Times have been tough and the construction sector has had to be leaner and meaner when it comes to building to budget. There are a number of ways for you to reduce costs on-site without reducing the quality of your building or the efficiency with which you operate. Putting a little more time and effort into planning and marketing can go a long way to cutting your costs.
Quality and energy efficiency are synonymous with Grayhawk Homes Inc. Want to know founder Dave Erickson’s secret to success? A return to the good old fashioned principles of value for money, good workmanship, genuine care for home owners as well as a healthy respect for the environment.
Plywood and OSB paneling expands and contracts as it adjusts to the moisture content of the building site. Unrestrained by fastening and framing, panels can move an average of 1/8 inch as they acclimatize. Correct spacing of panels will help to make allowances for expansion and prevent buckling of walls, floors and roofs and gaps in the building envelope that will compromise energy efficiency. “Energy savings start with the framing.”
An energy audit is a series of tests run to determine the efficiency with which your building utilizes energy. Whether you are planning a renovation to reduce energy consumption, or have just completed a new build, energy audits establish the efficiency level of your building envelope. Energy audits help to show where you can get the most savings for your building buck and what improvements will give you the best return on investment.
The potential for extreme weather is quite high this year. The hurricane season officially started on June 1, but don’t tell Mother Nature that. It got an early start this year when both tropical storms Alberto and Beryl launched in May. This is only the third time we’ve had two named storms before June 1 since records have been kept.
Energy efficiency: It is an often-used term and a concept that is quickly becoming a priority for businesses, consumers and governments worldwide. Recently, United States President Barack Obama declared October National Energy Awareness Month, stating, “If we are to advance energy and climate security, we must focus on energy efficiency, promote sustainable industries…and set effective and achievable standards for the generation and use of clean energy.” As energy efficiency continues to increase as a matter of importance, groups and individuals alike are examining ways in which they can make changes and “set effective and achievable standards”. For many, this change starts with the home.
Discover tactics that are guaranteed to work and won’t break the bank. By Nigel F. Maynard Let’s forget the green movement for a moment. The topic has exploded in the mainstream, but that growth has resulted in false claims and an unbelievable amount of greenwashing.
A new national study of green consumers contradicts several long-held stereotypes about them: The environment is not their top concern, their kids are not influencing them to be green, and while many know what they should do to save the planet, they often don’t do it. As a result, marketing messages aimed at this group often fall on deaf ears. Read on for the top 6 myths of Green Consumers.
As building codes struggle to simplify prescriptive guidelines for wind-resistant structures, new measures for handling uplift emerge. Click here to read the full article
Builders of wood-framed houses may not always pay enough mind to the question of air leakage through walls in the finished product. And they can’t be blamed, given that building codes and prevailing economic considerations tend to keep their attentions focused elsewhere. But there’s plenty to be gained by builders who opt for more airtight …
