Your Strong Voice for the Building Industry Statewide

As a member of the Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area, Inc. you're automatically a member of the Michigan Association of Home Builders (MAHB), one of the most powerful trade associations in the state.

With a strong voice for the home building industry statewide, MAHB promotes home ownership and fights legislation that would result in cost increases to the residential buyer. Through its lobbying efforts, the MAHB Friends of Housing speaks for you in Lansing, educating elected officials about the realities of the home building industry, promoting sound, positive legislation, and keeping you informed of new laws and regulations that can critically affect your profitability and the way you do business.

A team of MAHB lobbyists is looking out for you every day the legislature is in session. Whether an issue is about zoning, building codes or running a small business, the Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area works with the MAHB to protect the interests of our industry and our members.

The objectives of the Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area and the Michigan Association of Home Builders are to be proactive in the legislative and regulatory process, make sure lines of communication are open between the industry and government, fight unfair regulation, and help maintain a level playing field so our members can operate their businesses as effectively as possible.

Together, members across Michigan can speak powerfully to make sure that we have effective representation in Lansing.

To find out more, give us a call at (231) 946-2305 or contact us at mailbox@hbagta.com.

Bookmark http://www.hbagta.com or make it your home page and always take advantage of your 3-in-1 membership.

Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area, Inc.
Michigan Association of Home Builders
National Association of Home Builders

HBAGTA Announces Award Winners

Traverse City, MI – May 19, 2012 – The Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area Inc. recently announced their Annual Association Award Winners.   Eric Palmer, of Traverse Reproduction & Supply was recognized as the Outstanding Support Member of the Year for his work with the annual Home EXPO. He was given the Jim Alpers Award. 

Gretchen Knoblock and Carol Buck of New Leaf Interiors were co-honored for their work with the Children’s Advocacy Center.  They received the Humanitarian of the Year Award.   Doug Priest of Priest Painting and Wallpapering was honored as the Emerging Leader of the Year.  Awards were presented recently at a membership meeting held at T.C. Millworks in Traverse City. 

The Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area, Inc. is a professional trade association that supports of legislative, educational and economic initiatives that support home ownership in our community.  The Association was chartered in 1970 and represents the five counties of Antrim, Benzie, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Grand Traverse.

Tuesdays @ Two

Tuesdays@Two Master Class Series: New Concepts for Rural, Urban and Suburban Water Reuse Using Distributed Systems

On May 29, 2012, WasteWater Education 501(c)3 will host the first in a Master Class Series of free, online, presentations on the central them that all things water are related and connected.
Each presentation, by eminent professionals in the clean water fields, will last approximately one hour with ample time for Q&A.
Each Presentation begins at 2 PM Eastern Time. Although these events are presented at no charge, space is limited to the first 45 registrations. Please contact info@wastewatereducation.org to save a seat.
System requirements can be viewed at wastewatereducation.org and are listed below.

May 29, 2012 at 2pm ET - New Concepts for Rural, Urban and Suburban Water Reuse Using Distributed Systems
Speaker: Victor D’Amato. Senior Engineer Tetra Tech Research Triangle Park, NC

New, more sustainable water infrastructure systems are emerging in rural, suburban, and urban communities across the United States and abroad. These new infrastructure models integrate decentralized systems within traditional, centralized conveyance and treatment networks in an approach called distributed management. Communities are recognizing that these strategies—which integrate water management at the individual site scale, to residential neighborhoods and small communities, to an entire watershed or region—are more efficient and effective across a triple bottom line of environmental, social, and economic considerations.

The research project, When to Consider Distributed Systems in an Urban and Suburban Context, analyzed 20 case studies where distributed approaches are being used to provide integrated water services across a range of community-specific situations and management frameworks in the United States and Australia.

This project was sponsored by the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) and the National Decentralized Wastewater Resource Capacity Development Project (NDWRCDP) to help planners, utility managers, engineers, developers, regulators and other decision-makers determine whether they should consider using a distributed approach in areas where users might normally be served by centralized systems.

In addition to providing information about the available products of the project, relevant case studies will be presented representing a cross-section of situations where distributed management approaches are currently being implemented. The project team also developed a simple decision-support tool that can help those who are considering a distributed approach assess their preference for decentralized or centralized systems by rating the relative importance of their community objectives and goals and working through various community-specific environmental, economic, and social attributes associated with various options.

There is no charge to attend but space is limited to the first 45 reservations. To register please RSVP to info@wastewatereducation.org

Victor D’Amato is a registered professional engineer with over 18 years of water quality engineering experience spanning design, planning, research and program/project management. Although he has worked on wastewater systems ranging in size from 360 gpd to 420 MGD, Vic has specialized expertise in distributed and decentralized systems.
He currently serves as a Senior Engineer out of Tetra Tech's Research Triangle Park, NC office where he helps governments, communities, and utilities plan and implement sustainable strategies that decrease capital and recurring costs, increase energy efficiency, and effectively address emerging challenges.
Mr. D’Amato holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Penn State University and a Masters of Science, Environmental Engineering in Water Resources Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Each Presentation begins promptly at 2 PM Eastern Time. As a courtesy to the presenter and other attendees we ask that you log in 15 minutes prior to start time.

WasteWater Education uses Blackboard Collaborate. Audio and visuals will be provided via your computer.

To check your system is compatible and has the necessary components to participate in the live session, please check here BEFORE the event. http://bit.ly/qJO7TT

Step 1 allows you to check that the computer you will be using for these sessions meets the minimum system requirements.

Scroll down that page to Step 2 - you'll see a link there to the "Configuration Room" This will help you test your audio and video link.

Please note this is NOT the actual presentation room URL - this is listed at the top of this confirmation of your reservation

We will be unable to assist you once the presentation begins.
If you need assistance please contact Blackboard Support. If you need additional assistance beforehand please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Disclaimer: Tuesday@Two is intended to provide a forum for the free exchange of ideas among individuals and organizations. The intent is to form partnerships and resource networks for anyone interested in integrated water resource planning and management. The information and conclusions presented in these events represent the opinions of the presenters. They should not be construed as necessarily representing the opinions of, or being an endorsement by WasteWater Education 501(c)3

Dendra J. Best. Executive Director
Wastewater Education 501(c)3
Tax ID: :20-0042087
Our Mission: To increase awareness that water quality is directly linked to the use of appropriate wastewater systems and their management.
PO Box 792, Traverse City, MI 49685-0792
231-233-1806
info@wastewatereducation.orghttp://www.wastewatereducation.org
An EPAWaterSense® Partner

Make Your Move Easier With a Garage Sale

As the school year comes to an end, many families move to new homes during the summer months in order to get settled in before the new school year. One way to make moving less stressful is to get rid of unwanted household items before you start packing. It doesn’t make sense to transport unused items or clothes you never wear to your new house; not only will it save you the time you would’ve spent packing it up, it will save you money because movers often charge by the size of the load they are transporting.

One of the best ways to quickly get rid of unwanted stuff is by holding a garage sale. In one day, you can ease your packing burden and make some money. As the saying goes, “One man’s trash is another’s treasure,” so the old end table that has been gathering dust in your basement may be just what someone else wants to put the finishing touch on their new decorating scheme.

To get started, you first want to go through your house, being sure to include the garage, attic, basement and closets. Organize things into groups: what you think might have value to someone else and would sell, what is in good condition but should be given away, and what is no longer useful to anyone and needs to be thrown away.

Next, check with city hall to see if your community requires permits for garage sales, and take the necessary steps to obtain one.  Find out if you're allowed to hang signs on telephone poles, light posts, or street signs to advertise the sale. Many communities have regulations for how far in advance you can hang signs, and when you need to take them down. If signs are allowed, make clear, readable signs with large black print that includes the dates and address of the sale, and attached them securely. 

Be sure to advertise your sale in your local newspaper, either in the printed version or on the paper’s website, or both. You can also post information about your sale on www.craigslist.com, an online classifieds website where people can list items for sale for free. There may be other opportunities to promote your sale online such as community blogs or email listservs.

Start your garage sale early in the morning on the weekend. Bargain hunters hit the streets early and you'll miss out on possible sales if you set up late. Mark prices clearly on all items and price things reasonably. Don’t get caught up in sentimentality — your object is to get rid of things and make a little money, not to score big profits. Have plenty of quarters and dollar bills on hand to make change, and it’s helpful if you have plastic bags and newspapers available to wrap purchases.

After the sale, contact local charities to donate the unsold items and other things you've marked to give away. Some charities will send a truck by to pick up your donations, particularly large items like furniture and appliances. Remember to get a receipt from the charity so you can deduct the donation on your income taxes.

On moving day, you'll be grateful for the extra work you did ahead of time.  And when you move into your new house, you'll be pleasantly surprised at all the storage space you have. To learn more about making the process of buying a new home and moving easier, go to www.hbagta.com or www.nahb.org/forconsumers.

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New Website Helps Protect Homeownership

America’s home owners and home builders celebrate National Homeownership Month in June, bringing attention to the more than 75 million Americans who own their homes, and the millions more who aspire to achieve the American dream of homeownership. But it is also important for American families to know that homeownership is under attack. Legislative and regulatory proposals now under consideration by government policymakers would greatly harm home owners, home buyers, the housing market and the nation's economy.

To educate Americans about the threats to homeownership and to provide opportunities for current and future home owners to take action to protect it, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has launched a website, www.ProtectHomeownership.com. The site features expert economic analysis and reports, data from homeownership surveys and polls, and the answers to many frequently asked questions about housing and homeownership.

ProtectHomesownership.com highlights the threats to homeownership by describing how tax, legislative and regulatory policies currently under consideration would scale back or eliminate the mortgage interest deduction and make mortgages and small business loans unaffordable and difficult to obtain. It tells how finance and credit-related issues are making it difficult for creditworthy, financially responsible families to buy a home and threaten to ultimately prevent millions of families from ever becoming home owners.

The site documents homeownership's importance to individual households and to local, state and national economies. It shows how new home construction and remodeling presently account for about 15 percent of the nation's total economy, and how the financial issues are impeding production of new homes. The economic impact of home building includes construction of single-family and multifamily homes, remodeling and the countless products and services that are related to those activities. 

Protecthomeownership.com also empowers the American public to take positive action to support and protect this very important aspect of American life. Visitors are encouraged to sign an online petition urging Congress to keep housing a national priority, and to join social media communities on Facebook.com/ProtectHomeownership and Twitter.com/4Homeownership.

Information is provided about how to participate in Homeownership Rallies that are being held in a number of communities in 2012. The first rally, in Columbia, S.C., drew almost 1,000 people to the statehouse grounds to voice their support and focus the government’s attention on critical housing issues.

For more information on the impact of housing and homeownership, go to www.hbagta.com or www.ProtectHomeownership.com.  

"Builders For" E-Mail Communications

The NAHB leadership would like to take this opportunity to answer some of the questions that have been raised by concerned members regarding email communications that many of you received from the respective chairmen of the "Builders for Romney" effort on April 4 and of the "Builders for Obama" effort on May 3.

First and foremost, we want to reaffirm that NAHB does not endorse or support any candidate for President of the United States. That said, it is essential for our membership to be politically engaged and educated about the candidates in this election season, and that was the impetus behind the "Builders for" program. This program allows the designated chairman of a member group supporting a given presidential candidate to send an informational email to fellow members about that candidate.

In mid-March, NAHB CEO Jerry Howard sent an all-member email explaining the “Builders for” program. As that communication assured you, NAHB will not release any member email address to any person or outside group for any reason. Instead, this information is protected by NAHB sending the initial outreach emails on behalf of each “Builders for” organization chairman (two are allowed from each source), and any member who wishes further communication from a particular effort can opt-in to receive it.

Again, no NAHB member’s email address has been shared with either a candidate’s campaign or “Builders for” organization. Official NAHB policy is very clear on this matter.

Finally, members who do not wish to receive further communication from a particular “Builders for” effort can “opt-out” of such emails by clicking on the “opt-out” link contained in the initial email.

Hopefully, this information clarifies why you received a political communication on behalf of a “Builders for” chairman in recent days. If you have further concerns or comments, please feel free to communicate them to us at boardtopics@nahb.org.

BIG MONEY, BIG FIRMS WEIGH IN AGAINST FLEXIBLE CODE CYCLE

The Senate Regulatory Reform Committee held its first hearing on House Bill 4561 this past Thursday, April 26^th and the hearing room was packed with opponents of the measure who continued to engage in a campaign of misinformation designed to undermine the sound public policy approach offered by the bill.

Company after company, many with financial incentives to oppose the bill, stepped to the microphone to predict the collapse of Michigan’s economy and a reduction in public safety in Michigan if the director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affair was given the authority to update the codes either every three or every six years as appropriate.

As was the case in the House, where HB 4561 passed on a bipartisan vote of 68 to 39, committee members were treated to half-truths and misrepresentations by opponents of the bill including that passage of the measure would: 1.) only allow the codes to be updated every six years, 2.) raise insurance rates, 3.) require the state to give back federal weatherization funds, 4.) stop technology firms from locating in Michigan and make those who are currently here move out and, 5.) hurt the electric car industry.

The largest fog of propaganda was generated over the claim, despite specific language in the bill to the contrary, that going to a flexible code cycle would mean many of the products manufactured or sold wouldn’t be available in Michigan. None of those who made this claim explained how these products are available for use in the 35 other states that have flexible code cycles some of which are still using codes from the 1990s.

After being challenged by the MAHB, opponents of the bill have at least ceased to falsely claim General Motors is opposing HB 4561 but are still falsely claiming the Associated Builders and Contractors/Michigan have switched from their position of support in the House to one of opposition.

Anyone doubting how much money is being spent to prevent HB 4561 reaching the Governor’s desk should visit the opponent’s new website www.betterbuildingsmi.com where supporters of HB 4561 were characterized as follows “Who wants weaker building codes? Quite frankly, the handful of builders who like to cut corners, don’t want to keep up to date with the best possible safety and construction practices, and choose to sell a product that may save a dollar today – but cost hundreds more down the road.”

The following companies are listed on the above website as opposing HB 4561: Dow Chemical, BASF, CertainTeed, Guardian Industries, Huntsman International, Bayer Corporation, Cooper Bussman, Schneider Electric, Dow Corning, Eaton, Arvorn Inc. (Grand Rapids) Atlas Roofing Corp. (Byron Center), Detroit Spray Foam (Sterling Heights), Foam Rite (Almont), Gypsum Supply Company (Byron Center) Harbor Foam (Grandville), and North American Processing (Lapeer). Because this list earlier listed GM as opposing the bill and still lists ABC/Michigan as opposing the bill, members of the MAHB are encouraged to call these companies to verify their opposition to HB 4561.

Each builder needs to exercise their own judgment when selecting products from a vendor.

What Does It Mean to Build a Green Development?

What does it mean to build a green development? It can mean different things in different settings.

The NAHB Site Design and Development chapter in the National Green Building Standard, the guideline for certification of green building projects, lays out the criteria for qualifying a development as green. It addresses a wide variety of possible aspects that a green development might embody. 

As with any green project, the most basic principle is value. No amount of green trimmings is going to sell property if it’s not a really attractive place to live at a decent price. There simply is not a clientele that is looking for a green lifestyle at the expense of comfort, accessibility, quality, and a sense of home. Bruce Frost, the green building educator from Central Michigan University is fond of saying that green building at its most basic level is simply building with integrity. So it is with development.

When I proposed the Cedar Valley Ridge development in 2002, I had no idea that it would become Michigan’s first NAHB green-certified development, or that it would become the first development in the United States to be certified at the Four Star level, the highest certification offered by NAHB. I wasn’t interested in building a green development. “Green” wasn’t part of the language of the marketplace at the time. I merely intended to build the type of development that my wife and I would want to live in. That meant, among other things, a place that would foster relationship with nature, that would provide easy access to ways to exercise and stay fit, and that would provide a strong sense of community.

There are many other attributes, though, that can contribute to making a development green. One of the primary characteristics for some certification agencies is density. Good use of land resources calls for reducing sprawl. The certification requirements under some green program demand a level of density that almost require a development be urban. As a matter of fact, I doubt that Cedar Valley Ridge would even qualify as a green development under some of the other standards. However, I believe there is a place for rural green development. More about this later.

In general, green development under the NAHB Standard means:

·         Selecting an appropriate site. Preference is given to infill or greyfield/brownfield sites.

·         Assembling a team with a mission statement and goals, and providing education and guidelines to all members of the development team, including subcontractors.

·         Designing the site to protect the environment and enhance the natural features and resources of the site.

·         Providing building sites that will facilitate implementation of green features in the structure.

·         Planning the landscaping to build on the local ecology instead of replacing it, and to keep the use of energy, water, fertilizers, and herbicides/pesticides to a minimum.

·         Protect existing wildlife and plant life.

·         Use natural materials and re-use existing materials on the site.

·         Provide as many dwellings per acre as possible and/or cluster the building sites.

·         Minimize damage to the environment during construction.

·         Implement innovative practices to bring new ideas in design, construction, materials use, zoning, etc. to the marketplace.

That list is good as far as it goes. Clearly, based on the objectives for Cedar Valley Ridge, I would add to that list the building of community among the owners after the lots are bought. For a development to fulfill the intent of building green, it has to be more than just a green facility. The purpose of building a green development or a green home is ultimately to protect the planet – to save energy and to prevent destruction of the environment. If we build buildings or developments that are designed to do those things, but don’t educate the buyers or convey that vision to them, the building or development will not fulfill its intent. I can live in an energy efficient house, but if I leave the doors and windows open in Winter, it’s still going to waste energy. If a community doesn’t buy into the concepts behind a green neighborhood, it’s not going to be a green neighborhood for long.

Part of the education – the vision-sharing process – can be built into the restrictions in the master deed. The most essential part of the process, though, is the developer’s responsibility to follow through with educating buyers and fostering a sense of green community after the sale. It isn’t typically considered normal for a developer to be involved in a community after the sale, but I think it’s essential for the health of a green neighborhood. It’s also good business. Providing a clear and accomplishable vision of maintaining a neighborhood that fosters relationship with nature and with green living concepts is a great way to help build community spirit, and a strong and cohesive community is one of the primary qualities that attracts potential buyers.

Marketing a green development is no different than marketing any development. While a green label may bring in some free media exposure – which can represent some of the best advertising you can get – the green label in itself is unlikely to bring potential buyers to a project. “Green” generally appears to be way down the list on most buyers’ list of priorities. What is high on the list of priorities is what green represents in a project: access to nature – especially here in northern Michigan, a strong feeling of neighborhood, and the quality of lifestyle that a green project can provide. Those are strong selling points, and they are an essential part of what green development represents. As I’ve made presentations around the US on green development, it’s clear that this is a direction that is going to be a strong part of the development market in the coming years. Developers are beginning to see the potential in this market, and prospective buyers are asking for these characteristics. Incidentally, market surveys have shown that the most attractive selling point in a green development is the existence in the project of a system of nature trails.

The Cedar Valley Ridge project consists of thirty-five lots clustered on one hundred seventy acres. As I mentioned earlier, in some green certification protocols, this development wouldn’t even qualify for consideration because of the low density. We have a unique situation here in northern Michigan. We have an excellent and active land conservancy community that has preserved thousands of acres. We live in an area that will experience dramatic growth in the coming decades. We could end up with pockets of natural area surrounded by subdivisions. Doesn’t it make more sense to develop in a way that preserves land and at the same time allows people to live there? Cedar Valley Ridge represents this kind of transition between conservation land and urban living. The thirty-five lots are clustered on forty-five acres, leaving the remaining approximately seventy-five percent of the land in a permanently protected, private nature preserve that can never be developed. This protects some beautiful, environmentally sensitive land and allows an opportunity for people to live close to nature. It also can also help maintain wildlife corridors.

There are now many green developments around the country, representing a number of different approaches. The first NAHB green-certified development in the US is The Village at Burns Harbor, just across the border in Indiana. It’s an urban development that artfully brings together a sense of neighborhood and nature. Many other subdivisions exhibiting a wide range of interpretations of green development have been certified in the last four years. And no description of green development would be complete without looking at the work of Ross Chapin, whose book Pocket Neighborhoods was recently published by Taunton Press. Ross has worked for decades with Sarah Susanka, the author of the Not So Big House books. Pocket Neighborhoods are small developments, usually no more than a few acres, with an average of twelve to sixteen not-so-big houses, that are a remarkable expression of beauty, good use of resources, and vibrant community. You can learn more about Pocket Neighborhoods at http://www.pocket-neighborhoods.net/.

If you’re interested in learning more about green development, visit the NAHB website at http://www.nahb.org/page.aspx/category/sectionID=1801

Dan Paulson is the developer, with his wife Susan Sherman, of Cedar Valley Ridge, Michigan’s first NAHB-certified subdivision, and the first in the US to be certified at the Four Star level. Cedar Valley Ridge is eight miles west of Traverse City in Long Lake Township.

Kitchens and Bathrooms Remain Top Remodeling Jobs According to NAHB Survey

Kitchens and Bathrooms Remain Top Remodeling Jobs According to NAHB Survey

WASHINGTON, May 7 - A new survey released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) shows common remodeling projects have increased, compared to a similar survey from 2010. The survey, released today in conjunction with National Home Remodeling Month, describes the changes the remodeling market has undergone in recent years.

Remodelers report that kitchen and bathroom projects remain the most popular remodeling jobs with home owners increasingly upgrading both rooms and making major repairs as they decide to stay in their current homes longer. Nearly 50 percent of remodelers report seeing an increase in the number of home owners who undertake remodels to avoid moving compared to the 2010 findings.

Both kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects were up 17 percent from two years ago, with bathroom remodels cited as a common job by 78 percent of remodelers and kitchen remodels at 69 percent. Since 2009, bathrooms and kitchens have switched places in popularity, with bathroom remodels moving into the top spot as the most common type of remodeling project.

"As the priorities of home owners shift, remodelers have to adjust to the needs of their clients," said NAHB Remodelers Chairman George "Geep" Moore Jr., GMB, CAPS, GMR and owner/president of Moore-Built Construction & Restoration Inc. in Elm Grove, La. "And while the motivation behind a home owner's decision to remodel may have changed, their desire for quality, professional results have not. Professional remodelers remain committed to the highest industry standards."

Repairs and replacements of old components and the desire for upgraded amenities were cited as the top reasons for customers to hire a remodeler. More than 60 percent of remodelers reported increased demand for repairs and replacements of old components in the past two years, while more than half of remodelers said that the desire for upgraded amenities increased. In contrast, more than 20 percent of remodelers said there was a decrease in customers remodeling to increase home values as an investment.

In addition to kitchens and baths, other popular remodeling categories included window/door replacements (44 percent), whole house remodels (35 percent), room additions (33 percent) and handyman services (31 percent).

"Home owners are repurposing spaces and making more efficient use of their home's square footage," Moore said. "Whether it be young families or couples aging in their homes, people want to let their house adapt with their needs as they change over time."



For more information about remodeling, visit www.nahb.org/remodel. For complete survey results, visit www.nahb.org/rmi.

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ABOUT NAHB REMODELERS: NAHB Remodelers is America's home for professional remodelers, representing the more than 24,000 remodeling industry members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Founded in 1982, the organization provides information, education and designation programs to improve the business and construction expertise of its members and to enhance the professional image of the industry. Its membership incorporates 148 local councils in 45 states. Learn more about remodeling at www.nahb.org/remodel.

Follow NAHB Remodelers on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NAHBRemodelers.



ABOUT NAHB: The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in remodeling, home building, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.

Follow NAHB on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NAHBMedia.

HBAGTA Announces 2012 Scholarship Recipients

For Immediate Release

Home Builders Association – Scholarship Winners

Contact:  Kathy Maisonville, Executive Officer, 231-946-2305 or kathy@hbagta.com

Traverse City, MI – May 4, 2012 – The Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area Inc. recently announced their 2012 HBAGTA Scholarship recipients.  Steffanie Priest of Lake Leelanau St. Mary’s and Cody Wooters of Traverse City West High School both received HBA/NMC “Home-in-a-Day” Scholarships to continue their education.

Christopher Doerr, a senior at Traverse City West was the recipient of the HBA Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation Award.  He intends to pursue a degree in Architecture at the University of Michigan this fall.

The Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area, Inc. is a professional trade association that supports of legislative, educational and economic initiatives that support home ownership in our community.  The Association was chartered in 1970 and represents the five counties of Antrim, Benzie, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Grand Traverse.

Builders Urge Congress to Improve Lacey Act to Protect Consumers, Businesses

Builders Urge Congress to Improve Lacey Act to Protect Consumers, Businesses

WASHINGTON, May 8 - The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today called on Congress to amend the Lacey Act so that individuals and businesses that unknowingly purchase illegal wood products from overseas do not have their property seized and are not exposed to civil and criminal liability.

Testifying before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs, Barry Rutenberg, chairman of NAHB and a home builder from Gainesville, Fla., said that NAHB supports the goals of the Lacey Act and the prevention of trade in illegally harvested plant and wood products.

"Unequivocally, we do not support illegal logging in any place at any time," he said. "However, honest business owners, including home builders who exercise due care and had no knowledge that a seized product contains illegal wood, should have the right to seek the return of those goods."

Under the current statute, innocent companies are left without legal standing to challenge a government taking in court. As a result, both builders and consumers who buy products that encompass the entire supply chain dealing with imported wood products (lumber, cabinets, guitars, etc.) are held personally liable to certify that the timber product did not come from plant material that was taken, transported, possessed or sold in violation of any foreign law.

"Builders have no way of knowing the origin of a particular piece of lumber, a component of a cabinet, a closet door or crown molding," said Rutenberg. "The sheer number of different sources of wood that could be included in the finished home makes it nearly impossible for a builder or remodeler to know with certainty where and under what circumstances the individual components were sourced."

With this in mind, NAHB is urging Congress to amend the Lacey Act to include reaffirmation of civil forfeiture law so that innocent consumers and businesses would have the opportunity to seek the return of their property in court if it was seized as a result of any enforcement actions under the Lacey Act.

NAHB also commends Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) for his efforts to propose much needed reforms to the Lacey Act while at the same time seeking to improve and protect the integrity of the law.

H.R. 3210, the Retailers and Entertainers Lacey Implementation and Enforcement Fairness Act, or "Relief Act," recognizes the essential need to hold harmless those who unknowingly and without any culpability, are found to be in possession of products that run afoul of the Lacey Act.
"H.R. 3210 represents an important first step and we look forward to working with Rep. Cooper to improve the bill as it moves through the legislative process," said Rutenberg.

Quality and Value Driving Growth in the Green Building Market, According to New SmartMarket Report

Quality and Value Driving Growth in the Green Building Market, According to New SmartMarket Report

Energy efficiency efforts become commonplace in new construction and remodeling projects, while remodelers place high value on waste management and sustainable materials.

Nashville, Tenn., May 1 - McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), today released its latest SmartMarket Report: New and Remodeled Green Homes: Transforming the Residential Market at the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) National Green Building Conference and Expo. The report includes McGraw-Hill Construction's estimate that the green homes share of the construction market was 17% in 2011, equating to $17 billion, and expected to rise 29%-38% by 2016, potentially a $87-114 billion opportunity, based on the five-year forecast for overall residential construction.

The report reveals that two of the key factors driving this market growth are the fact that green homes are seen as having higher quality and that they save consumers money.

"In the current residential market, there is an enormous need to differentiate your homes for consumers," says Harvey Bernstein, Vice President of Industry Insights and Alliances at McGraw-Hill Construction. "When builders are able to offer homes that not only are green, but also offer the combination of higher quality and better value, they have a major competitive edge over those building traditional homes."

This report, produced by McGraw-Hill Construction in conjunction with the NAHB and Waste Management, is designed to provide key insights into product and market opportunities in the single-family home building and remodeling industries. It is backed by proprietary research surveys and the power of the McGraw-Hill Construction Dodge database.

"NAHB builder and remodeler members were surveyed on their green building practices, which allowed us to shine a light on the state of the green market in this new report," said NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. "The results highlight the tremendous growth in green building, and the potential market opportunities that lie ahead. As more projects seek green certification, NAHB and the NAHB Research Center stand ready to meet the demands of this exciting and ever-changing market."

Factors driving the growth in the green home building and remodeling market include:

· Higher quality for both new home builders and remodelers. For those doing a high volume of green homes (at least 60% of the homes they build), its importance is magnified, with 90% who regard higher quality as an important trigger for building green, compared to 72% of builders overall.

· Customers are strongly value-driven--around two-thirds of builders and remodeler respondents state that customers request green homes or remodeling projects in order to lower their energy use or save money, more than twice any other factor.

· Higher first costs for building green are noted by a much lower percentage of builders as an obstacle now than they were reported in 2008.

The study also reveals the key practices and technologies taking over in the residential marketplace as a result of the shift toward green:

· More than 80% report that energy efficiency is making today's homes greener compared to two years ago. Use of energy-efficient features is pervasive in the market--the top practice by nearly all surveyed builders and remodelers, regardless of their level of green building activity.

· Indoor air quality is growing in importance and focus for home builders. 60% of home builders believe that efforts to improve indoor air quality make homes greener than they were two years ago, and 95% of high volume home builders report including features that impact air quality.

· More than half consider durable materials one of the most important features in their homes today. In particular, remodelers emphasize this key aspect of their projects. Durability and better materials are key reasons why green homes and remodeling projects are considered of higher quality.

"These findings confirm the shift we've seen in the market," says Jim Halter, Vice President, Construction Solutions for Waste Management. "Builders and remodelers are placing more emphasis on energy efficiency, increases in sustainability focused waste management practices and more products made from post-consumer materials. These important factors are pushing our industry forward."

The key findings from the study were presented by McGraw-Hill Construction on May 1 at a plenary session at NAHB's National Green Building Conference and Expo in Nashville, Tenn., followed by a panel of industry experts discussing its impact on the market. For a copy of the report, visit:


http://nahb.bz/ISdfcM.

About McGraw-Hill Construction:

McGraw-Hill Construction's data, analytics, and media businesses--Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, and Engineering News-Record--create opportunities for owners, architects, engineers, contractors, building product manufacturers, and distributors to strengthen their market position, size their markets, prioritize prospects, and target and build relationships that will win more business. McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers through its trends and forecasts, industry news, and leading platform of construction data, benchmarks, and analytics. To learn more, visit
www.construction.com.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:

McGraw-Hill (NYSE: MHP) announced on September 12, 2011, its intention to separate into two public companies: McGraw-Hill Financial, a provider of content and analytics to global financial markets, and McGraw-Hill Education, an education company focused on digital learning and education services worldwide. McGraw-Hill Financial's leading brands include Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Indices, Platts energy information services, and J.D. Power and Associates. With sales of $6.2 billion in 2010, the Corporation has approximately 21,000 employees across more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

About The National Association of Home Builders:

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.

About Waste Management, Inc.:

Waste Management, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is also a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The company's customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.