PATH in the News 2006

Building to Resist a Disaster, Philadelphia Inquirer, December 3, 2006.
Existing houses can be retrofitted to better withstand high winds by securing roof sheathing to trusses when replacing roofs, using anchor straps for the foundation, and adding hurricane-resistant doors and impact-resistant windows - especially in houses that can't accommodate hurricane shutters, which cost about $700 for a single-family house with 312 square feet of windows, according to the PATH.

The Quality of a Mercedes, Construction Today, December 1, 2006.
For the past few years, HUD's PATH and Mercedes Homes have been working together to create hurricane-resistant houses. These homes, the company says, incorporate proven wind-resistant features, including solid-poured concrete construction, tie-downs, steel reinforcement, secondary roof coverings and window shutters.

Making Headway, Alabama Homebuilder, Winter 2006
To be competitive in the building industry, you must offer a high-quality product at a good price and on schedule. Often, modern technologies can help. For more suggestions on the latest building technologies, visit the PATH Web site.

Druid Hills Renovation Project Receives Awards, GoDeKalb.com, November 29, 2006.
Carl Seville of Seville Consulting has continued to receive recognition for his sustainable renovation and expansion of a 1918 brick bungalow in the historic district of the Druid Hills area in DeKalb County. The home, which was featured at the 2005 Southern Building Show in Atlanta, was also a finalist in the residential category of the 2006 Environmental Design and Construction Magazine Excellence in Design Awards. In addition, PATH conducted a case study on the project and published it on the Tech Practices page of its PATHnet internet site.

Department of Energy Says R-49 Insulation Is Best, The Detroit News, November 18, 2006.
When you have sufficient insulation, you keep the heat from being lost during the winter. You also keep the hot summer attic heat from coming into your house during the summer. To make sure that I had the final word on the subject, I went to the PATH Energy Efficient Rehab Advisor site. PATH is a voluntary partnership between government agencies and the homebuilding industry coordinated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Policy Development and Research.

First Student-Built ‘Green’ Home Follows NAHB Model, Nation's Building News, November 13, 2006.
The NAHB Research Center has partnered with the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center (LCCTC) in Pennsylvania to develop one of the first homes rated under the new NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines as a field evaluation project for the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing.

PATH, McGraw-Hill Construction Release Results of Innovation in Residential Building Project, EarthTimes.org, November 9, 2006.
PATH and McGraw-Hill Construction released today four reports, one of which -- "Residential Market Research for Innovation" -- details the entire scope of work under a partnership conducted by PATH and McGraw-Hill Construction to investigate the most critical research data gaps impeding better understanding of innovation adoption.

2007 International Builders Show Will Feature Safer Living Standard, Orlando Business Journal, November 6, 2006.
This marks the fifth year that the NextGen "First to the Future" demonstration home will be built at the show through partnerships. This year, it is working with such organizations as the Institute for Business & Home Safety, Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. PATH selected about 15 technological advancements that will be showcased in the demonstration home that address one-time and longer-term disaster issues such as moisture and mold, Carlos Martin, a PATH researcher, says in the release.

2007 International Builders' Show to Feature 'First to the Future' Home, Yahoo! Finance, November 3, 2006.
When the International Builders Show, the largest light construction show in the world, returns to Orlando, Fla. Feb. 7 to 10 next year, the more than 105,000 expected attendees will likely be in search of answers; and they will find them at The NextGen "First to the Future" Demonstration Home. Approximately 15 technological advancements chosen by PATH specifically for this demonstration home will also be showcased.

Breaking Ground: PATH Concept Homes, MarketWeb, November 2006.
In October, PATH, in conjunction with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), broke ground on its first Concept Home, which features innovative, efficient products and systems designed to construct affordable homes.

Vision for future: A house that changes as quickly as we do, The Charlotte Observer (North Carolina),
October 28, 2006.
Welcome to the PATH Concept Home, a "house of the future" designed -- and soon to be constructed -- under the aegis of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program has been conceived by the department to catalyze change in the housing industry, which has historically been slower than other industries in adopting innovations.

Ground Blessing Event Launches Construction Farm Worker Housing Project, Charlotte Sun Herald (Florida), October 21, 2006.
Casa San Juan Bosco is an answer to the lack of affordable, quality housing in DeSoto County for seasonal farm workers. The single-family homes will exceed national building practices by including child safety and other measures of the Healthy Homes Initiative, and the energy efficiency and disaster resistance standards recommended by PATH.

Concept House, Senior Living, Businesses Under Construction, Omaha KETV.com, October 19, 2006.
A first-in-the-nation project called a PATH Concept Home will be built with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 25th and Parker streets. It must be sold to a minority or low-income family, and is a prototype home that will be environmentally sensitive, efficient and unusually flexible.

Breaking New Ground, Omaha WOWT.com, October 19, 2006.
A groundbreaking on Wednesday marked what many hope will signal a new trend in housing. The model is the PATH Concept Home.

Two Omaha Houses To Be First Of Their Kind In U.S., Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska), October 18, 2006.
Flexible. Efficient. Sustainable. Those are the three themes builder Fernando Pages is incorporating into two of what the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development considers state-of-the-art homes to be built in Omaha. A groundbreaking ceremony was held this morning at the corner of 25th and Parker Streets, where the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing unveiled its plans for the construction of the houses.

HUD Breaks Ground On America's First PATH Concept Home, States News Service, October 18, 2006.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development today broke ground on America's first PATH Concept Home, which will feature innovative products and sys-tems with traditional design elements to create a comfortable and affordable home.

Tech Set Lists Features to Make Kitchens Green, Nation's Building News, October 16, 2006.
A new tech set from the Partnership for Advancing Housing Technology (PATH) provides information on improving the energy-performance of kitchens that can be used for new construction or remodeling.

Construction Starts on 'Green' Technology Home, Lancaster New Era (Pennsylvania), October 3, 2006.
Construction of a "green" technology home was scheduled to begin today at the Mount Joy Campus of the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center in an educational project sponsored by public and private partners. The LCCTC and the Building Industry Association of Lancaster County are leading the project, under the auspices of the PATH program of the NAHB Research Center and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Next Best Thing, Housing Giants, October 1, 2006.
Large volume production builders make no secret of their aversion to risk. They approach any new building system, product or method with caution. One mistake repeated thousands of times can cost millions. That may explain why, according to a new study released by PATH, half of all production builders surveyed say they urge home builders to "stick with tried and true" materials and products. Nearly half (48 percent) say they "like to wait until other builders have successfully offered new building and construction products."

PEX vs. Copper, Builder Online, October 1, 2006.
THE RISING COST OF COPPER has boosted the appeal of plastic piping alternatives such as cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) among builders. In a field study of copper and PEX water supply systems, the NAHB Research Center and PATH partnered with builder Fernando Pages to provide a definitive comparison of the installation time, material cost, and performance of each in single-family homes.

Ritchie Recognized for Building, The Enid News and Eagle (Oklahoma), September 17, 2006.
David Ritchie, owner of Chisholm Creek Development, has been recognized by PATH as an innovator in durable, energy-efficient building. Ritchie is one of 30 builders, remodelers and service providers in the nation selected for a new case study series on advanced homebuilding technology reducing energy or water use or increasing a home's storm resistance.

Homebuilding Innovation Lags, Business Week, September 14, 2006.
The study was done for the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing and the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. It came out in June 2006.

Big Builders Play It Safe on Innovative Technology, Nation's Building News, September 11, 2006.
In an industry that is slow to give up the traditional way of doing things, larger, national production builders may not be entirely sold on innovative building technologies and materials, but they are more likely to invest in them than their smaller counterparts and they do see many possible benefits from using them over the next couple of decades, according to a recent report from PATH.

Website Redesign Helps Builders Find Technical Information Faster, Environmental Design & Construction, September 1, 2006.
The NAHB Research Center's ToolBase Services website has been fully redesigned and re-launched to help building professionals navigate comprehensive information on materials, innovative technologies, business management and housing systems more easily. Provided by the NAHB Research Center with support from the PATH Program, the website is a resource for accelerating the awareness of beneficial new technologies and updating building professionals on industry issues and research.

Choose the Right Roofing, Professional Builder, September 2006.
According to the PATH, builders should take several steps to prevent a roof from failing, especially in hurricane-prone areas. PATH recommends moderately pitched hipped rather than gabled roofs to better withstand strong winds, hurricane straps, baffled ridges and soffit vents, among other precautions, to minimize roof penetrations and water damage.

Crews Prepare for Recovery Expo at Coliseum, The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Mississippi), August 6, 2006.
Almost a year after Hurricane Katrina, South Mississippi homeowners are learning a larger lexicon of housing terminology. As emergency housing needs begin to shift to more permanent or in-between choices, information on what's available becomes more vital. Gov. Haley Barbour's Recovery Expo, scheduled Aug. 11-13 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, will offer product demonstrations, a wide variety of vendors and presentations, even a raffle for a new home.

Building Seminar Brings New Ideas, The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Mississippi), August 2, 2006.
Public housing authority officials, faith-based organizations, community housing groups, developers, city government officials and their consultants were on hand to get the latest on disaster-resistant materials and building techniques at a Sustainable Housing Technology Symposium, which began Tuesday at the IP Casino and Hotel in Biloxi.

Instant Hot Water; Tax Credit, Too, The Washington Times, August 2, 2006.
Because tankless water heaters operate differently from tank water heaters, the gas line coming to the unit usually needs to be larger. Therefore, units can cost two to three times more than a tank water heater, ranging from $800 to $2,200, depending on the type of system. Installation can range from $600 to $1,500.
Tankless water heaters this year made the list of 10 top technologies chosen by PATH.

Building America Puts Residential Research Results To Work, The Chief Engineer, August 1, 2006.
Building America provides energy research support to a broad range of residential building programs and partnerships, including Energy Star® Homes, several state programs (such as ComfortWise in California), and PATH.

Green Getaway, Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 22, 2206.
Vacation homes have been sprouting throughout North America for 150 years or more. Now, these sprouts are becoming increasingly green, as a combination of good intentions, guilt and the quest for bragging rights spur owners of second homes to make more eco-friendly choices.

Pilot Project Friendly to Environment in Salem, New Hampshire Union Leader, July 14, 2006.
A residential project in Salem is the only one in New England to use a new technology designed to reduce the impact on the environment by preserving natural resources while reducing infrastructure costs. The Braemoor Woods project uses techniques called low-impact development developed through PATH that are alternatives to standard designs.

PATH, HUD Partner to Showcase Concept Homes, HousingZone.com, July 1, 2006.
PATH has partnered with HUD and several private sector businesses to build two concept homes that transform and grow with the changing lifestyles and needs of its inhabitants. The Concept Homes will focus on flexible design and improved time-saving production processes. The homes will feature movable walls, which enable homeowners to create an extra room or enlarge a small room by adding or removing a wall, and organized, accessible utilities.

Bensonwood Homes And MIT Launch Initiative to Transform the Way America Builds Homes, Yahoo!News, June 22, 2006.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Bensonwood Homes are building a series of four prototype homes through the Open Prototype Initiative, designed to bring innovation to the construction industry.Bensonwood is basing the design and construction of Open_1 on the innovative Open-Built® principles it has developed over the past fifteen years. Open-Built® principles are also being used in the PATH Concept Home.

Government Programs that Help Builders, HGTVPro.com, June 8, 2006.
Carlos Martin with the PATH program sums it up nicely when he says that all three programs are intended to address different market needs. "I look at it this way," he says. "The DOE's Building America Program is focused primarily on research. The PATH program is focused primarily on providing information. The Energy Star program is primarily a marketing program."

Second Homes That Put Ecology First, New York Times, June 2, 2006.
In building their lake house, now in its final days of construction, the Baileys also used old blue jeans for a cinsulation. They also used soy-based cellulose for the exterior walls, low-flow toilets and recycled concrete and drywall. It was all part of an effort to make their vacation retreat as green as possible, with eco-friendly features that were missing from their Lincoln Park home in the city. Resources: PATH - Tips on building energy-efficient homes, finding builders and obtaining tax credits.

Housing within Reach: Innovations in Affordable Housing, Forest Products Journal, June 1, 2006.
Professor Paul Fisette, UMass Building Materials and Wood Technology Program, gave an overview of federal efforts in the area of housing. He described recent efforts by HUD, including PATH. His work on a National Research Council panel investigating PATH goals uncovered the complexity of achieving aggressive affordability goals.

New PATH Study Finds Savings in Panel Use, Forest Products Journal, June 1, 2006.
Integrating Panels into the Production Homebuilding Process, a new study by PATH, surveyed 24 builders in the southwestern and southeastern United States, and found that long-term cost savings, shorter construction times, reduced labor and material costs, and enhanced energy performance were all key factors in homebuilder's decisions to integrate panels into their building practices.

PM Installation Survey: High Velocity Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Mechanical, June 2006.
So what is a high-velocity air-conditioning system? They use small diameter, flexible, pre-insulated ducts - mini-ducts - that can be easily threaded through existing floors, ceilings and walls to deliver cool air where needed, making them ideal for retrofit installations. According to PATH, a special fan coil and air handling unit generates high-pressure air, which is forced through ducts; a main supply trunk supplies air to the flexible, 2-inch plastic feeder ducts. The air passes through sound-suppressing tubing at the end of the duct before entering the room through a plastic collar fitting, or register. Air is supplied at 440 to 1,200 cubic ft. per minute.

Copper Prices Put Plastic Water Piping on the Rise, Nation's Building News, May 29, 2006.
With prices of many building products continuing to rise and little relief on the immediate horizon, Martin said that the Research Center has created a new Web site for Toolbase.org to provide builders with the latest information on how to keep costs under control without sacrificing quality or performance. In addition to copper, the site provides alternatives for lumber, insulation and cement, with links to further areas of interest. Accompanying each item on the list from PATH is information on installation, initial and operating costs, a cost-benefit analysis, field evaluations and code acceptance.

Workshop to Teach How to Prepare, Repair Homes, The News-Press (Southwest Florida), May 26, 2006.
The US Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing and The Home Depot are partnering to offer free home preparedness & repair workshops to Floridians.

Cookin' with Gas: CSST Installation Solves Tough Problems, Reeves Journal, May 1, 2006.
More than 150 million feet of corrugated stainless steel tubing have been installed since 1989, according to PATH.

Concrete Solutions for Lurking Moisture, Professional Builder, May 1, 2006.
Concrete is the most common material for foundation construction. It provides a stable, fairly permanent base for a home, as well as an effective barrier from the elements, rodents, fire, noise and, of course, water. "It is a relatively impermeable, impervious material," says Dana Bres, research engineer with the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing program. "Water doesn't naturally go through concrete. As a result, a poured concrete wall does provide a physical barrier to moisture."

Efficient Ductwork Cuts Heating and Cooling Costs, Nation's Building News, May 1, 2006.
Winners of the NAHB Research Center's EnergyValue Housing Award have found innovative ways to ensure the efficiency of ductwork, which is responsible for as much as one-fifth to even one-third of a home's heating and cooling energy use. For more information about duct design, check out the PATH Technology Inventory or obtain a copy of "A Builder's Guide to Placement of Ducts in Conditioned Space" from the NAHB Research Center.

Home, Smart Home, Readers' Digest, May 2006.
If we're going to live in our homes longer, they'll need to be more flexible. The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), a public-private initiative, is working on houses that can be easily reconfigured.

Builders And Buyers Often Not On The Same Floor Plan, Chicago Tribune, April 30, 2006.
Take energy efficiency, for example. Consumers talk a good game, but we don't put our money where are mouths are. And we won't until sales people stop explaining the benefits and start warning of the consequences. In other words, they need to accentuate the negative rather than emphasize the positive. Maureen McNulty, information and outreach coordinator for PATH, calls it the "fear factor."

USDA Awards $6 million for Farm Worker Housing Project, Charlotte Sun Herald (Florida), April 29, 2006
Casa San Juan Bosco is an answer to the lack of affordable, quality housing in DeSoto County for seasonal farm workers and migrants. The homes will exceed national building practices by including child safety and other measures of the Healthy Homes Initiative and the energy efficiency and disaster resistance standards recommended by the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing.

Take A SIP?, ProSales Magazine, April 2006
Yet SIPs still make up less than 2 percent of the residential construction market, according to the Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA). A new partnership between SIPA and APA-The Engineered Wood Association is focused on increasing that market share to 5 percent in the next five years. SIPA also is working with the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing to develop a set of prescriptive performance standards, which will then be submitted for inclusion in the International Code Council's Residential Code.

Framing the Future, Better Homes & Gardens, April 2006
ToolBase is the home building industry's technical information resource. It is a service of the NAHB Research Center, funded by private industry and HUD through the PATH program.

PATH for Homeowners, Smart HomeOwner, April 2006.
There's a new online resource for homeowners who want to build, remodel or purchase a home that is energy efficient, durable, healthy and disaster resistant. The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing, an alliance of public and private organizations and companies related to the homebuilding industry, recently launched PATH for Homeowners, its redesigned website aimed at assisting homeowners and homebuyers.

Morristown is seeing green at office building, Daily Record (Morris County, New Jersey), April 5, 2006.
Conflicts between existing ordinances and the use of green technologies can slow the development of such projects, said developer Bill Asdal of Chester, who has been waiting for two years to get a certificate of occupancy for a bed-and-breakfast he would like to open in a historic building he rebuilt in Califon, Hunterdon County. It would not be such a sore point if the project was not being hailed at the first zero-energy home rebuilding project in the country, Asdal said. PATH, a public-private partnership for advancing housing technology, said the project was certified by the National Association of Home Builders Research Center.

Houses That Change When We Do, The Washington Post, March 23, 2006.
A recent partnership between the private and public sectors hopes to tip the scales to the advantage of homeowners, however. The fruit of this collaboration is a house designed to anticipate and accommodate exigencies, such as the sudden and urgent need for a new bedroom or study, an updated electrical system or a home elevator. Welcome to the PATH Concept Home, a "house of the future" designed -- and soon to be constructed -- under the aegis of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program has been conceived by the department to catalyze change in the housing industry, which, according to one official, has historically been slower than other industries in adopting innovations.
*Article also was published March 25 in the Cincinnati Post, March 26 in the Orlando Sentinel, March 29 in the Denver Post, March 30 in the Macon (Georgia) Telegraph, April 1 in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and April 2 in the Forth Wayne (Indiana) Journal Gazette and the Bradenton (Florida) Herald, April 9 in the Miami Herald, and October 28 in the Charlotte Observer.

Case Study: Making Every House His Own, Digital Connect, March 1, 2006.
Andre Brown is so serious about customer service that he considers each of his custom integration projects as if it were intended for his own home. One project that will consume much of his time in coming months is the NextGen Home certified community being built in Tampa, Fla., by BrownStone Builders & Associates. Among those who will have a say in the Tampa project and will offer their accreditation: the Institute for Business & Home Safety, PATH, the U.S. Green Building Council and the Consumer Electronics Association.

Windows, Roofs, Doors hold Tight in High Winds, Orlando Sentinel, February 12, 2006.
The home's roofing system involves 11 innovative building techniques executed by a Department of Housing and Urban Development program called PATH.

'Fear Factor' Sells Advanced Home Technology, Nation's Building News Online, February 6, 2006.
While it sounds counterintuitive, builders attending a convention seminar last month in Orlando, Fla. were told that emphasizing the negative is often the best way to convince consumers to incorporate advanced technology into their homes. "We're more afraid of losing than we are happy about gaining," said Maureen McNulty, the information and outreach coordinator for the PATH.

Insurance Industry Noticing 'Fortified' Homes, The Morning News (Northwest Arkansas), February 5, 2006.
Between 1991 and 1995, wind and hail resulted in an average of $8 billion in insurance payouts per year, according to PATH, a group that attempts to improve the flow of information concerning the development and use of new building products.

GridPoint Featured in Innovative Home Construction Products Inventory from Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing, Business Wire, January 24, 2006.
GridPoint, Inc.(TM), a provider of intelligent energy management appliances, today announced that it is featured in the PATH Technology Inventory, which provides practical information on innovative construction products and practices that can improve housing performance.

Supercomputing Time Offered for Gulf Coast Levee Restoration, Environment News Service, January 23, 2006.
The Department of Energy is also offering hurricane affected residents free rebuilding workshops providing expert advice on the latest energy efficient products and techniques, in addition to donating 200 pieces of used furniture to a Louisiana school. In partnership with Entergy New Orleans, The Home Depot, and PATH, the DOE is offering free home repair workshops in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, as residents begin to repair and rebuild.

Rebuilding workshops for hurricane victims offered, Hattiesburg American (Mississippi), January 20, 2006.
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) today announced that it will co-sponsor free, two-day home rebuilding workshops that will offer hurricane-affected residents with expert advice on using the latest energy efficiency products and techniques as they seek to rebuild their homes and communities. DOE has partnered with Entergy New Orleans, The Home Depot, and PATH to host these workshops.

Lincoln Builder Chosen to Build Pioneer Affordable Housing, Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska), January 14, 2006.
A Lincoln homebuilder has been chosen to build a one-of-a-kind home in Omaha. Brighton Construction will build the first-ever "concept home" through PATH, a public-private arm of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

From The Sidewalk to The House: New Uses for An Old Material, The Journal News (Westchester, New York), January 14, 2006.
Habitat for Humanity of Westchester is building the housing units in partnership with AltusGroup and PATH, a voluntary partnership involving representatives from homebuilding, product manufacturing, insurance, financial services and select federal agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

HUD Plans Concept House for Omaha, Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska), January 12, 2006.
The "home of the future" is coming to Omaha. Innovations will include a flexible floor plan, customizable design and advancements that will speed building and improve durability. HUD's PATH is behind the project. Brighton Construction in Omaha was selected as the builder.

Sticks or Stones?, The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Mississippi), January 8, 2006.
The technology is called insulating concrete forms and contractors can build to suit the most-paranoid home buyer, with concrete walls reinforced with iron rods measuring as much as four feet thick. Indeed, home building science experts say that when the building envelope -- the foundation, walls and roof -- are all made with ICF, the structure carries the strength of a skyscraper and the insulation of a thermos. "Nothing is stronger than concrete, especially when you build it with rebar," said Asa Foss, a building science specialist with PATH. "And you recoup the additional cost on energy savings."

Officials Pitch Modular Housing, The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Mississippi), January 7, 2006.
Members of the modular building industry met with area builders, officials and potential buyers at the Harrison County Courthouse on Friday to pitch factory-built homes and businesses as one option for post-Katrina reconstruction. "In general, we are big fans," said Asa Foss, a building science specialist with the PATH.

Palm Harbor Homes to Provide Showcase Homes at International Builders' Show, Houston Chronicle, January 5, 2006.
Palm Harbor Homes, Inc., a Gold Award winner for Quality from the National Association of Home Builders, will be providing four display homes at the 2006 International Builders' Show. The Palencia, Palm Harbor's fourth home in the show, will serve as the 2006 NextGen Peace of Mind Home to demonstrate the industry's best products and practices in home automation, green building, energy efficiency and storm resistant construction. This 2,565-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath home overflows with high end customization in addition to the more than 15 safety technologies approved by the PATH.

2006 NextGen Demonstration Show Home Offers Homebuyers 'Peace of Mind', Yahoo! Finance, January 3, 2006.
Today, concerned homeowners and homebuilders look towards prevention, and they will find many answers at the 2006 NextGen Home Experience at the International Builders' Show in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 11 to 14. "We're really excited about bringing new technology to the marketplace, especially as it involves disaster resistance, the need for which has definitely been seen this year," says Carlos Martin, a researcher for PATH. The home will showcase more than 15 PATH-approved technologies.

Help Clients Reduce Energy Costs, Lowe's for Pros, January 2006.
One of the simplest ways to cut electrical bills is to suggest customers switch from regular incandescent lights to compact fluorescents lights (CFLs). Glen Salas, engineer with D&R International, a partner with PATH, says, "Make sure it's ENERGY STAR qualified lighting. They have improved their specs, and you get good quality light. You use about 5 to 25 percent of the energy of traditional lights, even though they cost more. But the price is coming down."

Content updated on 2/22/2008