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Want Safer Buildings? Use 'Smart' Bricks.
"We are living with more and more smart electronics all around us, but we still live and work in fairly dumb buildings," remarks the University of Illinois Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology's Chang Liu. The researcher and his colleagues have invented a "smart" brick, which is equipped with sensors and other electronic components designed to make structures safer. The sensors track temperature, vibration and movement, employing wireless technology to deliver the data to a remote computer. Networks comprised of multiple bricks could monitor a building's structural stability during a fire, earthquake or other disaster as well as identify walls in need of repair. Before the smart bricks make it into residential and commercial buildings, researchers want to compress the components onto a single chip adhered to flexible plastic to achieve versatility and resilience. (www.csmonitor.com)
Christian Science Monitor (08/19/04) P. 17; Borchardt, John K.
White Beadboard Making a Comeback
White-painted beadboard is making a comeback, driven by America's rekindled fondness for beach houses. The old-fashioned moldings with rounded edges were commonly used to panel the porches of seaside cottages in the 19th century. Now, however, the wall coverings are being applied elsewhere — including ceilings, cabinet doors and wainscoting. Designers say that while the look is nostalgic, achieving it is more efficient now that large panels with the beadboard design stamped on the surface are available. Previously, the planks had to be installed one by one. (www.wsj.com)
Wall Street Journal (08/20/04) P. W8; Fletcher, June
Upstairs Laundry Rooms Gain Popularity
The typical clothes washload takes two hours to complete, and more and more builders are facilitating the process for home buyers by moving laundry rooms out of the basement and closer to bedrooms. In addition to convenience, first- and second-floor laundry facilities also enhance a property's resale value. Residents of existing properties can take advantage of this trend as well. Those interested in relocating their washrooms are urged to hire a contractor with knowledge of the local building codes to handle plumbing and ventilation. Before undertaking such a project, they should ensure that there is plenty of space to accommodate the washer and dryer, shelves, a sorting and folding station, and an ironing board. Ideally, the laundry room should be situated near existing plumbing and wiring, with plenty of lighting and ground fault circuit interrupter outlets to turn off the machines if moisture is detected. Strong flooring, wide doorways, moisture-resistant greenboard and soundproof walls also are recommended. (www.macontelegraph.com)
Macon Telegraph (08/19/04) P. D1; Heavens, Alan J.
Baby Boomers Flock to Active-Adult Communities
Younger baby boomers are flocking to Sacramento, CA, to take advantage of active-adult communities. There already are six or so such developments planned for the area, and another 1,800-2,000 units per year could be built by the end of the decade to meet demand. Today's retirees are opting for developments with fitness centers, walking trails, swimming pools, wellness centers, plenty of activities and scores of high-tech features over standard amenities such as golf and shuffleboard. Experts say they are living and working longer, even launching second careers as they reach the traditional retirement age. Many 40-something baby boomers also are making second-home purchases, traveling and having plastic surgery; and they tend to desire homes near the urban core in close proximity to entertainment venues. Their older counterparts, however, prefer suburban locales with resort amenities. With many homes in active-adult communities inching past the $300,000 mark, developers are turning their attention to reasonably priced, age-restricted rentals. They also are beginning to cater to buyers who prefer a smaller, more closely knit residential environment. (www.sacramento.bcentral.com)
Sacramento Business Journal (08/16/04) Gonzales, Anne
Home Demand Rebounded in July
A recent Market News polling of the nation's home builders has painted a mostly positive picture of the housing market's current state, as residential real estate has been immune to the summer slowdown. Home prices have continued to climb — especially with supply remaining lean as a result of growth restrictions in many markets and demand still so high. In addition, mortgage rates have settled down from their earlier volatility to decline in the first part of the current month. (www.investors.com)
Investor's Business Daily (08/16/04) P. A2
Even With Condos Hot, Incentives Help Sales
South Florida's condominium market is hot, with buyers willing to camp out to secure a spot when sales open up in the most desirable projects. The average price of these units is rising to meet demand, soaring 24% to $171,731 in Fort Lauderdale during the year-over-year period ended in July. Even with the market sizzling like it is, developers are offering numerous incentives to lure both buyers and brokers, ranging from free upgrades and retail discount cards for buyers to extra compensation for brokers. Though many people associate incentives with desperation, experts say developers want to quickly unload their units to save on marketing costs; generate interest during the summer months, when activity traditionally slows; and avoid going over budget. "It's true that incentives that are not necessary usually indicate that a potential project might be selling slower than it is or that there is something wrong," remarks Fortune International Development President Edgardo De Fortuna. "But I come from a brokerage background, and I think my most important assets are the brokers that are promoting and selling my project, so any time I can do something for them to create loyalty and awareness of our product, I will." (www.sun-sentinel.com)
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (08/16/04) P. 10; Friedman, Robyn A.
Women, Minorities Loom Large in Housing Industry, Study Says
The residential property industry is likely to have another strong decade as household growth runs 10% higher than initially estimated to 13 million from 2005 to 2015, according to a new report from Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. Woman will have a larger influence on the market as two-income households and female households continue to grow; and another factor will be an increase in minority homeownership, which is expected to soar to 34% by 2020. "Largely as a result of immigration, minorities accounted for 27% of households in 2003 and will contribute at least two-thirds of net household growth in the coming decades," according to a statement by Nicolas P. Retsinas, director of the Joint Center for Housing Studies. The new study also notes that the impact of rising home prices has been lessened by low interest rates; however, the supply of housing will come under pressure to keep apace of demand. (www.timesfreepress.com)
Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN) (08/15/04) P. H2; Wilcox, Gregory J.
Eco-Friendly Homes Blossom in Landscape
Green building is catching on among home builders, who constructed a total of 13,739 such dwellings across the country last year. In comparison, less than 19,000 green homes were erected from 1990 to 2001. The Florida Green Building Coalition certified 76 green homes statewide during the past four years and will put its seal of approval on another 120 structures in 2004 alone. The concept is gaining popularity with the emergence of cheaper environmentally friendly, energy-efficient products; and builders are even constructing models to market these green features. In Orlando, for example, Bradford Building Corp. is erecting the Not So Big Showhouse, which merges energy-efficient components with architect Sarah Susanka's scaled-down design concepts. The residence will boast structured insulated panels; energy-efficient windows; a solar water heater; a photovoltaic system; and faucets, toilets, and an irrigation system that conserve water. Owners of green homes benefit from lower utility bills, fewer maintenance tasks and improved indoor-air quality. According to NAHB, more than two dozen regional green building programs are in place nationwide. (www.orlandosentinel.com)
Orlando Sentinel (08/15/04) P. J1; Alexander, Carrie
Housing Turns to Technology
More builders in Southern California are expected to switch from wood frames to insulated concrete forms, which are polystyrene blocks filled with concrete. Development of a subdivision in Cathedral City, where 160 homes are being built with insulated concrete forms, has drawn attention to the new technology. Insulated concrete forms shave 30%-50% off a home's energy bill; block outside noise; prevent mold growth; and accelerates the construction process. In addition, the material is strong enough to comply with the state's earthquake-safety rules and at the same time accommodate bigger windows and doorways. Commercial developers are expected to embrace the technology as well in an effort to slash energy costs. The homes in the Cathedral City project, the Villages at Rio Del Sol, will command anywhere from $600,000 to $1 million apiece. (www.thedesertsun.com)
Palm Springs Desert Sun (CA) (08/13/04) Hirsh, Lou
Tax-Credit Study: Yields on Par, Foreclosure Levels Remain Low
Ernst & Young LLP's newly issued study of tax-credit investors and syndicators found that investments in low-income-housing tax-credit projects have been performing in line with earlier yield forecasts. For the report, E&Y researchers examined 2002 operating data on more than 7,000 such properties representing almost $15 billion worth of equity investment since 1987, holding it up against the results of a previous study of operating data from the year 2000. Among other findings, E&Y determined that foreclosure rates remained low at about 0.01%. Occupancy was stable, meanwhile, at an average 95% across the board — although smaller properties routinely were outperformed by large properties, and rural properties — which are typically small — did not do nearly as well as urban properties. (www.cpnonline.com)
Commercial Property News (08/04) P. 1; Fitzgerald, Therese
Electric Ranges Lick Kitchen Heat
General Electric engineers report that electric ranges reduce the temperature in kitchens by 8-16 degrees compared to homes equipped with conventional ranges. In addition, kitchens with conventional flame-burning ranges require air conditioning units to eliminate the temperature difference, which would increase the user's monthly energy bill by roughly $2.10. The United States Department of Agriculture also states that electric cooking is cooler after conducting tests comparing the performance of cooking methods under laboratory conditions. Tests compared flame-burning rangers to electric rangers when cooking identical meals. The tests indicated that flame-burning ranges required 29,980 heat units to cook meals compared to the15,026 heat units used by electric ranges. (www.wyomingrea.org)
Wyoming Rural Electric News (08/04) Vol. 50, No. 7, P. 5
Expert Advice on VOIP
Some small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) can significantly cut their communications costs by adopting Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), but CDW Senior Sales Engineer Bryan Cohen urges those that cannot achieve cost savings to stick with traditional PBX phone systems. He explains, "Essentially, VOIP is a compromise of features and cost versus reliability." There are different types of VOIP systems, and SMBs should choose the one that best fits their needs. Companies that make a lot of intra-office and customer calls might want to consider a basic LAN-based VOIP system that facilitates the process of adding and removing phones and relocating from one office space to another. WAN-based VOIP is a good choice for SMBs with offices in different calling areas, allowing them to slash their long-distance telephone bills. Before implementing VOIP, Cohen urges them to update their network switches and routers to support the QoS (Quality of Service) standard to keep words in the proper order during transmission and ensure that voice calls are not disrupted by data exchanges. SMBs must also implement systems that immediately restart the network after a crash; provide employee training; and make sure the vendor will service the system when necessary. (www.SmallBusinessComputing.com)
Small Business Computing (08/17/04) Simonds, Lauren
Document Imaging Helps Increase Office Productivity and Security
Document imaging systems, comprised of high-speed scanners and imaging software, enhance both productivity and security. These solutions either store pieces of data or entire documents. Data capture solutions eliminate time-consuming data-entry tasks, while document capture solutions offer speedy access to complete files. Productivity losses tied to the wait for paper documents total about $4,500 per worker per year. Document capture solves this problem, as well as reduces the chances of losing or misplacing important files. In terms of security, document imaging systems allow files to be stored at remote locations. The documents can easily be called up and reprinted if the main office is destroyed by fire or natural disaster. (www.houston.bcentral.com)
Houston Business Journal (08/13/04) Wells, Garth
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