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July 10, 2008

INDUSTRY ACCESS*

ASSA ABLOY has Acquired Rockwood, a U.S. Manufacturer of Door Components

ASSA ABLOY has acquired Rockwood Manufacturing Company, a U.S. producer of standard and custom decorative and specialty door hardware. Rockwood Manufacturing Company is a family owned business established in 1946 and headquartered in Rockwood, PA. The company has approximately 150 employees. "I am very pleased that Rockwood is joining the ASSA ABLOY Group and with the addition we take another important step in our strategy to provide total door solutions on the American non-residential market," says Johan Molin, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY. 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

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) has released AASHE Digest 2007. The publication documents the continued growth in campus sustainability efforts across the U.S. and Canada. Full Story

The British Government is preparing for what it says is the biggest shake up in power generation since the Industrial Revolution. The nation will have to spend the equivalent of more than $200 billion to ensure that renewable energy makes up 15% of the UK's requirements in less than 12 years time, reported Building Design & Construction. Full Story

Read highlights from The 2008 BOMA International Conference and The Office Building Show by clicking here.

CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

A growing list of U.S. cities are either requiring or offering incentives for companies to "go green" by building or retrofitting their facilities using sustainable designs and materials. Business Facilities magazine looks at some recent developments. Full Story

Healthcare construction spending declined about 3% during the first quarter of 2008, following a 32% increase during the previous two years. Reed Construction Data attributes the decline to a drop in project starts, and expects the decline to be brief, with a projected 22% increase in healthcare construction spending by the end of 2009, reported Building Design & Construction. Full Story

SECURITY & SAFETY

Simple audio intercoms to an entrance are being upgraded with video, and electrical door release systems that "buzz" people in are being replaced with access control systems that preserve audit trails of when people entered. SDM Magazine takes a look at some of the new technologies. Full Story

CDW Government Inc. has published the 2008 School Safety Index Self-Assessment Tool, enabling school and community leaders to take CDW-G’s School Safety Index survey and receive an instant score showing how their school or district compares to the national school safety average, which CDW-G reported in May. Using the self-assessment tool, school leaders, parents and policy makers answer 12 questions about physical and cyber safety, reported Access Control & Security Systems. Each question highlights an indicator of strong school safety programs, as well as the barriers to improved school safety. The CDW-G School Safety Index Self-Assessment Tool is online at www.schoolsafetyindex.com. Full Story

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

More than $74 million in grants have been awarded to 27 states as part of a joint effort by the U.S. departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice to support schools in creating safe learning environments that promote healthy childhood development and prevent youth violence and drug use. Full Story

NJ State officials on July 8 approved plans to build more than 50 schools with the $2.9 billion lawmakers appropriated for the 31 districts covered by the Abbott vs. Burke school funding lawsuit, reported The Daily Record. Full Story

Since 2003 the number of counties with green building programs has risen from eight to thirty-nine for an increase of 387.5%. In an effort to examine the eco-friendly initiatives of U.S. counties, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) commissioned a study – Local Leaders in Sustainability: Green Counties – of the 200 most populous counties in 2008 representing 168,864,538 Americans, or a little more than half of the country. Full Story

SMALL BUSINESS NEWS

Housing Stimulus Bill

The House passed a bill, H.R. 3221, back in May. It combined parts of three bills. One would allow the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) to offer an affordable fixed rate mortgages to some homeowners on the brink of foreclosure. A second bill would establish a first time homebuyer’s tax credit, a standard deduction for state and local property taxes, and would create tax-exempt bonds for various purposes including for the construction of low-income rental housing. A third initiative would give the states authority regarding residential foreclosures.

The Senate has been struggling to pass its version. There are two major obstacles. Senator John Ensign (R-NV) has an amendment pending to extend a variety of renewable energy credits and attempting to deal with it has tied the Senate in procedural knots.

The second obstacle will have ramifications for a broad range of small businesses. The Senate is struggling with the question of whether the tax 'relief' portions of the bill will be offset. NOT including the Ensign provisions, the bill still has over $14 billion in tax "relief" in it. Ensign's tax package "costs" another $8 billion. The Senate version already includes the credit/debit card information-reporting program (c/dcirp) as a revenue offset. We may end up with fewer pay-go provisions, more pay-go provisions or even no pay-go by the time the bill gets to the President’s desk.

DHI's Jerry Heppes sits on the board of the Small Business Legislative Council. If you'd like more information on these or other issues affecting small businesses, feel free to contact him at jheppes@dhi.org.

This material is protected under copyright law and contains confidential information. It is for the sole personal, informational use of DHI members. It cannot be distributed, reprinted, referenced as a source for attribution, or otherwise made public.

DHI NEWS

Upcoming Feature Program in DHI's Virtual Conference & Exposition (VCE):
ONLINE Overview of the Fire Door Assembly Inspection Class — FREE

Join us online Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 11:00 am EST as Keith Pardoe, DAHC, CDC, Director of Education and Certification presents a comprehensive overview of DHI’s Fire Door Assembly Inspection class (FDAIC). This interactive overview session inside DHI’s amazing new 3D virtual VCE is a great opportunity to learn more about this incredible program from the convenience of your own office. Find out how you can get on the path to becoming a Fire Door Assembly Inspector. This VCE interactive virtual environment allows you to ask questions at the end of the session and speak directly with Keith Pardoe. Go to www.dhi.org for more details and click on VCE.

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for
DHI’s 33rd Annual Conference and Exposition
November 7 -15, 2008 in Boston, MA

Registration is now available online at www.dhi.org/annual. Start making your plans to attend this essential industry event. This year's Conference and Exposition is jam-packed with networking, educational and business development opportunities. From the National Education to the Forum for the Future, Industry Marketplace and exposition, this is a smart investment of your time and money. Go online to www.dhi.org/annual for a complete listing of education offerings and scheduled events. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 703-222-2010.