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White House Launches Private/Public Technology Initiative to Build "Next Generation" Housing
The President unveiled the industry and government initiative at groundbreaking ceremonies for the Village Green housing development, a construction site for 186 energy-efficient, moderately-priced homes in the San Fernando Valley.
Prior to the President’s remarks, Bob Vila, host of a syndicated home improvement television series, opened the event with a tour of the stage built to resemble a state-of-the-art home featuring advanced technology products donated by PATH industry members. Among the samples of emerging technology products on display were an energy-efficient front loading clothes washer, high-performance windows, photovoltaic roof shingles, structural insulated panels, steel wall framing, an air-to-air heat exchanger, a high-efficiency air conditioner plus flexible gas tubing, insulating concrete forms, and wiring and lighting innovations.
National Association of Home Builders President Don Martin, who joined California Lt. Governor Gray Davis and U.S. Representative Brad Sherman and Clinton on the platform, pledged builder support for PATH. "NAHB," he said, "is eager to work with the Administration to form partnerships that will bring emerging technologies into residential construction. This means not just the 1.4 million new homes we build each year," Martin said, "but also the nation’s 100 million existing homes. To make significant improvements by the year 2010 we must focus considerable effort on existing housing. After all, more than 85 percent of the nation’s housing inventory in 2010 will have been built prior to today."  Contact PATH at 202-708-4277 for more information..
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President Bill Clinton officially launched the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) May 4 in Los Angeles, California.
Describing PATH as "the most ambitious effort ever to help private home builders and home owners make cost-effective, energy saving decisions that will pay big dividends throughout the 21st century," the President urged leaders from the home building, product manufacturing, insurance and financial industries and representatives from federal agencies dealing with housing issues to work together to spur housing design and construction innovations.
Noting that the Village Green housing development would use several of the featured technological innovations. Clinton said, "The power of this partnership is growing every day."