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Economic Recovery Gaining Momentum

Posted on March 19, 2012 in Economic.

Most economic indicators continue to show the recovery gaining momentum.

Small Builders Getting Busy

Posted on March 19, 2012 in Economic and Housing & Construction.

There's a surge of action among home builders, and not just among the big national production home builders.

SBCA Provides Substitution Chart for June 1 SP #2 2x4 Design Values

Posted on March 19, 2012 in Building Codes, Engineering & Testing, Housing & Construction, Industry Announcements and Raw Materials.

The SBCA SP lumber substitution chart was created to help buyers and suppliers ascertain the lumber design values that are direct substitutes for visual and MSR/MEL grades using all species groups for 2x4 lumber.

Improving Markets Reaches 99

Posted on March 19, 2012 in Economic and Housing & Construction.

The tally of housing markets showing measurable improvement reached 99 in March, currently 33 states (including DC) are represented by at least one market on the list.

ALSC Approves SPIB's Recommended SP Dense and Non-Dense Design Value Changes

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Building Codes, Economic, Engineering & Testing, Housing & Construction, Industry Announcements, Legislative and Raw Materials.

On Friday, ALSC ruled to approve SPIB’s proposed design value reductions for SP 2x4 No. 2 Dense and SP 2x4 No. 2 Non-Dense.

New Orleans to Host BCMC 2012

Posted on March 12, 2012 in BCMC Build and Industry Announcements.

New Orleans, the city that birthed American jazz and reinvented itself after Hurricane Katrina, will be the host city for this year’s Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC), October 17-19, 2012.

BCMC Needs Your Input on Sessions

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Industry Announcements.

We need your input! The BCMC Committee is looking for your feedback for the proposed BCMC breakout session plan for 2012.

TPI's SP Visual Inspection Proposal Rejected by ALSC

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Engineering & Testing, Housing & Construction, Legislative and Raw Materials.

A proposal submitted by Timber Products Inspection that would use visual grading to assure lumber design values was rejected by ALSC.

Non-Manufacturing Index Up Again

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Economic.

 

Despite expectations for a moderation in the ISM non-manufacturing index, this morning’s print of 57.3 is the third-straight monthly increase and the highest reading in a year, suggesting growth in the service sector.

Who is Most Vulnerable to Gas Price Increases?

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Economic.

The rise in gasoline prices over the past few weeks has heightened fears about whether the run-up will threaten the incipient economic recovery and what the potential impact will be on consumers across the country.

Economic Forecast for 2012

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Economic.

As we approach the third anniversary of the start of the economic recovery and the second year of an economic expansion, our outlook reflects more of the same for the year ahead; what you see is what you get. 

GA Recovery Stronger than Reported

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Economic.

The annual revisions to the nonfarm employment data show that Georgia’s economic recovery has been considerably stronger than initially reported.

What Makes Up a Healthy Labor Market?

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Business and Economic.

In this report, we analyze the cyclical behavior of three different measures of labor market health—payroll employment, the unemployment rate and labor force participation. 

Quality of Job Growth Subpar

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Economic.

Despite the pickup in hiring, average earnings have continued to moderate and are up just 1.9 percent over the past year.

Employment Up, Oil to Drag Trade

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Economic.

The big headline for the week was the nonfarm payroll report which showed the labor market added 227,000 jobs in February with the unemployment rate unchanged at 8.3 percent.

Crow's Construction Materials Cost Index

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Raw Materials.

Crow's Market Recap -- A condensed recap of the market conditions for the major North American softwood lumber and panel products as reported in Crow's Weekly Market Report.

Labor Market Recovery Moving into Higher Gear

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Business and Economic.

Companies increased their hiring in February, shoring up expectations that the labor market's recovery has moved into a higher gear.

Yale Economist: Housing Hits Bottom...Maybe

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Economic and Housing & Construction.

Yale Economist Robert Shiller offers CNBC his prediction on housing again.  It's hit bottom....maybe.

Study Ranks Metros Based on Homeownership

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Economic and Housing & Construction.

Based on newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 American Community Survey NAHB completed a new study that provides helpful information on individual metropolitan areas across the country.

Turning Trash in Homes Helps the Third World?

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Engineering & Testing and Housing & Construction.

A Texas inventor says his idea of turning trash into treasure could change the way developing countries build and rebuild homes, especially following a natural disaster.

Analyzing Demographic Challenges Facing Housing

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Economic and Housing & Construction.

The Bi-Partisan Policy Center's housing commission hired individuals from the Urban Institute, the University of Southern California,  the National Association of Realtors to look at macro demographic trends and connect the dots on housing market challenges and opportunities.

Indianapolis Residential Construction Booming

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Business and Housing & Construction.

Maybe it came in with the Super Bowl XLVI crowd, or maybe it was already there, latent and ready to bloom with the spring selling season, but Indianapolis home builders are virtually bursting with optimism that a housing rebound is taking root.

Pulte Loses $13.6M AZ Construction Defect Case

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Business and Housing & Construction.

PulteGroup’s Del Webb Communities has been hit with a nearly $13.6 million penalty awarded to 460 homeowners in one of the largest construction defect cases in Arizona’s history. 

New Study Promotes Tall Wood Buildings

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Building Codes, Engineering & Testing and Housing & Construction.

The Case for Tall Wood Buildings is a more than 200-page document that aims to encourage architects, engineers and designers to push the envelope of conventional thinking about wood construction.

MD County Adopts 2012 I-Codes

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Building Codes and Housing & Construction.

Harford County (MD) has completed the legislative process of updating its building and mechanical codes to the applicable 2012 International Codes (I-Codes) prior to the state-mandated enforcement date of July 1, 2012.

NYC Energy Consumption Mapped

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Building Codes, Engineering & Testing and Green Building.

A team of researchers at Columbia Engineering has launched an interactive online energy map that breaks down the patterns of power consumption in New York City.

DC to Adopt Newest IECC Energy Code

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Building Codes, Green Building and Housing & Construction.

Mayor Vincent C. Gray annouced that the District of Columbia will adopt the newest version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).

Albuquerque Eases Energy Efficiency Requirements

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Building Codes, Green Building and Housing & Construction.

Albuquerque City Councilors are easing up on energy efficiency requirements for developers. They said will make Albuquerque more builder friendly, but environmentalists said the consumer will end up paying.

Dissecting Your Handshake, Dominator or Dead Fish?

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Business.

Is your handshake style helping you create rapport or sabotaging your sales and costing you thousands of dollars per year? 

Simpson Strong-Tie Joins TPI

Posted on March 12, 2012 in Building Codes, Engineering & Testing, Housing & Construction, Industry Announcements and Raw Materials.

On February 27th, the TPI Board approved Simpson Strong-Tie Co., Inc.'s;Truss Plate Manufacturer membership application.