January 11, 2007

INDUSTRY ACCESS*

JELD-WEN To Open New Plant in Southern Vermont

JELD-WEN Windows & Doors, which currently has a plant in Ludlow, VT, plans to open another facility in North Springfield, VT creating 130 to 170 new jobs in the region, reported The Rutland Herald. Full Story

CraftMaster Plans New Plant for Garland, TX

Chicago-based CraftMaster Manufacturing, which makes residential interior doors, will convert a 277,000-sq. ft. former Eckerd/CVS warehouse into a manufacturing plant, which is scheduled to open in April, reported The Dallas Morning News. Full Story

Click here for more Industry Access news including recent new hires, merger & acquisition activity and who's offering new products.

* DHI Members may submit news releases to be considered for inclusion in DHI's IndustryWatch. Send to: jmadden@dhi.org.

BUSINESS UPDATE

After consecutive months of very modest growth, AIA's Architecture Billings Index (ABI) saw a considerable jump in November to its second highest reading of the year. The commercial / industrial sector recorded its best mark of the decade and while still reporting weak billings, residential architecture firms showed encouraging signs by posting the highest score in four months. Full Story

Paced by a recovering market for nonresidential projects and expanding housing activity, billings at U.S. architecture firms increased 11% between 2002 and 2005 to reach $28.7 billion annually. The total construction value of projects that architecture firms directly designed approached $360 billion, accounting for almost 3% of overall U.S. Gross Domestic Product, according to The American Institute of Architects, (AIA) Business of Architecture: 2006 AIA Firm Survey. Full Story

Reed Construction Data’s latest regional starts show the Midwest (+24.6%) leading in terms of percentage gain in non-residential buildings January through November of 2006 versus the same period a year earlier. Second place goes to the South (+11.2%), followed by the West (+6.0%) and the Northeast (+5.3%), reported BuildingTeam Forecast. Full Story

The fourth-quarter 2006 Turner Building Cost Index showed a 2.12% increase in construction costs over the third-quarter 2006 index and a 9.65% increase over the fourth-quarter 2005 index, reported Buildings.com. Full Story

Nonresidential construction spending during November was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $586.3 billion, up 1.2% from October and up 14.7% from a year earlier, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. View Data (PDF file)

CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

Professional Door Dealer discusses the importance of proper installation for wind-rated doors. Full Story

A recently published white paper by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities offers educational facility planners and developers insight into the factors influencing school planning and design. In Educational Trends Shaping School Planning and Design: 2007 provides findings from research on school facilities and student outcomes; current issues, problems, and initiatives in the educational field; and emerging demographic patterns. Full Report (PDF file)

Perkins+Will’s design approach for the Hector Garcia Middle School in Dallas provides a compelling case study for applying sustainability on a tight public school district budget, reported Environmental Design & Construction. Full Story

After Katrina, teams of planners recommended that broad swaths of vulnerable neighborhoods be abandoned. Yet all areas of the city have at least some residents beginning to rebuild. With billions of dollars in federal relief for homeowners trickling in, more people are expected to follow. Moreover, while new federal guidelines call for raising houses to reduce the damage of future floods, most returning homeowners do not have to comply or are finding ways around the costly requirement, according to city officials, reported The Washington Post. Full Story

Building Design and Construction examines five emerging themes in retail development. Full Story

The Rose Smart Growth Investment Fund is a $100 million limited partnership which is one of the few environmentally oriented investment fund that focuses exclusively on the acquisition of existing properties in transit-oriented locations. The expectation is that the fund will make green improvements to the properties and hold them as long-term investments, reported The International Herald Tribune. Full Story

Hospital construction is booming in the Philadelphia area, using building layouts that scientists believe will help patients get healthier, reported The Philadelphia Inquirer. Full Story

Ottawa hospitals had a "banner year" in 2006 because of expansion and renovation and the construction boom is likely to continue in the coming year and beyond, reported The Ottawa Citizen. Full Story

The New York Times on the Web takes a look at the first large-scale residential building in the country where all the units were built using what are called universal design principles. While building codes set a minimum standard regarding accessibility, universal design is a relatively new concept that seeks to go beyond those codes to make the built environment usable by all people without the need for adaptation. Full Story (Free registration required)

Education, general office, and healthcare markets are all-star performers within the $3.5 billion commercial modular construction industry, reported Building Design and Construction. Full Story

Emagazine.com takes a look at several innovative green building projects. Full Story

SECURITY & SAFETY

Rockford, IL school District 205 was awarded more than $460,000 in federal funding to come up with a plan for emergency response and crisis management. Some of the money will be used to train personnel and pay for security improvements, like cameras and keyless door locks, reported WREX-TV. Full Story

Solving problems with mold, extreme temperatures, overcrowding, poor air quality, vermin infestation, and other conditions in public schools throughout the U.S. must be a top educational priority, according to a new report from the American Federation of Teachers. Full Story Full Report (PDF file)

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Boston is expected to become the first major city in the nation to require private developers to adhere to a strict set of green-building standards. The standards will be required before permits are issued for all projects of 50,000 sq. ft. or more. The goal is to make new buildings more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, by promoting, for example, use of efficient heating and cooling systems, recycled building materials, and careful separation and disposal of waste. The Boston standards pointedly do not require the buildings be certified under the LEED rating system, reported Building Design & Construction. Full Story

Chatham County, NC Commissioners have approved the creation of a green building task force which will review and advise the commissioners on green building strategies for all new county buildings, including libraries and schools, and renovations of existing buildings, reported The News & Observer. Full Story

The Babylon, NY town board passed a "green" building code considered by at least one expert to be the nation's most comprehensive attempt to ensure all buildings are constructed under environmentally friendly standards. The code requires all new commercial, industrial, office and multiple-residence construction of more than 4,000 sq. ft. in the town to be built using green materials, reported Newsday (NY). Full Story

SMALL BUSINESS NEWS

100 Hours

When the Democrats assumed the majority in Congress, they repeatedly spoke of their goals for the first 100 hours they would be in power. After being sworn in, the new leadership began the 100 hours by voting in new, tight lobbying restrictions, including a ban on gifts from lobbyists and mandatory ethics training for all House employees.

The 100-hour project continues this week with several major votes, including enactment of the 9/11 Commission and federal funding for human embryonic stem-cell research. However, the vote that will be most important for small businesses will be the vote to increase the minimum wage, slated for this Wednesday. The bill, H.R. 2, would increase the federal minimum wage by $2.10 per hour in roughly two years. The minimum wage would increase from $5.15 to $5.85 per hour within 60 days of enactment. A year later, the minimum wage would increase to $6.55, and would rise again to $7.25 the following year.

After its startling success in the 2006 mid-term elections, the Democrats are eager to champion their support for an increase in the minimum wage and have made its passage a top priority. Several top Republicans are now just as eager to take the issue off the table and could facilitate its passage in order to prevent it from being an issue in the next election. President Bush has indicated that he is willing to sign this increase into law if it is offset by tax cuts to small business owners.

Budget Considerations

Making good on another campaign promise, House Democrats adopted pay-go budget rules last Friday. This new rule will require any government spending or tax cut to be offset with corresponding budget cuts or tax increases. As it is very difficult to see how the new Congress can make it two years without adding any new government programs, it will be interesting to see where the tax increases will come from.

FOUNDATION NEWS

San Diego Head Start Centers Have Safety and Security Inspections

The Foundation for the Advancement of Life Safety and Security, in cooperation with the Neighborhood House Association in San Diego, CA, recently sponsored life safety and security inspections for a number of the Head Start Centers located in the San Diego area.

The inspections consisted of walking through 15 centers over a two day period to determine what changes, if any, could be made to doors at the points-of-entry and to fire-rated doors.

"With recent school related incidents across the country and with the known dangers of fire, we knew that we could play an active role in helping organizations understand the balance between security and life safety." said James Tartre, AHC, Foundation president. "Doors are instrumental to a child's safety and we felt that we could have a positive impact at the Head Start Centers."

These inspections are helping raise awareness for the forthcoming NFPA 80 standard for fire-rated doors as well as addressing safety and security issues.

"The Foundation's role is to educate and raise awareness for these different issues." Tartre said. "Remember, fire-door inspections aren't required until adopted and enforced by local jurisdictions. What these Head Start visits are doing now is creating a safer environment for these children and, at the same time, raising awareness for the level of complexity inspecting fire-rated doors requires and for the safety features that the door and hardware industry provides to schools on a daily basis."

The inspections were performed by Joseph Winandy, AHC of Ingersoll-Rand Security Technologies.

In addition to performing these life safety and security inspections, the Foundation is working with some of the most impacted centers to make the necessary upgrades.

"The Foundation will be working with its supporters to replace some doors that have aged considerably through the years, provide for upgraded hardware and locks for the doors and replace some gasketing around the door frame that would help contain smoke in the event of a fire." Said Mr. Winandy. "The Foundation wants to provide for a safe environment for these children."

Foundation has Capitol Hill Visits with Staff of Senators Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

Jerry Heppes CAE, Dick Barnhard DAHC/CDC, FDHI and Bill Johnson conducted meetings on Capitol Hill with representatives of Sen. Joseph Lieberman and Sen. Barbara Boxer. The meetings provided an opportunity to educate and raise awareness for the solutions that the door and hardware industry provide for school safety and security.

Senator Boxer's office is working on school safety issues and found the Foundation's visit to be very timely and informative. Her office also showed support for the Head Start visits that took place in San Diego and made a request that her local office be included in the follow-up visits.

Senator Lieberman's office showed considerable interest in the education the Foundation was able to provide on school security and safety issues and requested further information on the Foundation's proposed projects in the state of Connecticut similar to those the Foundation is performing in California. The Foundation is also proposing to upgrade a school facility in the state of Connecticut. Among his many senate duties, Senator Lieberman is the committee chair for the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Foundation Looking for Support for Head Start Centers Upgrades

The Foundation is looking for support of materials to make the necessary upgrades at three of the Head Start Centers in San Diego. Please contact Bill Johnson if you are interested and willing to help. Contact via email: bjohnson@dhi.org

Code Enforcement Officials Training Course Set for South Carolina

The Foundation is sponsoring the first Fire-Rated Doors and Hardware training course to be taught to code enforcement officials in South Carolina. These officials have been invited to this one-day course in Columbia, SC to learn about the NFPA 80 Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, installation, operation, features, basic criteria and maintenance of fire-rated doors. The course is scheduled for January 22nd.

DHI NEWS

Registration is NOW Available for Upcoming DHI Education!
March 11-16, 2007 in Pittsburgh, PA

DHI's Education is for EVERYONE! Whether you are just starting out in the industry or own your own company, DHI education will give you the technical skills and knowledge to excel within the openings industry! For a complete course listing and to register online, go to www.dhi.org/education. Not sure what to take? Contact our Member Services team at 703-222-2010 and we can help you find the courses that will best meet your needs.

Join DHI for ONLY $113!

Do you have any employees or colleagues who would benefit from DHI? Now is an excellent time for them to join! Sign-up today at the pro-rated price of only $113*! Find out how DHI members succeed with:

An enhanced competitive edge
Comprehensive career development opportunities
Extensive networking both nationally and locally

Go online to www.dhi.org/membership or call 703-222-2010!

*DHI membership cycle is from July to June each year