ORLANDO, FL - From water-saving appliances to the latest in geothermal climate control, Clint Van Sickle soaks it all up like a sponge whenever he goes to the International Builders Show. The owner of Clint's Plumbing and Heating in Bay City has attended the show several times throughout his more than 30 years in the industry. He always looks forward to the show, which this year took place in Orlando, Fla., in mid-February. "You really learn about the cutting edge in construction, and for builders and anyone else in the business, it's the show to go to," he said.
Although the housing industry is in a slump, so-called green building elements - which often come at a premium - were a common thread running through the show. One such topic at the show was water conservation, which may not seem like a big deal to those of us surrounded by the Great Lakes, but for most other people in the world, it is a huge concern.
The most interesting thing he saw at the show was a toilet from Australia that featured a sink instead of a traditional seat lid. The water from sink is used to flush the toilet. The water-saving concept intrigued Van Sickle. "It's just things like that that you see at the show," he said. "There are so many ideas. It's a great learning experience and there are seminars every day that focus on sales, promotion - just about anything to do with the business."
The theme is green Brad Light, CEO of modular home builder General Housing Corp. in Bay City, had not been to the builders' show in several years, but wanted to go this year to see the latest in building materials and processes. Light, whose company operates two plants in the area, also noticed the focus on the environment.
"It's become a lot more mainstream where before (green building) was more of a niche market," he noted.
The focus on energy-efficient building materials is strong, Light said, adding that even if the cost is higher, the demand is still there. More builders, for example, are looking into using foam insulation in ceiling and wall cavities instead of less-costly fiberglass batts. Unlike fiberglass, the foam spray seals the entire cavity, said Light. "Not only does (the foam) provide better heating bills, but it gives you a more comfortable living space because there is less fluctuation in the temperature of the room," he said. One aspect of the show that Light found educational and helpful to his business was the importance of using today's technology in marketing and promotion.
Technology powers marketing, "It's very important how a product is being presented to the consumer," he said. "Builders can do everything digitally now where 10 years ago they had to construct an actual house for people to look at. Now with the Internet, you can do virtual walkthroughs." The first impression people might have of a business could come through a Web site, he said. "When people want to buy something, the first place they go is the computer."
As a manufacturer of modular homes, Light said he saw an increase in representatives from that side of the industry as well. At the show this year there were five homes that were erected at the site within a couple of days. The affordability of a modular home compared to a traditional stick-built home attracts the attention of many house buyers, especially in Michigan's tough economy, he said.
Van Sickle agrees that Michigan's economy has hit the home building industry particularly hard. For more than 30 years most of his work was in construction of new homes. In the past three years, he has focused primarily on service. But Van Sickle is optimistic that things are starting to change in Michigan. And there's always the water. "People don't realize what a big thing that is, but in some parts of the count
Source: Mlive.com