and trade and laborer professionals. "The ENR Industry Jobs site is more powerful than ever now with the additional functionality to aggregate thousands more job openings, from top executives all the way through craft positions such as electricians, carpenters, bricklayers, iron workers and more," said Paul Bonington , VP & Publisher of ENR. "We've also connected the jobs site to ENR.com, the industry's most essential and trusted source for the latest news, insight and analysis--including continuing education. Now you can find your next job, explore career options, and have the vast content resources of ENR at your fingertips as well." Full Story.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Aftershocks: Centuries later, debates surround New Madrid earthquakes
DELL, AR - Wading birds perch like sentries at the edge of a cypress-studded lake here, further gracing a peaceful place that gives no hint of the almost-apocalyptic spasm of violence that created it. Two hundred years ago this Friday, at about 2:15 a.m. on Dec. 16, 1811, an earthquake emanating from miles below this area of northeastern Arkansas buckled the landscape with a force equal to at least 32 megatons of TNT -- 2,500 times more powerful than the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Full Story.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
City's building code effectiveness ratings improve
PENSACOLA, FL - The City of Pensacola’s Insurance Service Office building code effectiveness ratings have improved to a score of 5 for residential, commercial and industrial property. The Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule ratings are used by the ISO to measure the adoption, enforcement, and administration of building codes in communities. The lower the rating, the better. Full Story.
Friday, December 9, 2011
BART Extension Project Should Bring Jobs To South Bay
SAN JOSE, CA - Unemployment in the construction field has been running over 30% in Silicon Valley as of late. But, the hard-hit industry could soon be seeing some better times, following the awarding of more than $1 billion in contracts for the BART to San Jose project. Construction of the 10 mile extension from Fremont to Berryessa is being called an automatic job generator. Full Story.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Assembly panel advances bill to extend length of developer permits
TRENTON, NJ - An Assembly panel Thursday advanced a controversial bill that would extend the shelf-life of permits granted for developments, allowing builders to avoid complying with newer environmental laws, building codes or local zoning. The measure, approved 6-0 by the Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee, would also retroactively roll back restrictions on extending permits in areas previous labeled "environmentally sensitive," reviving some expired permits. Full Story.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Report: California School Inspections Falling Short
SACRAMENTO, CA - A report from the state auditor says a quarter of school projects built in the last few years may not meet California building codes thanks to lax oversight from a state agency. The California State Auditor’s report on the Division of the State Architect revealed that state officials failed to certify 16,000 school projects across the state, with 477 of the uncertified schools located in the Sacramento region. Full Story.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Affordable green
Once contractors get down the learning curve, costs for green homebuilders come down.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Owners of commercial buildings -- from office towers to industrial warehouses to shopping malls -- now almost as a matter of course "go green" with their new construction projects. Being able to say your facility has been certified as energy-efficient or ecologically friendly is considered an essential selling point when competing for business tenants in a crowded marketplace. Full Story.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Contractors satisfied with roofing regulations, but say they could be better
RAPID CITY, SD - More than a year ago, Rapid City started requiring permits and licenses for roofing projects. Now, as the city council investigates the program’s effectiveness, local contractors say the system has made things better — but could be greatly improved. “Like everything, it’s going to take a little bit of time,” said Lyndon Bolt, owner of Bolt Construction. “Stuff doesn’t become perfect in the first year.” Full Story.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
SF Considering Eliminating Impact Fees for Residential Developments for 2 Years
SANTA FE, NM - The Santa Fe City Council’s Finance Committee, in a divided vote on Wednesday, approved a measure aimed at aiding Santa Fe’s construction industry by temporarily eliminating impact fees for residential developments. The new ordinance would eliminate the fees for two years, a loss to the city of roughly $400,000 annually. Supporters say the intent is to jump-start projects that may have stalled because of financing issues and argue that the potential increase in gross receipts tax revenue could outweigh the lost impact fees. Full Story.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
New Arizona development-fee law to hamper Goodyear
Legislators, lobbyists accused of interference
PHOENIX, AZ - Admonishing state lawmakers and the homebuilders' lobby for interfering in city business, Goodyear officials reluctantly revised an ordinance that allows the city to collect development fees. The anger stemmed from a state law signed in April that made substantial changes to how cities and towns collect and spend development impact fees, which homebuilders pay for each new home built. Ultimately, homebuyers pay the fees. Full Story.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Buffett company purchase gives solar industry big boost
LOS ANGELES, CA - Warren Buffett’s MidAmerican Energy Holdings company has agreed to buy a giant, 550-megawatt photovoltaic farm currently under construction in San Luis Obispo County for $2 billion, giving a huge boost to the solar industry that could spur investment by other major players. The "utility-scale" facility MidAmerican is purchasing is being built by First Solar Inc. of Tempe, Ariz. A spokesman for First Solar, Alan Bernheimer, said the farm would produce enough power to provide for the energy needs of 160,000 California homes. But the investment had deeper meaning for an industry that still has only a small footprint in the nation's energy mix and has been battered by recent bankruptcies. Full Story.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
AIF, Construction Groups Say Casinos Will Create Jobs
TALLAHASSEE, FL - Associated Industries of Florida and construction-industry groups Tuesday touted bills that would allow major resort casinos in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, saying the proposals would help a building industry that has been hammered by job losses in recent years. "We want to take control of our future and advance policies that we know will result in job creation,'' Brewster Bevis, an AIF vice president, said during a news conference at the Capitol. Full Story.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Contractors hear proposed changes to building code
Concerns expressed over fire sprinkler requirements
FORT MORGAN, CO - About 20 contractors and residents showed up for a public meeting about proposed changes to Fort Morgan building codes last week.
The city is attempting to update its codes to an adapted version of the 2009 International Building Code, which is something the county had already done. The meeting, which was held Thursday night at Fort Morgan City Hall, involved both information presentations and question-and-answer sessions about various code changes that affect construction of new buildings, as well as renovations and remodels that require permits. Full Story.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Contractors report increased work, problems
NAGS HEAD, NC - Many area construction, roofing and repair contractors are reporting an impressive increase in business in the wake of Hurricane Irene. With hundreds of homes and businesses damaged by the storm's winds and flooding, what had been a sluggish time for the construction industry on the Outer Banks has accelerated dramatically. "Any roofing contractors you talk to will tell you that Irene has had a major impact," said Gallop Roofing and Remodeling owner Rex Simpson. "With so little new construction going on here, business was really slow. But it has picked up and right now it's going really well." Full Story.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Couple sues Cumberland County over building code violations in Baywood South house
FAYETTEVILLE, NC - A couple is suing Cumberland County over claims it wrongly allowed their Baywood South house to be built on swampland and failed to catch building code violations. Richard K. Wilson and Regina E. Wills bought the house in 2006 and moved out three years later. County records show they paid $290,000, but the home is now worth only about $31,178 in salvage value, the suit says. Full Story.
Saturday, December 3 , 2011
Stalled New York CIty Construction Sites Become Farms, Stores
NEW YORK CITY, NY - A remnant of the Great Recession is hiding behind a paint-splattered wall in Chinatown, in an empty lot where a building was supposed to rise into the sky. The plywood barely conceals the mess behind it: a pile of cement blocks and tangled metal and empty bottles of beer. It is, in short, exactly the sort of place that draws the ire of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. Full Story.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Glen Ellyn issues stop-work orders for COD projects
AURORA, IL - Making good on its promise to keep enforcing its building codes, Glen Ellyn Friday issued stop-work orders and citations to the College of DuPage. The village issued three citations and two stop-work orders for landscaping work being done on the McAninch Arts Center plaza, various parking lots and the Student Resource Center. Other construction involves lighting for parking lots and an outdoor tennis court. Full Story.
Friday, December 2, 2011
No impact fees sells more homes in Redding; reduction lets in buyers at lower costs
REDDING, CA - Redding's depressed home-building market got a boost in November, and at least two contractors credit the city's decision to suspend impact fees for the improvement. "It has affected our building community," Jeb Allen of Palomar Builders said Friday. "I think it's giving builders a little bit more enthusiasm." Full Story.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Rep. Swinger files bill to give tax breaks for building storm shelters
JONESBORO, AR - State Rep. Terry Swinger pre-filed a bill on Thursday for the 2012 legislative session that would give tax breaks to Missourians building storm shelters. House Bill 1035 would grant income tax deductions to Missourians who build storm shelters at their homes. Individual deductions would be for the cost of construction or $5,000, whichever is less. Full Story.
Friday, December 2, 2011
As MVC considers regulating large houses, builders cry foul
EDGARTOWN, MA - To some, they’re a boon to the construction industry; to others, a blight on the landscape. When talk turns to whether the Martha’s Vineyard Commission should regulate so-called mega-mansions on the Island, there’s rarely middle ground, and there’s usually a crowd. On Monday the commission land use planning committee met to discuss possible changes to the DRI checklist, the process that determines what projects are sent to the commission for review as developments of regional impact. The Vineyard Conservation Society, an outspoken opponent to the proliferation of what it sees as out-of-scale trophy houses, and the West Tisbury planning board asked the commission to consider adding the construction of large houses to that checklist. The meeting wasn’t a public hearing, but it attracted representatives from both the Island construction and conservation communities, and prompted both sides to speak out. Full Story.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Real life “Constructicon” quadcopter robots being developed
NEW YORK, NY - While scientists are not creating evil robots that are hell bent on destruction (as far as we know), they are working on drones that will have the ability to autonomously build the structures that we both work and live in. The day of driving around your city and seeing swarms of nanobots or robots capable of flight building a new office building may not be far off. With recent development in robotic technology, the days of the human construction worker may be numbered as machinery will make the task cheaper and safer for all of those involved. It may be time to start thinking about re-purposing that hard hat into a flower pot to make it useful. This isn’t an idea that comes out of some sci-fi flick, but rather from real research projects underway as you read this story. A robotics team from the University of Pennsylvania has developed fully autonomous quadcopter drones that have the ability to build simple structures out of magnetic parts. The robots have the ability to work in “swarms” without interfering with each other, and have the intelligence to know when a part is placed correctly and locked into place. The team has developed an algorithm that in their words is “limited only by the battery life of the quadcopters and the number of parts available.” As a result of work like this, architecture and construction may become something that is solely done through a computer terminal. Plan the building, plot the robotic courses then hit the start button and watch your vision become reality. You can see the project in action in a video at the end of the article. Full Story.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Home building company bringing jobs to Vallejo
VALLEJO, CA - A company that promises to change the way homes are built is bringing dozens of jobs to a Bay Area city that needs them badly. They are built much like any other home -- by skilled workers using hammers and power tools. But what's different about Blu Homes is where they're built -- in a factory. Forget what you know about manufactured housing. This is something totally different. Full Story.
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