What's
New in Home Building?
If you've been shopping for a new home, or simply enjoy looking at model homes
in and around your community, then you may be impressed with modern floor plans,
materials, and energy-efficient features, like windows and appliances. So what can you
expect to see next?
At the recent Pacific Coast Builders Conference, known by just PCBC to those in the
industry, more than 600 companies exhibited the latest in home building wares and
services. Nearly 24,000 builders, developers, architects, sales and marketing types,
designers, and others in the home building industry attended the show, held annually in
San Francisco.
And a random selection of 500 registered attendees voted
online to pinpoint the "cool products." Making the top of the list is a
solar-powered roofing tile called Sunslates, produced by Atlantis Energy Systems, Inc.
What makes this product so cool, they say, is that the roof tiles actually capture the
sun's rays and generate electricity for the house. Homeowners can even sell power to the
utility company during the scorching summer months.
Steve Coonen, vice president of Atlantis Energy, told California Builder magazine the
tiles work like the more traditional solar power systems that are spread over an existing
roof.
"We just found a way to put it in a roof tile. The wiring, etc., is the
same," Coonen said.
Atlantis, which is based in Sacramento, Calif., is working with a growing number of
developers around the state, including U.S. Home, to include the new PV tiles.
Kevin Slagle, a spokesman for the homebuilder, said the solar systems would be standard
equipment in the new homes.
"Energy is a top issue. People are always asking, how can you build more houses
when you don't have enough energy today," Slagle said.
Meanwhile, other things to keep in mind as you look for new homes this year:
GE's Monogram gas cooktop with dual-flame burners. The company says the burners use two
separate flames to provide a full spectrum of heat so you can sear, sauté, stir-fry, and
simmer delicate foods without sticking and scorching.
- Looking for a unique, environmentally friendly floor? How about telegraph poles,
railroad cross ties or bridge pilings? Jungle Hardwoods, by AsiaRain Inc. recycles these
items into narra, teak, and rosewood flooring.
- Homebuilders also selected Flex-C Trac/Plate by Flex-Ability Concepts. This structural
hardware allows builders to frame curved walls and ceilings.
- You know those ugly pale green utility boxes in your front yard? A company called ABB,
Inc. has created InvisiTran, which is installed below grade, allowing for better curb
appeal.
- Virtual models. Builders are excited about virtual-reality home models. Potential buyers
can see a home online before it's even built. It saves money for the builder, and one
company that provides the service, RM Design Studio, says it's more effective than selling
from a floor plan. It remains to be seen whether buyers will accept this method of viewing
a home.
- Trex Decking and Railing. Another environmentally friendly product, this decking
material is made from recycled and reclaimed plastic and wood. The company says the
material will last 10 years in harsh environments like the Florida Everglades.
- Concrete has come a long way from the driveway. Countertops and fireplace surrounds,
like those created by exhibitor Flying Turtle Cast Concrete, offer natural, unique looks,
and durability that matches marble or granite.
- Do you love the look of tile, but hate the cold feeling during the winter months? This
cool product, NUHEAT floor warming systems, is actually a thin heating mat installed
between the subfloor and the tile.
- Are you tired of the magnet-held, scrawled messages on the refrigerator door? How about
Maytag's Amana Messenger side-by-side refrigerator? It has a voice message center where
you can record and listen to messages from other family members with a simple touch of the
button.
So, if you're in the market for a new home, don't be surprised if your roof
produces electricity, your countertop is concrete, or your refrigerator talks to you.
