Industry Aims to Make Homes Disaster-Proof
Building industry firms are developing techniques to make homes and businesses disaster-proof as more and more storms ravage regions across the nation. Building codes are being strengthened across the nation, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency notes that 75% of all homes in the U.S. experience some form of natural disaster damage. Metal and asphalt are being used in roofing to reduce impact damages, and some firms are developing window coverings that are easier to remove and install before hurricanes hit. Wayne-Dalton Corp. has begun selling a light-weight plastic-coated cloth called Fabric Shield, while SentryGlas, developed by DuPont, is impact-resistant and can withstand heavy winds. DuPont is also pilot testing a safe room kit from Kevlar, which is strapped to the home's foundation and allows home owners to ride out tornadoes and hurricanes in safety. In various states, insurers are being forced to provide incentives to home owners who install safer building materials, such as impact-resistant roofs. (online.wsj.com/article_print/0,,SB109650730541032163,00.html)
Wall Street Journal (09/30/04) P. D1; Kim, Queena Sook
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Realtors, Builders Target Growing Downsizers Market
Downsizing is hot in the real estate industry, as more and more empty-nesters seek smaller dwellings. Agents with the Senior Advantage Real Estate Council's seniors real estate specialist (SRES) designation can participate in comprehensive estate planning, collaborating with accountants, attorneys and financial planners. They note that today's seniors and empty-nesters want single-story homes in secure neighborhoods where they will not need stairs to access the garage or laundry room. Their list of preferences also includes a small yard, plenty of storage space and community-provided maintenance services. Furthermore, the homes should be accessible to the disabled. (www.timesfreepress.com)
Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN) (10/03/04); Reynolds, Jason M.
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In a Seller's Market, Home Builders in Charleston, SC, Turn to Lotteries
Home buyers in Charleston, SC, and other hot real estate markets nationwide may have to put up deposits and participate in blind lotteries to secure units in new communities. Trammell Crow Residential and Centex Homes are among the builders using lotteries in Charleston, as hundreds of buyers line up to purchase a limited number of lots and units. Developers in San Francisco, Massachusetts, Hawaii and other locales also have resorted to lotteries — which allow them to control prices by selecting random buyers over the highest bidders. Lotteries also let developers restrict speculative purchases. Before taking part in lotteries, buyers are urged to look into the developer's history and track local property values to avoid falling prey to marketing hype that aims to create a competitive environment. (www.rismedia.com)
RisMedia.com (09/28/04) Bresnahan, Beth; McDermott, John P.
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Federal Officials Display Styrofoam Homes
Representatives from HUD, NAHB and the Manufactured Housing Institute recently spoke with the media in Port Charlotte, FL, about the benefits of Styrofoam homes. These dwellings are mold- and termite-resistant because they are built in a matter of days and are comprised of polystyrene, cement and steel. The structure is also wind-resistant, and those in Port Charlotte survived Hurricane Charley's 145-mile-per-hour winds. Styrofoam homes are also fairly inexpensive, priced between $75,000 and $100,000 plus the cost of land. (www.news-press.com)
News-Press (FL) (09/24/04) Payne, Melanie
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NC Company's Modular Homes Draw Interest in Hurricane Zones
Deltec Homes of North Carolina manufactures circular homes that withstand hurricane-force winds, with kits ranging in price from $25,000-$150,000 apiece. The properties resist winds because of a pitch angle on the roof that equalizes downward pressures or uplift that is characteristic of strong gusts; plus, the absence of flat wall sections wider than eight feet minimizes large ares where wind can build and create pressure. Additionally, manufacturing each section of the home by production line allows for quality control. A Deltec home owner in Rockledge, FL, says his is the only residence in the neighborhood that survived Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne without lost shingles and roof and water damage. Meanwhile, a pilot project conducted in Florida's Pinellas County by the Institute of Business and Home Safety reveals that hurricane-resistant dwellings cost the same as conventional dwellings in terms of labor; however, buyers will fork over an additional $15,000-$30,000 for stronger windows and doors. Meanwhile, Mercedes Homes and DiVosta Homes are among the builders currently marketing wind-resistant, concrete-walled houses, priced between $200,000 and $600,000. (www.ap.org)
Associated Press (09/29/04) Dalesio, Emery P.
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Straw Walls in Building Construction a Growth Industry
Builders constructing a 20,000-square-foot office building as part of a $15.9 million Transit Maintenance Facility project in Santa Clarita, CA, are using two-foot-thick rice straw bales to create walls that are both more energy efficient and more fire-resistant than traditional drywall. The bales are stacked like oversized bricks and held into place with steel rods, then further fastened with steel cables and covered in stucco. Heather Merenda, sustainability planner for Santa Clarita, says the city's decision to use straw walls in the construction of the public building is part of an ongoing effort to promote "green building" principles and energy efficiency. She says the city hopes to have the building certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. California is one of only a few states and regions — including parts of Arizona, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico — that have provisions for straw walls in their official building codes. Supporters of straw building note that straw bales have a much higher insulation rating — as much as R58 — than materials used in typical tract homes, which are rated around R19. (www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20949~2430686,00.html)
Los Angeles Daily News (09/27/04) Tong, Eugene
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Home Is Where the Future Is
The dream of the automated home, a concept that dates as far back as the late 1890s, has shown remarkable staying power, and the idea may be edging closer to reality thanks to the development of automated household technologies in many academic and corporate labs. The emergence and spread of sophisticated consumer networking technologies such as broadband and mobile phones over the last several years has also been a major factor in the drive toward the smart home. Wireless networks can establish communications among household devices as well as the Internet, while always-on broadband connections permit appliances to send and receive information whenever they wish. A home could be turned into a distributed computing system with the incorporation of wireless chips into every household device. Mobile phones could also become a key enabling technology for smart homes, with companies such as Nokia planning to use them as devices that can remotely control all household appliances. Before this can happen, the devices must be designed to support ease-of-use and simple interconnection, a challenge that will not be met until companies make learning the responsibility of the technology rather than the consumers, according to Robert Pait of Seagate Technologies. Incompatibility between devices from different manufacturers is another obstacle, one that must be overcome with the institution of a wireless-networking standard. Standardization efforts include Carnegie Mellon University's Pebbles project, Europe's Digital Living Network Alliance and the Internet Home Alliance. (www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=3171381)
Economist (09/16/04) Vol. 372, No. 8393, P. S6
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'Live Where You Work' Unaffordable for Many
At a recent summit sponsored by NAHB, the Maryland Coalition for Workforce Housing gave recommendations to making housing more affordable for working-class families. Maryland led the nation in home-price appreciation in 2003, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The Meyer Group reports that the average new-home price in the Baltimore area rose 36.2% from the second quarter of 2003 to $506,779 during the same period this year, while the average new townhome price shot up 23.5% to $311,588. Soaring land prices, a population explosion, lengthy permit processes, conservation efforts and poor planning are cited by experts as reasons for the affordability crisis. Communities have been "made very car-dependent, very expensive and we've made them so jobs are far away from homes," remarks 1000 Friends of Maryland Executive Director Dru Schmidt-Perkins. The proposals made by the Maryland Coalition for Workforce Housing include approving denser residential projects; implementing an incentive program for developers of target areas; fast-track permitting in certain locales; and revitalizing under-used schools. (www.baltimoresun.com)
Baltimore Sun (09/26/04) P. 1L; Erle, Bob
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'Coving' Could Be Coming
Minnesota-based designer Rick Harrison plans to employ the so-called "coving" technique that he developed eight years ago in his design for a new 705-unit residential development in Venice, FL. Unlike traditional subdivisions, which feature identical lots plotted along a grid design, coved neighborhoods are characterized by winding streets as well as variations both in lot sizes and setbacks. The process has been dubbed "The New Suburbanism" and has been embraced for its cost-saving benefits, since it requires less paving and infrastructure. From a design standpoint, advocates of coving note that it allows for larger lots, separate sidewalks and bike paths and more public green spaces than the traditional grid pattern — all without limiting the number of homes planned for the space. Donald Leal of the Property and Environment Research Center in Montana notes that "not only does [coving] enhance individuality among home sites, it adds privacy." (www.herald-trib.com)
Sarasota Herald-Tribune (10/02/04) P. BV1; Hackett, David
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Backup and Recovery: The First Line of Defense for Disaster Recovery
Disaster recovery and backup systems are easily created and can enhance revenue, productivity, morale and consumer loyalty. Small and mid-sized businesses can easily create a disaster recovery process and strategy that integrates backup systems and data recovery, which often entails the reconfiguration of hardware, reinstallation of operating systems, the configuration of applications and other tasks. Experts suggest that small business owners invest in incremental backup systems that reduce the use of media storage space, index easier and take less time to perform. Moreover, the recovery and duplication systems can be set up to automatically perform their functions, but firms will still have to set up offsite systems in other locations so that data can be easily transferred to continue operations. Experts also note that businesses should set up a mirroring process to ensure that data is collected and running on another network simultaneously to speed up the recovery process. (www.ameinfo.com/cgi-bin/cms/page.cgi?page=print;link=45500)
AME Info (09/19/04)
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Bathrooms Becoming Home Spas
Bathrooms have evolved into relaxation spaces. They have grown in size to accommodate home-spa accessories, such as spacious tubs, whirlpools, steam baths and shower systems with an assortment of massaging sprays and jets. Barbara Langan of Brandon, FL-based Castle Plumbing Supply has dubbed them "human car-wash showers." Home owners can even buy mirrors with built-in LED TVs and a so-called "Chromotherapy" whirlpool from Kohler Co. that emits light in various shades to create a relaxing atmosphere. Vessel sinks, claw-foot tubs, aromatherapy compartments and faucets of various shapes and sizes are also popular. (www.sptimes.com)
St. Petersburg Times (FL) (09/24/04) Bettendorf, Elizabeth
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Close-Up on Closets
Home owners want several spacious closets in their abodes and they are willing to shell out thousands to organize them. In fact, Washington, D.C.-based custom builder Jim Gibson says some closet projects have hit $100,000. A total of $2 billion was spent on closet remodels in 2003, according to Closets magazine Editor-in-Chief Helen Kuhl. In search of functional and aesthetic closets, residents are opting for darker woods that match the rest of the home, crown molding, lights, dividers, various drawers and shelves, hanging rods, island seats and spaces for hidden telephones and safes, among other things. Closet-organization systems appeal to Americans of all incomes, from condominium owners who need to make the most of small spaces to luxury-home owners who wish to customize the space to meet their needs. Pulte Homes Inc. Architectural Services Director Dave Griffiths says large closets are especially important to empty-nesters who have recently downsized. Multiple linen closets and cedar closets that allow home owners to store out-of-season clothing also are gaining in popularity. (www.washingtonpost.com)
Washington Post (09/25/04) P. F1; Deane, Daniela
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