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In This Issue:
HUD BREAKS GROUND ON FIRST PATH CONCEPT HOME:
On October 18, 2006, HUD Assistant Secretary Darlene Williams, Regional HUD Director Macie Houston, Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey, and builder Fernando Pages broke ground for the first PATH Concept Home and unveiled revised plans for a 2,000 square foot “farm house” design. Located in Omaha, Neb., the home will feature innovative products and systems with traditional design elements to create a comfortable and affordable home. "With the PATH Concept Home, HUD is putting into practice the latest in technology advances to respond to changing household demographics and the realities of housing economics," said Williams. "Our vision for the PATH Concept Home is a home for all Americans--one that is affordable to purchase, to maintain and to renovate as families and their needs change over time."
Architecture firm Torti Gallas Partners translated the PATH vision for the Concept Home into an applicable design, which meets ENERGY STAR, Environments for Living, Green Building, and FHA Accessibility criteria. The City of Omaha donated a site for the PATH Concept Home to be built on a corner lot nestled among new affordable homes and quaint historic bungalows and convenient to downtown and Creighton University. The neighborhood is also part of a broad commercial and residential redevelopment effort. Check out local news coverage of the groundbreaking event, or visit the PATH Concept Home pages on the PATH website for more information on the project.
PATH PUTS SOME GREEN IN THE KITCHEN:
The latest PATH Tech Set, highlighting a Green Kitchen Remodel, has been released, according to a recent release (10/12/06). The Tech Set explains how improving the energy efficiency, ecological benefits, accessibility, and health considerations of a kitchen will provide life-long comfort, peace of mind, and cost savings to residents. For example, the kitchen accounts for a substantial sum of a home’s energy needs as a result of refrigeration, cooking, water heating, and the majority (80%) of a home’s lighting. To improve a kitchen’s efficiency, the Tech Set offers several solutions, including using ENERGY STAR appliances, induction cooktops, and improved insulation and windows. To learn more, read the Tech Set.
CONCRETE INNOVATIONS:
According to a recent article in the Engineering News Record (Tudor Van Hampton, 10/09/06), inventors have reshaped concrete to do more and last longer with a variety of new innovations. Translucent concrete uses precast blocks and panels with glass fibers, which transmit light from one side of the concrete to the other. Ultra-high-performance concrete casts and feels like concrete, but behaves more like a metal once it has cured. The material uses carbon fibers, polyvinyl-alcohol fibers, and other embedded materials that bring its compressive capacities up to 30,000 psi and flexural strengths to 6,000 psi, according to the article. “Bendable” concrete, which uses synthetic fibers placed in the mix, resists cracking 500 times more than traditional concrete, weighs 40 percent less, and reduces the need for reinforcements and joints, especially in seismic zones, the article goes on to say. To learn more, read the article.
STEEL-FRAMED ‘CAJUN COTTAGE’ SHOWN AT NEW ORLEANS SUMMIT:
A 400-square-foot, steel-framed “Cajun Cottage” constructed by the Steel Framing Alliance (SFA) was exhibited in the New Orleans Housing Solutions Summit on September 29-30. According to a recent release (10/09/06), the SFA believes that steel framing offers a solution for rebuilding strong, durable homes in the area. Although steel has not commonly been used in Louisiana over the past 10 years, about 70 percent of homes in Hawaii use steel, which does not provide food for termites or mold; will not burn, warp, crack or split; is protected from corrosion by a galvanized coating; and can be designed to withstand hurricane-force winds, according to SFA. To learn more, read the release.
NEW WOOD-PLASTIC COMPOSITES SHOW INCREASED STRENGTH, LOWER COST:
Wood science researchers in the College of Forestry at Oregon State University have developed new wood-plastic composites that they say are stronger and less expensive than any similar products now available. According to a recent release (10/02/06), composite products made from wood and plastic offer low maintenance and resist rot. However, composite materials have traditionally had higher costs and lower strength. New wood-plastic composites use superior compatibilizers (polymers that bridge the interface between the wood and plastic) and an innovative technology for mixing wood and thermoplastics that have a melting temperature higher than the wood degradation temperature. This approach allows the new composites to use very inexpensive plastics, such as those found in old carpet fibers and to use low-grade woody biomass. To learn more, read the release.
YALE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE TAKES A NEW LOOK AT PRE-FAB:
"Some Assembly Required: Contemporary Prefabricated Houses," a show that demonstrates how far prefabricated homes have come from the “straight-off-the-assembly-line” look, will be on display at the Yale School of Architecture from October 27, 2006, to February 2, 2007. According to a recent release (10/05/06), each prototype home in the show offers a range of options in building materials, interior structures, and overall dimension, and can reflect the taste and particular needs of their owners. One home by the architectural firm Resolution: 4 Architecture makes three different types of prefabricated modules that can be configured in various ways to fit a number of settings. A panelized system offered by FlatPak uses 8-foot single-story panels as the basic building unit that can be designed into almost limitless combinations of materials and configurations. The one-room Weehouse can stand alone or serve as a starting point for larger homes. The symposium "Building (in) the Future: Recasting Labor in Architecture," will take place at the School of Architecture October 27-29. To learn more about the homes, the exhibit, or the symposium, read the release.
WALL STREET JOURNAL INNOVATION AWARD WINNERS:
The Wall Street Journal's 2006 Technology Innovation Awards contest, now in its sixth year, considers novel technologies from around the world in several categories, including Energy and Power, Environment, Materials, Medical Devices, Wireless, Software, and others. According to a recent article (Michael Totty; 09/11/06), this year’s winners include:
- HelioVolt Corp., of Austin, Texas – Award in the Energy and Power category for its lightweight solar-energy panels, which use an alternative material to produce more energy than the more common silicon solar material and can be applied to glass or other building materials
- ET Water Systems LLC, of Corte Madera, Calif. – Award in the Environment category for a landscape-irrigation that gauges the precise watering needs of a home or business based on the location's plants, soil types, and rainfall, and relies on a central computer to analyze weather conditions
- Eikos Inc., of Franklin, Mass. – Award in the Materials category for a transparent, electrically-conductive coating that can be used to make solar cells, flexible displays, and touch-screen monitors that are less prone to dead spots
To learn more about these technologies and other winning technologies, read the article.
BASF SHOWCASES PORTFOLIO OF INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS:
In a recent release announcing its showcase at the upcoming BAU trade fair in Germany (10/05/06), BASF announced a broad line of raw materials and products focused on energy-efficient construction and renovation. Products include:
- lightweight gypsum panels with latent-heat accumulating material for climate control
- EPS foam panels that offer the highest insulating potential ever reached
- a pressure-resistant, extruded polystyrene rigid foam (XPS) that can be used for the energy-efficient renovation and modernization of old buildings
- fire-protection panels made from a sandwich system in conjunction with high-density fiber panels
- thermoplastic high-performance films that are weather-resistant, UV-stable, and can be applied onto a variety of wood, metal, or plastic components to create detailed, high-quality, and long-lasting surfaces for doors, window frames, façades, and other construction elements
To learn more about these materials, read the release.