July 3rd, 2008 was the 31st legislative day for the state legislature. All Building Code Council items that where held over for legislative review, but were not filed as a bill, go into effect:
• R202 NC Residential Code - Wind-Borne Debris Region - January 1, 2009
• R324 NC Residential Code - Elevators and Platform Lifts - January 1, 2009
• NEC 210.12 Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection - January 1, 2009
• NEC 338.10 (B)4(a) SE cable - July 3, 2008
• NEC 406.11 Tamper proof receptacles - July 3, 2008
Items that will go into effect on the last day of the legislative session include:
• A-2 sprinkler threshold modification from 100 persons to 300 persons, except for nightclubs, in the 2006 NC Codes
Items that have been delayed for legislative review for the 2009 session include:
• Adoption of a new Chapter 11, including reference to the ANSI Accessibility Code.
Until the legislative review has completed, the original rules remain in place. In the case of Chapter 11, the language in the Accessibility code will remain in place until this issue is resolved.
A recently-released study shows that owning makes more sense than renting in 66 of the nation's 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The study, which was compiled by the Center for Economic and Policy Research and the National Low Income Housing Coalition, includes a comparison of monthly owning and rental costs for each market, as well as an estimate of equity that a home would accumulate by 2012.
Markets in North Carolina featured in the study include the Triangle, Triad and Charlotte.
Access the complete study "Ownership, Rental Costs and the Prospects of Building Home Equity: A Comparison of 100 Metropolitan Areas"here.
”Your ability to learn faster than your competition is your only sustainable competitive advantage.” Arie de Geus
Featuring more than 50 continuing education courses, there is an opportunity for professionals in the home building industry to sharpen their knowledge and stand out against the competition at this year's 21st Century Building Expo & Conference.
Seminars addressing all of the hottest topics affecting the home building industry will be presented, including green building, building technology and project management. Attendees can set themselves apart from competitors by taking advantage of the professional designations offered thro ugh the North Carolina Builder Institute (NCBI) and the NAHB University of Housing courses.
Over the course of the three day educational conference, the new NAHB Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation may be obtained. Green building has gone from a popular trend in home building to a practice implemented by builders and desired by home buyers. Don’t let your company be left behind – register now for the 21CBEC. For a full list of the continuing education offerings that await you and your colleagues at the 21CBEC, please visit www.21buildingexpo.com.
The 21CBEC is the Southeast's premier networking event for home building professionals. You can’t afford to miss it!
While Independence Day has already come and gone, don’t miss your chance to salute America again during an “Evening of Patriotic Proportions” at this year’s STARS Awards Gala on Sept. 10 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte.
The STARS Awards Gala, held in conjunction with the 21st Century Building Expo & Conference, is an opportunity to honor the outstanding achievements of the home building industry’s builders, associates, real estate agents, media and advertising professionals and local associations. Category headings include: Marketing, Advertising, Landscape Design, Interior Merchandising, Architecture/Floor plan, Sales Office, Community of the Year, Local Association Awards and more!
The deadline for entries is quickly approaching! All nominations are due to NCHBA by Aug. 1. Also, don’t forget about our second annual Builder and Associate of the Year Awards. Nominate a Builder or Associate member you believe is deserving of one of these esteemed awards. For more information, please contact Kathryn Atkinson at (800) 662-7129 or email .
South Carolina is the first state association on the east coast to host the Green Building Field Verifier Training course. The course will be presented during the Home Builders Association of South Carolina's State Convention on August 2, 2008 from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Marriott Grande Dunes Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC
This is a 3-hour training course covering the process required of an accredited verifier. The course is followed by a proctored test. Participants passing the test are provided with the additional information needed to be accredited and listed on www.nahbgreen.org.
The NAHB Research Center must verify your prerequisite information before you are accepted into the class. You must first register online with theNAHB Research Center at www.nahbgreen.org/Certification or complete the attached form and fax it to (301) 430-6180, ATTN: Rita Knab. Then, register with the HBA of SC.
NAHB is preparing for its toughest battle yet in opposing mandatory fire sprinkler requirements in the International Residential Code (IRC) and ultimately every jurisdiction that adopts it. While NAHB and member HBAs have been successful over the years in consistently and soundly defeating code proposals to mandate fire sprinklers in single family homes, this year sprinkler advocates will push for mandates with even more intensity.
To ensure the interests of building officials, home builders, and home buyers are adequately represented at the hearings, it is critical to get as many building code and other public officials as possible, who are designated voting representatives and opposed to mandatory sprinkler requirements in the IRC, to attend the final hearings in Minneapolis and vote against the proposed mandates.
NAHB is providing travel assistance grants to help local HBAs send their local building code and other public officials, designated as voting representatives by an ICC Governmental Member, to the ICC Final Action Hearings in Minneapolis, in order to ensure the interests of building officials, home builders, and home buyers are adequately represented on this issue. Under this program, $850.00 grants are available for designated voting representatives traveling to the hearings to help defray travel expenses when such funding is not otherwise available.
The exact date of the IRC portion of the hearings is not known at this time. The information will be provided as soon as the hearing order for the ICC Final Action Hearings becomes available, which will be posted on the ICC website around July 25. Preliminary feedback indicates that the IRC proposals will be heard in the second half of the hearings.
For more information contact Robert Privott at 800-662-7129 or
Anytime you take a Builders University class at your local HBA, you can earn North Carolina Builder Institute (NCBI) credit, too. Credit applies toward AA and AB designations.
Builders Mutual Insurance Company's risk management experts bring the latest safety solutions and risk management programs to you through Builders University classes. You may even qualify for a Builders Mutual insurance discount by attending and becoming Fall Protection Certified. View the Builders University schedule, and reserve your spot. Seating is limited, so register today!
The Lake Norman HBA University now offers the NCBI Accreditation Program, as part of the their program of classes! No longer will you have to drive to Raleigh for your NCBI designation courses. Classes are being held at Mitchell Community College in Mooresville, NC, on a monthly basis. The cost for HBA members is $180 per 8 hours and $95 per 4 hours. Upon completion, builders receive this prestigious designation not only with NCBI, but also with the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.
Builder Confidence Declines Further In July
Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes fell for a third consecutive month in July, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. The HMI fell below its previous record low of 18 in June to a new record low of 16 in July, with each of its three component indexes also hitting record lows.
“The worsening housing slump and the near-meltdown in financial markets last week makes it even more urgent for Congress to complete action on the housing bill now, a move that will help stabilize and restore confidence in housing and the U.S. economy,” said NAHB President Sandy Dunn. click here to read the entire story
Single-Family Housing Starts And Permits Decline In June
Responding to worsening conditions in the nation’s housing and financial markets, single-family home builders continued to slow the pace of new construction in June, according to the latest data released by the U.S. Commerce Department today.
Starts of new single-family homes declined 5.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 647,000 units in June. This was the slowest pace in 17 years, and marked a decline of 64.5 percent from the peak of the building boom in January of 2006. Meanwhile, issuance of building permits for single-family homes declined 3.5 percent to a rate of 613,000 units. click here to read the entire story
Dynamic Programs Better Than Mandates, NAHB Says
Testifying today on behalf of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) before a House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality hearing on “Climate Benefits of Improved Building Energy Efficiency,” St. Louis green builder Matt Belcher cautioned Congress on the danger of one-size-fits-all proposals for home construction.
Policies that encourage rather than mandate energy savings are the most meaningful at stimulating greater demand for energy-efficient homes, Belcher said. click here to read the entire story
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