• ProWatch: Green Gold

    The home building industry is finally embracing energy efficiency, if February's International Builders' Show (IBS) in Orlando, Fla., was any indication. It sometimes seemed like every manufacturer among the convention's 1,900 exhibitors was touting the energy-saving properties of its products. Numerous seminars told builders about "green" advances in everything from solar panels to water heaters, and how to build environmentally friendly houses. The two NAHB-sponsored show homes were certified by the Florida Green Building Coalition and were Energy Star?rated.

     

  • Feature: Market Matters – Consider the Alternatives (Part 2)

    As the general manager of a custom home builder in Orlando, Fla., Mike Williams is very familiar with concrete and steel as building materials. His usual routine, as it is for most Gulf Coast builders, is to construct a first level of masonry block over a concrete slab foundation and then top that with a structural lumber second floor and sometimes light-gauge steel studs for non-load-bearing interior walls.