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Snazzier Houses Bring Energy Crisis Home to Middle Class
The cost of home heating oil has risen 60% in the last year; while propane and natural-gas prices are up 30% and 11%, respectively. With the average-sized abode expanding from 1,500 square feet in 1970 to 2,230 sq. ft. last year, upper- and middle-class families are just as likely as the poor to be burdened with high heating bills. Not only are homes larger than they were three decades ago, they also now boast several refrigerators, plasma TVs, lap pools, multiple-head showers, numerous dishwashers, Jacuzzis and other appliances that gobble up electricity and hot water. In fact, hot water accounts for 40% of home heating bills. Home owners also must keep in mind that plugged-in cell-phone chargers, microwaves, stereos and computers consume energy even when they are not in use. According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, the amount home owners spend on automobile and home-heating fuel has surged from an average of $6,000 to upwards of $9,000 over the last four years. (www.csmonitor.com)
Christian Science Monitor (10/28/04) P. 1; Scherer, Ron
At Home on Earth
Architects increasingly are turning to sustainable design, which involves minimal use of natural resources during construction. Interest in sustainable design can be tied to high fossil-fuel costs and concerns about global warming. Sustainable structures are comprised of recycled materials, such as wood frames made from old railroad ties; straw insulation; concrete made from scraps of carpet and metal; and wall panels comprised of soy, sunflower and wheat plants. According to architect Bill Dunster, sustainable design aims to "create a new way of living and working that's so appealing people will chose it above the alternatives." Sustainable features are being incorporated into new dwellings across the globe, with a slew of directives and pilot projects. Existing dwellings also will be improved through the addition of rainwater tanks and energy-efficient insulation, among other things. (www.newsweek.com)
Newsweek (10/25/04) P. 41; Pepper, Tara
Western Red Cedar Stakes a Claim as Preferred Wood in Homes
The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association (WRCLA) touts western red cedar as home owners' top choice for decorative wood both inside and outside of their dwellings. Aside from its aesthetic qualities, WRCLA's Peter Lang notes that cedar's ability to remain stable, with less swelling, warping or twisting; to be painted or stained easily; and to avoid rot and decay for longer periods of time gives it an edge over other types of softwood. Because it is naturally less susceptible to deterioration, cedar does not require treatment with chemical protectants and is therefore more environmentally friendly than other alternatives. Specifically, Lang compares the use of cedar in deck construction with that of composite materials made of plastic and wood chips; cedar, Lang says, is just as easy to maintain in addition to being a more renewable resource than composites. (www.ap.org)
Associated Press (10/25/04) Bradley, David
Rate Protection for Home Buyers — And Builders
Fears of dramatic boosts in mortgage rates have scores of buyers entering the housing market, mainly because even a modest gain in borrowing costs can block some from homeownership. Builders are worried about higher rates as well, especially now that shortages of materials and skilled labor are extending completion dates. As a hedge against higher mortgage rates that could result in lost sales, many are offering so-called "forward commitments." Such agreements allow buyers using the builder's preferred lender or in-house mortgage company to close a deal three months to a year or more down the road at today's rates. Forward commitments are similar to the rate locks or rate commitments offered by most lenders, and buyers who choose an outside lender may want to consider this option as well. Before agreeing to a rate lock, borrowers should determine the cost and length of the lock and find out what happens if the sale is cancelled, the lock expires or mortgage rates plummet while the lock is in effect. (www.chicagotribune.com)
Chicago Tribune (10/24/04) P. 5B; Sichelman, Lew
Families, Retirees Moving to 'Cohousing' Neighborhoods in Search of Community
Home buyers who want to interact with their neighbors and enjoy a sense of community increasingly are turning to cohousing. These developments involve dwellings built in close proximity to one another and a community center, where residents share meals and activities. Residents own their homes and work together on maintenance and landscaping tasks. More than 65 cohousing developments have been erected nationwide since 1991, with 60 more in the works; California, Massachusetts, Washington, Oregon and Colorado boast the most cohousing neighborhoods. (www.ap.org)
Associated Press (10/23/04) Gartner, Erin
Green Housing Effect
Several multifamily, environmentally friendly buildings are popping up in New York City and in other areas of the country. The Solaire, located in Battery Park City, was the first multifamily green structure in the nation. The units rent for $2,600-$8,500 per month; and residents enjoy filtered air and water, among other things. Green buildings often boast solar panels, rooftop gardens, radiant floor heating, recycled or renewable materials and energy-efficient windows and appliances. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, green components can boost construction costs by as much as 7%, but the additional costs usually are recouped in a few years. Green construction offers tenants healthier homes; and builders benefit, as well, in the form of lower-priced recycled materials and tax credits. (www.newsday.com)
New York Newsday (10/22/04) P. D5; Geller, Martinne
Theft From Work Sites Frustrates Contractors
Roughly $1 billion of construction equipment and tools are stolen every year from construction sites in the United States, with a recovery rate of less than 50% of the stolen items, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The thieves include professional criminal rings, contractors' employees and competing contractors, and the equipment that is being stolen includes big-ticket items like dump trucks, trailers, excavators and Bobcats. In Delaware County, OH, construction-site theft has worsened over the past decade, authorities say, coinciding with a construction boom in the south part of the county. Many construction builders decline to report their losses out of fear that their insurance companies will drop them, making it difficult to place a price tag on the true costs of construction theft. Three years ago, Delaware County contractor Gary Sergent reported the loss of a 24-foot-long equipment-laden trailer, prompting his insurance company to drop him; Sergent was only recently able to find another insurance company that would accept him. Home builders require many pieces of equipment, and removing all the equipment from work sites after the end of every workday is so time-consuming — and therefore costly — that most contractors simply leave the equipment on-site overnight, explains Sergent. Sergent says he has found that implementing security measures like floodlights at the sites has proven ineffective, and hiring private security is not cost-effective. Mitchell Maddox, risk-control manager at Westfield Insurance, advises contractors to lower the odds of theft by ranking the risk levels of their equipment, removing "targeted theft items," and installing tracking devices on their equipment. (www.columbusdispatch.com)
Columbus Dispatch (OH) (10/25/04) Hawes, Jane
Soaring Material Costs Hit Buyers
Builders in the Virginia area say that the ongoing increase in the cost of building supplies has pushed up the sale prices of new homes, thanks to national shortages in supplies and higher land prices. "Overall, all these prices added together could have increased the sales price of homes... by 5%," says Tidewater Builders Association President John W. Iuliano. The cost increase for materials is blamed on China, which is absorbing international supplies. Wood prices went up due to the recent hurricanes, says Joey Corp.'s Sam Cohen, and higher petroleum prices are also a factor. "Builders are also having to deal with land shortages," says WATAB Construction's Bill Brice, and Iuliano notes that builders are sometimes paying half as much for a lot now as they would have 18 months ago. (www.chicagotribune.com)
Chicago Tribune (10/23/04) P. 17; Snider, Jody
A Better Breed of Stock Plans
In the past, only the most affluent home buyers had access to plans crafted by renowned architects; but some well-known professionals now are offering blueprints, drawings and sketches on the Internet for those who want more than standard, cookie-cutter stock dwellings but do not have the deep pockets for a custom design. These newer plans have improved architecture, historical accuracy and custom-home details compared to what currently is available in home centers and bookstores; and while they can cost a few thousand dollars, it is much cheaper to purchase the stock plans than to work with the architect directly. Russell Versaci, Gregory La Vardera, Ross Chapin and the Bungalow Company are among those selling their new line of plans online. Buyers also have access to designs for environmentally friendly housing through Healthy Home Designs. However, these innovators are the exception rather than the rule. Most architects do not sell their stock plans because they fear raising the bristles of their wealthier clients, who generally shell out more than $10,000 on design fees alone and may be irritated to see a similar design later on a much less expensive property. (www.pbs.org/wgbh/thisoldhouse)
This Old House (10/04) No. 82, P. 164; Akst, Daniel
Lighten Up, Road Warriors
There are several gadgets on the market that help mobile workers lighten their loads. They can replace bulky laptops with lightweight handhelds that boast phone and e-mail capabilities. One such device is palmOne's Treo 600, which weighs in at just six ounces. Those who need a larger keyboard might want to consider Sharp's Actius MM20P, which features a 10-inch screen, 20-GB hard drive, built-in Wi-Fi and USB ports to link to their primary computers. The $1,600 machine weighs only 2.6 pounds. Mobile workers also have access to portable printers, such as the 4.6-pound, BlueTooth-equipped Deskjet 450 from Hewlett Packard. Finally, those who want to eliminate as many wires as possible should purchase the Targus World Pack Travel Connection kit. (www.businessweek.com)
Business Week (10/25/04) No. 3905, P. 110; Edwards, Cliff
Don't Risk Data Disasters
Imation's Robert Herman says businesses could be forced to close their doors if they do not have adequate data backup in the event of a disaster. However, many small businesses do not think they need formal backup plans. Herman recommends basic backup tools for companies with less than 100 GB of storage space, such as CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives and tape cartridges. They can be used to back up laptops, desktops and servers; and they should consider system compatibility and storage requirements when choosing which to use. Small businesses must figure out what data they need to stay in business and implement a plan to protect it. They should back up the data every day and check their data restoration capabilities every three months. Finally, they should store all CDs, DVDs and other removable media in an off-site location. (www.os-od.com)
Office Solutions (10/04) Vol. 21, No. 5, P. 13
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