Mid-Atlantic Builder July/August 2011

Vol. 53 Issue 3July/August 2011www.homebuilders.org

GREEN BUILDING ISSUE

PLUS2011 General Assembly Report

New OSHA Residential Construction Regulation

COMING SUMMER 2012

MID-ATLANTIC

The Maryland Center for Housing, New Home of the Home Builders

Association of Maryland

MID-ATLANTIC BUILDER JULY/AUGUST 2011 www.homebuilders.org2

www.homebuilders.org JULY/AUGUST 2011 MID-ATLANTIC BUILDER 3


Mid-Atlantic Builder text and cover pages are printed on SFI certifi ed Anthem Matte using soy ink.

• The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® program promotes sustainable forest management.

MID-ATLANTIC

Departments 4 Publisher’s Message 6 President’s Message 8 Events42 New Members44 Stats and Facts46 Government Affairs

Also40 Green Building

Building Homes—Building Success

July/August 2011Vol. 53 Issue 3

PUBLISHERJohn Kortecamp

EDITORKristin Josephson Hogle, [email protected]

ADVERTISINGChris Baughan, Advertising Sales Manager410-265-7400, ext. 121 [email protected]

DESIGNHeather Winkel, Art DirectorKristina Hopkins, Graphic DesignerNetwork Design [email protected]

HBAM LEGAL COUNSELLinowes and Blocher

MID-ATLANTIC BUILDERis a publication of HBAM Member Services, Inc., a subsidiary of the Home Builders Association of Maryland, Inc., 7127 Ambassador Road, Suite 150, Baltimore, MD 21244410-265-7400, www.homebuilders.org.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Home Builders Association of Maryland, Inc., 7127 Ambassador Road, Suite 150Baltimore, MD 21244.

ECO BOX

DepartmentsBefore & AfterPresident’s MessageNew MembersRemodeler News

Pages 23-26Pull-Out Section

HBAM Remodelers Council Gold AwardOwings Brothers Contracting, Gourment Kitchen Project $100 - $150K Kitchen Addition

MID

-ATL

ANTI

C

A supplement to Mid-Atlantic Builder

Remodeler

47 CornersMaryland Community

Builders FoundationBRAC

10 Maryland Center for HousingNew HBAM headquarters coming in 2012.

16 2011 General Assembly ReportThe industry found success on priority issues.

18 New OSHA Residential Construction Regulation in 2011OSHAs recently announced new fall protection requirements.

27 Why is Concrete GreenThe benefi ts of using concrete over other alternatives.

28 Improving Indoor Air Quality with Green CabinetryCabinets can improve indoor air quality.

30 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations UnveiledLocal public parking garage is a new hub for rechargeable vehicles.

32 Recognizing ValueLenders need to recognize the value of green homes.



While the ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the official “opening” of the Home Builders Association of Maryland’s new headquarters in Howard County is approximately a year away, I want to take this opportunity to recognize several member compa-nies who have already made substantial contribu-tions to our/your new home; even before we have broken ground on the building.

First and foremost, we have our site, in the geographic center of the state, thanks to a very generous “lead gift” from Stewart Greenebaum, of a fully permitted pad site in the commercial district of Maple Lawn. Next, our building concept, design and lay-out, has been provided though the generos-ity of Shannon Comer Architects, Inc. Shan-non has been exceedingly generous with the donation of the time and talents of her team to come up with a building concept that has garnered universal praise and compliments. Carl Gutschick and his firm Gutschick, Little & Weber, P. A. have provided all the civil engineering work on the site and have continued to advise us as we go through the early stages of the project. Jim Bartucca of Fastsigns.com/544 has very generously donated signage promoting the site and the building. Their signs were first displayed at Builder Mart and can now be seen at our of-fices and at our many events. They will soon be erecting a large 4 x 8 “Coming Soon to This Site” sign on the building lot.

One of our many donation options is a personalized paver in the patio/walkway entrance to the building. All pavers have been donated by Leisure Specialties who will also design the patio/walkway entrance and install the pavers. Theirs will be one of the final installations at the site, but their contribution to help us raise cash was literally one of the very first. Check out the paver form on page 13 of this issue.

Literally, dozens of others have volun-teered their materials and/or labor; too many to identify here, but all of whom will receive due recognition and thanks as we progress with the building. From struc-tural components to fixtures, from roofing to foundation, the list is growing weekly. The vast majority of the “build” lies before us and there is ample opportunity for your contribution and participation. Donor ben-efits are listed on page 14 of this issue. We’d love to have you join us.

publisher’smessage

2011 HBAM LeAdersHIp

ExEcutivE committEEBob GoodierPresident

Rod HartPresident Elect

Scott ArmigerFirst Vice President- 2011

Scott BarhightAssociate Vice President

cynthia mcAuliffeSecretary

theresa LeatherburyTreasurer

Eliot Powell Immediate Past President

cHAPtER PRESidEntSEvan Gilligan Anne Arundel CouncyJeremy Rutter Howard CountyRobb Aumiller Baltimore CountySean davis Baltimore Citydan Whitehurst Upper ChesapeakePaul mueller Carroll County

counciL PRESidEntStaylor classen HBAM Remodelers

dennis o’neilSales and Marketing Council

michael GreenspunLand Development Council

Bill ZahlerMaryland Residential Green Building Council

HBAm BoARd of diREctoRS

ALtERnAtE diREctoRS

Ex officio mEmBERSchris Rachuba

Building Industries Foundationfrank Hertsch PACJack orrick

It’s Never Too Early to Start Saying “Thanks”

Jay HergenroederJeff OttLeslie RosenthalMatt HelminiakMatt Wineman

Paul KrakovskyPaul MuellerTim NaughtonYana Peifer

Tom BaumSteve BreedenMike BreenRon CarstensPat CostelloSteven GilmanChickie GraysonJoe GregoryJoe HikelSteve James

Sandy MarenbergJames MathiasTim MorrisDan MurtaughRich PezzulloSteve RubinJake RuppertKevin SappSusan Songy-

Owens

phot

o Cr

edit

Stua

rt Z

olot

orow

John KortecampHBAM Executive Vice President


©2010 Marvin Windows and Doors. All rights reserved. ®Registered trademark of Marvin Windows and Doors. 1-888-553-9988

BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED. IMPECCABLY CRAFTED .

AND PERHAPS MOST SURPRISINGLY, THE BEST TOTAL VALUE.

When your customers choose a Marvin patio door, they’re buying a perfectly proportioned and flawlessly crafted product. Thoughtful design features like our optional exclusive low profile sill create a streamlined look and smooth transition to the outdoors. Unrivaled performance and effortless operation combined with design flexibility and easy installation make Marvin Patio Doors the best total value for you and your clients.

Get a closer look at the Ultimate Sliding French Door when you visit our new 3D Product Viewer and register for the opportunity to design yourown Marvin window or door. Marvin.com/3D


Recently, I had the opportunity to meet and have lunch with a group of past HBAM leaders and industry stalwarts with the self imposed title of “The Old Timers Group”. This group is comprised of past builders, leaders and associates includ-ing former HBAM presidents and board members. It was a chance for me to recon-nect with some old friends and update them on the current status of our Association and our future direction. A casual observance of this group would have suggested that they were war veterans but, in reality, they were veterans of past recessions and downturns. They acknowledged that the current reces-sion is particularly heinous.

In past editorials, I have pushed the responsible and pragmatic reasons to join and be active in HBAM. We forget the social and instructional reasons. Prior to starting my company almost 30 years ago, I asked several established builders, Floyd Grayson, Jim Greenfield, Phil Stevens and Lee Rosenberg, as many questions as they would tolerate. None of these gentlemen will remember me asking these questions but I have remembered every word of their counsel. They were unselfish and gracious with their thoughts and experience. At “The Old Timers” luncheon, I reminded Lee

Rosenberg of how he helped me many years ago. My company has used and continues to use Lee’s, Jim’s, Floyd’s and Phil’s counsel in most facets of our business.

There are dozens of reasons to be an HBAM member but don’t forget that one of them is the value of connecting with peers and associates. You never know — one sug-gestion or insight gleaned from a colleague might take you in a direction you might not otherwise go.

Bob Goodier2011 HBAM President

DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS

Appliance Dist. Unlimited Inside Back Cover

BGE Outdoor Lighting 15California Closets 47GE Contract Sales 3John H Myers & Son, Inc Back CoverMarvin Windows 5Mid Atlantic Propane and Gas Inside Front CoverSaratoga Insurance 39Southern Pacific Supply 1Verizon Wireless 7

president’smessage

Visit www.homebuilders.org for an

on-line listing of Mid-Atlantic Builder

advertisers with hotlinks. There, you

can also view MAB archives and find

information on upcoming events and

current industry issues.

Phot

o Cr

edit

Stua

rt Z

olot

orow

The Value of Your HBAM Membership

You never know — one

suggestion or insight gleaned

from a colleague might take

you in a direction you might not

otherwise go.



Events CALL 410-265-7400 for information on registration for our events or visit www.homebuilders.org.

Maryland Community Builders’ Foundation

Don’t stand on the sidelines—Get involved todaywww.buildingindustriesfoundation.org

The Maryland Community Builders Foundation, the charitable arm of the Home Builders Association of Maryland, was formed to promote shelter related activities for those less fortunate throughout the Baltimore region. The Foundation focuses on ‘sticks and bricks’ projects that provide shelter or shelter improvements for needy families.

Our strategy is to provide shelter-related charitable services in the region by calling upon HBAM members for donations of labor, materials and funds. Won’t you help us help our communities?

Visit our website today. It’s easy to get involved:• Donate Time and/or Materials• Request Assistance• Share Your Projects with Us and get PR• View our Latest Projects

Builder Mart 2012March 21, 2012Maryland State FairgroundsIt’s not too early to start thinking about exhibiting in Builder Mart. The best exhibitor spots are reserved early for this one-day show. It’s the perfect place to fi nd builders, remodelers, purchasing agents, project supervisors, sales managers and marketing directors. They will be looking for everything from design tips, to tools, to a variety of professional vendors and suppliers. Be in front of the decision mak-ers who are building the new market.

Visit www.buildermart.org for details.

Celebrity Chef NightOctober 13, 2011, 5:30 – 9:00 p.m.Martins WestChef Night Goes GlobetrottingThe Home Builders Association of Mary-land welcomes all builders, remodelers and developers as celebrity chefs. Come enjoy their culinary excellence as they feature delicious food from around the world. Chef night is our second largest event with over 400 attendees. A fun and social event that features a silent and live auction boosting over 150 amazing items for home, business and pleasure.

The Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission and Plan MarylandSeptember 21, 2011, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.Martins WestA new direction for land planning in Maryland. Continuing Real Estate Credits are pending.

The Land Development Council Excellence in Community Development AwardsSeptember 22, 2011, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.The Maryland Historical SocietyThis 18th annual event recognizes awards of excellence for projects and people concentrating on the land development aspect of the home building industry.


Together We Prosper

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012 • 11 am-6 pm • MARYLAND STATE FAIRGROUNDS • TIMONIUM, MD

BUILDER

2012

Reserve your booth spacenow by contacting: Chris Baughan, Sales Manager

410-265-7400, ext. 121

Maryland State Fairgrounds • Timonium, MD • BUILDERMART.ORG

Now, more than ever, it is critical to maintain the strength of our Association. With

the home building industry continuing to change and evolve, business between

members will allow us to stay strong and prosper! Join us at Builder Mart 2012, the

Mid Atlantic’s oldest and largest building industry tradeshow. Builder Mart is the

only one day event featuring the latest building trends, products, services,

educational seminars, and our

Renew relationships, and start new ones with the 5,000 prospects who will attend

Builder Mart 2012, all in one place, all in one day! Don’t miss this opportunity to

build your business! You will speak directly to the decision makers who are

looking to do business with you.

BUILDERMART.ORG


You’ve seen the signs and promos and heard the excited chatter. The Maryland Center for Hous-ing is coming in 2012. The longtime vision of a

new headquarters for the Home Builders Association of Maryland is quickly becoming a reality. “It has long been my goal to get the Association that represents the home building industry a home of its own,” said John Kortecamp, Executive Vice president of the thousand member trade association.

The Maryland Center for Housing

coming summer 2012

It started back in May of 2010 when the campaign for a new headquarters for HBAM was launched. In those first couple of months, a select committee met to prepare to launch the ambi-tious campaign for the new building.

They had two primary objectives for the new building accord-ing to Kortecamp; one relating principally to the Building Indus-tries Foundation, the non-profit arm of HBAM, and the other to the association itself. The Foundation was created in 1999 to respond to requests for assistance in charitable housing/shelter related projects. “There is much more we could do and much more we would like to do,” said Christopher Rachuba, Chairper-son of the Foundation. “There is one major constraint: financial resources. The Foundation has no significant or continuing source of income,” he added.

The vision is for the Maryland Center for Housing to be owned, debt free, by the Foundation and leased to HBAM. The rent in-come paid to the Foundation will provide a stable, long-term fund-ing source to endow the Foundation and support its charitable, education and research activities. “This revenue stream will allow us to take our charitable activities to another level,” said Rachuba.


“It has long been my goal to get the Association that represents the home building industry a home of its own”

John KortecampHBAM Executive Vice president


Regarding the Association, “The objective is to have a physical presence in Central Maryland that stands as a testament to the strength, vitality and endurance of the industry and the Associa-tion that represents it,” said Kortecamp.

One of the fi rst goals of that early campaign was to secure a site for the headquarters and the fi rst visit was to industry icon, Stewart Greenebaum. Known throughout the industry for his success in land development and his philanthropy to the com-munity, Stewart generously donated a fully permitted parcel in the commercial district of Maple Lawn, his award winning mixed use, smart growth development. Located in southwestern Howard County, the site is convenient to Interstate 95, US Route 1 and Maryland Routes 29 and 32.

According to John Kortecamp, “This fi rst step was huge and al-lowed us to move forward sooner than we originally envisioned.” One donation quickly turned into several and the excitement be-gan to grow as word of a new headquarters made its way through the crowd at HBAM’s annual tradeshow, Builder Mart. Donations and commitments streamed in as the word spread.

Shannon Comer of Shannon Comer Architects stepped up and very generously donated her company’s time and expertise to design the sophisticated 10,000 square foot building that will stand on the parcel. The design includes a usable show kitchen, fi rst fl oor work rooms for visiting members, a large board room and offi ce space for the Foundation.

Many other companies have been quick to donate their prod-uct, time and expertise to the new building. “Due to the access to the building industry resources, HBAM members have a unique ability to provide labor and materials that would other-wise cost signifi cantly more,” said Chris Rachuba. He explained that this is one of the reasons that the Foundation has been able to help members of the community and why the donation pro-cess for the new building will be successful.

Recently, Shelter Systems has agreed to donate the trusses and an agreement for a state-of-the-art foundation for the building is underway. The Fretz Corporation together with Design House Kitchens will design a fully functioning show kitchen to use for events and inspire visitors. Commitments have also come in for the bath fi xtures, window treatments, title services, engineering work and much more.

A signifi cant donation that came in early on was for personal-ized pavers that will be installed in the patio/walkway entrance to the building donated by Leisure Specialties. The campaign to sell the engraved pavers is a primary funding source for the building and has been extremely successful. There are two sizes available and an order form for the pavers can be found on page 13.

Kortecamp explains that there are many options to make contributions and be part of the new building. “The benefi ts of being a donor are signifi cant,” he says. Contributions are tax deductable as the Foundation is a fully approved 501-C(3) non-profi t organization and benefi ts include recognition in print publications, electronic publications and online. Signifi cant rec-ognition throughout the build and at the new building are also included. A complete list of benefi ts and donation options can be found on page 14.

It is not too late to make your commitment to contribute to the association’s new headquarters. Kortecamp urges, “Whether your donation is made in your name, your family’s name, your company’s or your product’s, you will be establishing a legacy for yourself within the industry at the facility where the industry comes together to conduct its business.” �

This fi rst step was huge and allowed us to move forward sooner than we originally envisioned.

Proposed Floorplan A large board room and open fl oor plan highlight the two story 10,000 square foot building

Design assistance, installation, service and

maintenance are a snap with BGE Outdoor Lighting.

See security &peace of mind in a new light

Lots of choices —without lots of hassle!BGE Outdoor Lighting is the area’s leading provider of

outdoor lighting service — and the smart choice for

your residential or commercial outdoor lighting needs.

With design assistance, installation, service and

maintenance, BGE’s Private Area Lighting Program

offers the complete package. For more information

or to schedule an appointment with a BGE Private

Area Lighting account representative, please call

410-470-9446 or visit www.bge.com/outdoorlighting.

See security and peace of mindin a new light.

BGE Private Area Lighting Program

See our lighting and pole options.Ask for a copy of our brochure.


2011 General Assembly Report

Over 2,300 pieces of legislation were intro-duced during the 2011 Legislative Session. The most newsworthy issues included gay

marriage, The Dream Act (allowing in-state tu-ition rates for illegal immigrants), off-shore Wind Power and state employee pension reform. As always, the budget was the subject of contentious debate between Democrats and Republicans. There was no shortage of legislation of interest to the development industry. Local Legislative Committee members reviewed 169 bills on a wide range of topics. The priority issues facing the industry this year included a ban on new conventional septic systems in major subdivi-sions, fertilizer restrictions, tolling development permits and approvals and a requirement to build homes with visitable, or handicap acces-sible, components. Here is a brief summary of the highest priority issues:

BY KATIE MALONEY


Environmental IssuesSeptic Systems: The use of individual septic systems took center stage during the Session when the Governor announced during his State of the State Address that he was introducing legislation to ban their use in new subdivisions. Senate Bill 846/House Bill 1107 would have banned individual systems in subdivisions of 5 or more units, requiring a shared facility to be built. In addi-tion, the bill sought to prevent farmers from subdividing their land more than once in perpetuity. The bill was opposed by the development industry, the Counties and the rural demo-crats and neither the Senate nor House version received a vote. After Session ended, the Governor Issued an Executive Order announcing the creation of a task force to study the issue and make recommendations by the end of 2011. Once the task force releases its recommendations, we expect to see legislation in the 2012 General Assembly.

Fertilizer: The Chesapeake Bay Commission crafted legislation, SB 487 and HB 573 to restrict the use of fertilizer application, require the use of slow release nitrogen in fertilizer and create a certification program for licensed residential fertilizer ap-plicators. In addition, the measure requires the University of Maryland to update the application standards every three years. MSBA supported these measures as a means to reduce the urban nitrogen loading from lawn runoff. Both bills passed.

Green Building: 3 green building measures were considered dur-ing Session this year. The first 2 were sought by the builders association, to further the use of the ICC700 National Green Building Standard for residential construction. HB 630 requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to promote the use of the ICC-700 program or the LEED-H program. This measure was passed and signed into law. HB 512 sought to create a rebate program for ICC-700 homes to provide incentives for the construction of green certified homes. The bill failed because of fiscal constraints, but the issue is still being pursued by green builders. The 3rd bill was House Bill 972 which requires DHCD to adopt the International Green Construction Code upon completion of the Code in 2012. This measure passed the Legislature and is awaiting signature.

Land Use IssuesTolling: House Bill 1050 was a measure promoted by the build-ers associations to extend the time period for tolling ordinances state wide. The first tolling bill passed in 2009 and required local jurisdictions to pass ordinances to “freeze” or toll construc-tion approvals and permits as a result of the depressed real estate market. The tolling period expired in 2010 and HB 1050 sought to extend the period until December 2012. The legislation passed the House but died due to lack of action in the Senate.

Expedited permits: This measure would have required the State Highway Administration (SHA) and the Maryland Department

of Environment (MDE) to establish an expedited permit process for construction permits. The House Environment Committee amended the bill to restrict the expedited process only to certain types of construction. However, opposition on the House floor to the restrictions forced it back to Committee, killing the measure.

Rural Legacy: House Bill 1241 sought to restrict the use of land des-ignated in a rural legacy area to only agricultural use for all parcels over 5 acres. The bill was not voted on and died in Committee.

Real Property/Common Ownership issuesVisitability: There were 2 measures introduced this year that would have required the construction of visitable homes. House Bill 981 would have required 50 percent of all single family sub-divisions of six or more units to have visitible features including a zero-step entrance. House bill 437 would have required build-ers of subdivisions with 11 or more units and 3 or more model homes, to build 1 of the models with visitible features. MSBA opposed both measures but negotiated amendments to HB 437 revising the language to require a mandatory option for builders of subdivisions of 11 or more units. The amended bill passed the Legislature is awaiting signature.

Condominium Governing Body/Bonds: Senate Bill 995 would require the governing body of a condominium to convene at least 2 meetings a year, require a developer to appoint a unit owner to the governing body once 25 percent of the units are sold and provide notice to the unit owners when a bond will be released. This bill died in the Senate Committee but is expected to be introduced again in 2012.

Home Owner’s Association Voting Prohibition: House Bill 1339 would prohibit a developer or their affiliates from voting in the election of a home owner’s association governing body. The bill died in Committee but may be introduced again next year.

Later this year we expect the Governor to call a Special Ses-sion for Congressional Re-districting. During this special ses-sion, which could last 3 weeks. We expect to see a stormwater utility fee, which is similar to the bay restoration fee, but would be earmarked for stormwater retrofit projects. This is an issue the industry has supported in the past, although we will have to wait and see any proposal before making a final position. n

The 2011 General Assembly Session Report provides a synopsis of the major issues considered by the Legislature affecting the building industry, a progress report of all legislation monitored during the session, voting records of Delegates and Senators on selected issues and statistical information showing the number and types of bills followed by the Maryland State Build-ers Association Legislative Committee.

Katie Maloney is the principal with Maloney and Associates and can be reached at 410-263-0070 or [email protected].


Residential Fall ProtectionOSHA Implemented Key Changes to Guidelines in June


What was required beginning June 16, 2011?On Dec. 16, 2010 OSHA rescinded STD 03-00-001 - STD 3-0.1A - Plain Language Revision of OSHA Instruction STD 3.1, Interim Fall Protection Compliance Guidelines for Residential Construction which had been in place since 1995. This direc-tive allowed employers doing specified residential construction activities to comply with the requirements of OSHA’s Subpart M by implementing alternative fall protection and work procedures prescribed in the directive, however without a prior showing of infeasibility or greater hazard and without a written fall pro-tection plan. OSHA did not intend STD 3.1 to be a permanent policy and it has been replaced by STD 03-11-002 Compliance Guidance for Residential Construction, which became effective June 16, 2011.

The key changes for those engaged in residential construction include:Employers will need to follow 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M Fall Protection Regulations. Employers will be required to demon-strate the infeasibility of the required conventional fall protec-tion systems or that such systems create a greater hazard if using alternative fall protection measures and a fall protection plan. The employer has the burden of establishing that it is appropri-ate to implement a fall protection plan. A qualified person (i.e., person with a degree or extensive experience and who has the ability to solve fall protection problems at the jobsite) must de-velop a site-specific, written fall protection plan when alternative fall protection methods are used. A single, written fall protection plan can be developed for repetitive use (e.g., for a particular style or model of home), so long as the plan fully addresses all issues related to fall protection at each site. The use of alternative fall protection measures is limited to “residential construction”, meaning (1) the end-use of the structure being built is a home (i.e., a dwelling), and (2) the structure being built is constructed using traditional wood frame construction materials and meth-ods (which also includes cold-formed sheet metal stud framing and masonry brick or block construction). Slide guards will no longer be permitted to be used in lieu of conventional fall pro-tection methods during roofing work (removal, repair, or instal-lation of weatherproofing roofing materials, such as shingles, tile and tar paper). However, slide guards may be used as part of a

written, site-specific fall protection plan that meets the require-ments of 29 CFR 1926.502(k) if the employer can demonstrate that the use of conventional fall protection would be infeasible or create greater hazards. When roofing work is performed on low-slope roofs (i.e. 4 in 12 pitch or less), safety monitoring sys-tems can still be used in conjunction with a warning line system to protect workers on the roof. When such a roof is 50 feet or less in width, a safety monitoring system can be used alone and without a warning line system. Safety monitoring systems must meet the requirements of OSHA 29 CFR 1926.502(h).

For more information about Fall Protection for the Residen-tial Construction Industry, contact the National Association of Home Builders Labor, Safety, & Health Policy Department at 1-800-368-5242, ext. 8507.• Residential Fall Protection related Web Site Resources:• National Association of Home Builders www.nahb.org/

fallprotection • OSHA Residential Fall Protection www.osha.gov/doc/

residential_fall_protection.html n

DISCLAIMER: This information is provided as a service of the National As-sociation of Home Builders (NAHB). No legal advice is offered or implied, and no attorney-client relationship is intended or established. These materials are meant for information purposes only; it is not considered a substitute for any provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 or for any standards written by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

S ince 1995, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has required workers engaged in residen-tial construction who are working six feet or more above a lower level to be protected by conventional fall protection (i.e., guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems). However, if an

employer can demonstrate that conventional fall protection is infeasible or presents a greater hazard, OSHA allows the use of alternative fall protection measures for particular types of residential construction work. The alternative fall protection measures that will be used to eliminate or reduce the possibility of workers falling must be included in a written, site-specific fall protection plan meeting the requirements of OSHA’s fall protec-tion regulation (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart M).

Most often Cited

for Construction and RemodelingOSHA StAndArdS


Common scaffolding violations cited at job sites included:• Not having the scaffold deck fully floored • Not having the scaffold level or capable of supporting its des-

ignated load with the proper use of screw jacks, footings, etc. • Not providing safe access for each scaffold • Not providing proper fall, or falling object, protection —

guardrails, midrails, toe boards, screens and debris netting • Not having scaffold components approved by a competent

person on the job site • Not having the scaffold inspected daily The other 25 most often cited OSHA standards for construction

and remodeling for 2002-2003, included:

FAll PrOtectiOnWhile fall protection is required so that employees will not fall more than six feet, experts suggest that fall protection be pro-vided for a minimum of four feet.

lAdderSFall protection for fixed ladders is provided so that employees will not fall more than 24 feet and that portable ladders must extend at least three feet above the point of support.

electricAl Wiring MetHOdSCommon violations cited, included:

• Not protecting all light bulbs from damage by using a cage, protection screen, etc.

• Not protecting flexible cords from damage • Not covering all knockout holes • Not covering all circuit breaker holes • Running cords through walls, ceilings and floors

StAirWAySTemporary stairways that were not built to specification were often cited. These specs include:

• Stairs must be installed between 30- and 50-degrees. • The rise and tread width must be uniform. • Stairs with four or more risers or rising above 30 inches

must have stair rails.

generAl SAFety And HeAltH PrOviSiOnSTo meet this standard, employees must be trained to work safely, use proper tools, store tools safely and have tools guards on power tools.

FAll PrOtectiOn SySteMSComprehensive fall protection systems, where applicable, should be in place to avoid citations. Proper systems, such as roof an-chorages, only added about $200 to the cost of a house but saved much more than that in workers compensation.

Fall protection systems include:• Guard rails with midrails and toeboards • Safety net systems no more than 30 feet below the

working level • Safety net systems inspected weekly • Fall arrest anchorages that support 5,000 pounds per employee • Controlled access zones at least six feet from the edge

electricAl Wiring deSign And PrOtectiOnAll handheld tools need to be grounded or double-insulated. Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFI) or an assured equipment grounding conductor program should be in use to avoid cita-tions and injury.

Inspectors look for overhead open conductors that are not installed at the proper height —10 feet above grade for job sites in general, 12 feet above grade for vehicular traffic, 15 feet above grade for truck traffic and 18 feet above public streets.

HeAd PrOtectiOnHardhats are required where there is a danger of falling objects, impact or electrical shock and that hardhats should meet manu-facturers’ requirements or ANSI Z89 standards. Decals placed improperly on hardhats have been known to transmit electricity and cause serious injury and even death.

HAzArd cOMMunicAtiOnOSHA inspectors cited job sites where hazardous chemicals were present and a written hazard communication plan was not developed or the chemicals were not properly labeled or marked with a warning.

AeriAl liFtSAmong the more common violations for aerial lifts were:

• Lifts being used by unauthorized or not properly trained personnel

• A lack of body belts or lanyards to keep the employee on the basket floor so he would not be thrown

• Not using the lifts according to the manufacturers’ recommendations

Poorly constructed scaffolding is the most frequently cited violation of construction and

remodeling standards by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration.


generAl electricAl requireMentSAmong the general requirements often cited were:

• Electrical equipment not meeting the proper NEMA rating • Electrical equipment not protected from damage • Unapproved gang boxes • Spliced flexible cords or cords that are not of continuous

length • Circuit breakers that are not properly labeled

FAll PrOtectiOn trAiningFall protection systems should be reinforced with fall protection training if citations are to be avoided.

ScAFFOldSIn addition to the proper placement and use of scaffolds, scaffold citations were given by OSHA inspectors if the scaffold was not built according to the manufacturers’ specifications and OSHA and Scaffold Industry Association standards.

HOuSekeePingIn general, job sites littered with garbage, debris and scraps were subject to citations. He said debris should be removed on a regular basis and that forms and scrap lumber should be free of protruding nails.

cOnStructiOn trAining And educAtiOnNot only should employees be trained to recognize and avoid hazards, they should be trained to work in confined or enclosed spaces, to work with caustics and other harmful substances and to avoid harmful plants and animals.

cOncrete And MASOnry cOnStructiOnTo avoid citations:

• Reinforcing steel and rebar should have proper impalement protection.

• Only qualified employees should perform post tensioning. • Riding in concrete buckets is forbidden.

ScAFFOld trAiningCitations are often given when people who work on scaffolds are not trained in how to use scaffolds or recognize hazards. Re-training is conducted when deficiencies are found in the original training program.

eye And FAce PrOtectiOnTo avoid citations, eye and face protection must meet — and be properly marked that it meets — ANSI Z87.1 standards.

Fire PrOtectiOnAmong the requirements for fire protection required at the job site are:

• Fire fighting equipment must be conspicuously located. • Fire fighting equipment must be periodically inspected. • A fire alarm should be provided.

WOOdWOrking tOOlSTwo safety requirements regarding woodworking tools are that:

• Saws and sanders are properly guarded. • Each saw and sander must have an anti-start device to pro-

tect workers from accidents when power is interrupted.

excAvAtiOnSExcavations and trenches should be properly supported and inspected weekly and that an approved ramp or ladder should be located at least 25 feet from each employee in the trench or excavation.

leAdPotential lead-containing materials needed to be inspected before exposure and that if exposure exceeded the OSHA permissible exposure limit, controls would have to be implemented.

gAS Welding And cuttingOxygen and fuel gas cylinders should be separated in storage by 20 feet or by a five-foot high wall that meets OSHA specifica-tions and standards. He also said the equipment should be used by properly trained personnel.

FAll PrOtectiOn in Steel erectiOnSpecific fall protection requirements must be met regarding steel erection. These include:

• Each employee engaged in steel erection must be protected from falling more than 15 feet.

• Connectors must be provided from falling more than 30 feet or two stories, whichever is less.

• A controlled decking zone must be established. n

This article was originally printed in Nation’s Building News Online.

HBAM Remodelers Council Gold AwardOwings Brothers Contracting, Gourment Kitchen Project $100 - $150K Kitchen Addition

Mid

-Atl

Anti

c

A supplement to Mid-Atlantic Builder

Remodeler

Call for Entries2011 HBAM Remodelers

Awards of Excellence www.homebuilders.org/page/RCawards/

Deadline July 22

MID-ATLANTIC REMODELER A Supplement to Mid-Atlantic Builder JULY/AUGUST 2011 www.homebuilders.org24

A supplement to Mid-Atlantic BuilderMid

-Atl

Anti

c

Remodeler

Owings Brothers ContractingKitchen AdditionThis addition required a large structural beam to support the existing second floor bedrooms. The main roof of the addition is a hip with two clipped corners. With this more interesting curb appeal and the investment in the kitchen, the overall cost effectiveness was a good value for resale. The addition was placed to one side of the family room in order to maintain exquisite views of the newly manicured landscaping and new patio. nPresenting Members

ChesapeakeHome Magazine

T.W. Perry

KC Company/Pella Windows

Lynch Construction

Susquehanna Bank

Saratoga Insurance

Contact Felicia Fleming at 410-265-7400, ext. 115 about 2011 Sponsorship Opportunities

before&after

Nicole BlissGuy CaiazzoTaylor ClassenCheryl CrowtherArif DurraniTim EllisSteve GilmanDanny KalmusDoug Kelly

Yvonne LienhardRyan McGinnJennifer NugentBill PattesonJoe SmithGregory WallBob

WeickgenanntHoward Warfield

2011 HBAM ReModeleRs Taylor Classen President

2011 sPoNsoRs Members do business with members

Board of direCTors

PasT PresidenTsBill RauserJohn MartindaleDave Chmura

Michael OwingsDonald F. Lynch, Jr.Guy Caiazzo

Business Management for Building Professionalsseptember 20, 2011, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.This course provides information on the codes and standards, common barriers and solu-tions, as well as product ideas and resources for the aging-in-place remodeling market.

Marketing and Communication Strategies for Aging and Accessibility, CAPS 1september 21, 2011, 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.This course provides a background on the older adult population, communication techniques and common remodeling expen-ditures and projects. This course provides Builders and Remodelers information and techniques to assist in accessing the aging-in-place remodeling market.

Design/Build Solutions for Aging and Accessibility, CAPS IIseptember 22, 2011 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.This course teaches strategies and tech-niques for building a competitive sustainable remodeling business.

Remodelers Council General Membership Meetingoctober 11, 2011, 8:30 am Remodeling Award of Excellence Ceremony November 10, 2011

events

www.homebuilders.org JULY/AUGUST 2011 MID-ATLANTIC REMODELER A Supplement to Mid-Atlantic Builder 25

president’smessage

It is hard to believe that we have completed the first half of the year, and despite the hot humid weather, fall is just around the corner. I thought this would be a good time to provide an update on the Remodelers Council and to let you know what the Home Builders Association of Maryland has been working on for you. The Remodelers Council was very busy during the first half of the year and the Board has been focusing on four primary initiatives.

• Increase consumer awareness of the Remodelers Council

• Initiate a mentoring program • Increase membership• Continue to push the Awards of

Excellence ProgramEach of these initiatives is designed to help

members improve their operations, and thrive in today’s challenging atmosphere. It is im-portant to remember that you do not have to go it alone. As a member of HBAM and the RC there are many resources available to help you run your business.

While the Remodelers Council has a sin-gular focus on the remodeling industry, the HBAM and its great staff have worked tire-lessly to help everyone in the home building industry. John Kortecamp is on the leading edge of looking for ways to help members compete in today’s environment. John con-tinues to have a strong focus on the impact that governmental regulations have on our industry. Whether it is the new OSHA regula-tions, septic system design, or the EPA lead requirements; John and the HBAM govern-ment affairs group are proactively lobbying for ways to defeat legislation that negatively impacts our industry.

The RC has spent a great deal of effort in the first half of the year addressing business issues that impact its members. During the second half of the year, these ef-forts will continue, however, there are also several fun social events that you need to be aware off. On October 13th, the HBAM will hold its Celebrity Chef Night. This is an annual event that allows builders,

remodelers and associate members to come together for good food and drinks while networking. The proceeds from this event aid HBAM’s charitable efforts and the Maryland Community Builders’ Foundation.

On November 10, the Remodelers Council will host its annual gala; the Awards of Excel-lence. This event is the premier social event for the RC, and provides each member with a chance to showcase their work. Last year over 50 projects were submitted for consideration and 23 won gold awards.

I hope you enjoy the balance of your sum-mer, and look forward to seeing you at Celeb-rity Chef Night and the Remodelers Council Awards of Excellence.

Thanks,

Taylor Classen HBAM Remodelers President

Mid-Year Update Member Benefits HBAM Remodelers offers many benefits to its members. Remodelers benefit from a variety of educational, mentor-ing and networking opportunities. In addition, the HBAM Remodeler’s serves to improve the quality of the industry and its members through these programs. By promoting certification programs to consumers, members of the council are sought after for their strong professional and ethical principles.

News & InformationNational: Members of the Council receive a free subscription to Profes-sional Remodeler magazine. Each issue focuses on practical business insights from the country’s leading remodelers. Members also receive NAHB Renews, a monthly e-newsletter about national news that affects our industry.Regional: Members of the Council re-ceive a free subscription to Chesapeak-eHome Magazine and are offered special advertising opportunities designed to help them reach upscale homeowners.Local: The council is featured in each issue of HomeFront, HBAM’s monthly enewsletter to promote its members, programs and events. Mid-Atlantic Remodeler is included in each issue of Mid-Atlantic Builder magazine.

Why join HBAM Remodelers?

Welcome Our New MembersRobert JohnsonSouthern Home Improvement, LLC Scott EisgrauSouthern Trust Mortgage Larry KramerLampost LLC

Chuck BrooksLampost LLC

Nelson LaurPeak Carpentry, LLC

Ready to Join?www.mdremodelers.orgThe fee is $65.00 per year.

For additional information on the HBAM Remodelers Council, contact Felicia Fleming at [email protected] or 410-265-7400, ext. 115.

26 MID-ATLANTIC REMODELER A Supplement to Mid-Atlantic Builder JULY/AUGUST 2011 www.homebuilders.org

Mentoring Maryland RemodelersThe HBAM Remodelers are excited to premiere a new one-on-one mentoring pro-gram. The program will offer group roundtable sessions

on marketing, lead tracking, prospect qualifying, sales, produc-tion, finance and accounting and job costing. According to Mike Owings of Owings Brothers Contracting and former HBAM President and President of the HBAM Remodelers, “Our mem-bers have so much knowledge and can share their knowledge with each other to make all of us better.”

The mentoring program will begin with a half-day overview of all of the remodeling systems and then progresses to one-on-one mentoring for each remodeler’s specific needs. The second half-day class will be a group roundtable discussion.

Whether you are a new company just starting out or an exist-ing company that needs a tune-up in one of these areas, this program is for you. This is the perfect opportunity to share your ideas, learn new systems and better your company.

To register, contact Felicia Fleming at 410-265-7400, ext. 115 or [email protected].

Topics Include:• marketing• lead tracking• prospect qualifying• sales• production• finance and accounting• job costing

How Big is Green Remodeling?• 87 percent of remodelers surveyed by NAHB already incorpo-

rate low-emmisivity windows into their projects, 70 percent upgrade existing insulation, and 60 percent install argon gas windows.

• Over 80 percent of remodelers use alternatives to dimension lumber to minimize the amount of lumber taken from old-growth forests, such as recycling from previous structures and using engineered lumber.

• 91 percent of remodelers use energy efficient windows and 86 percent install Energy Star®-rated appliances.

• 70 percent of remodelers already incorporate recycled or recyclable materials into their projects.

• 72 percent of consumers report energy efficient features in a home would influence their purchase decision.

• 61 percent of consumers would spend more than $5,000 upfront to save on utility costs.

remodelernews• The U.S. has about 125 million single-family homes with the

majority built before energy-efficiency developments, sug-gesting a huge market for green remodeling.

Did You KnowThe NAHB Research Center issues National Green Building Certification to all types of residential construction – new or remodeled single-family homes, new or remodeled multifamily buildings, and residential land developments – that meet the cri-teria of the ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard™. There are four green certification levels for homes available in the Standard – Bronze, Silver, Gold, Emerald. Land Develop-ments can earn One, Two, Three, Four Stars.

The National Green Building Standard establishes design and construction practices for residential projects, including:

• New single-family homes – Includes detached single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, tri-plexes, and quad-plexes

• New multifamily residential buildings• The residential portion of mixed-use buildings• Additions to single-family homes that equal less than 75

percent of existing square footage• Renovations of single-family or multifamily buildings• Renovations plus additions to single-family homes• Renovations of pre-1980 residential buildings• Renovations that change the use of non-residential buildings

into residential uses. Building conversions can be certified us-ing the Green Building Path but not the Green Remodel Path

• Individual sections or phases of residential or mixed- use developments

• Entire residential or mixed-use land developments and subdivisions

Green certified homes incorporate green practices in six categories:

• Lot & Site Development• Resource Efficiency• Energy Efficiency• Water Efficiency• Indoor Environmental Quality• Homeowner Education Visit www.nahbgreen.org for more information.

Announcing the 2011 Remodeling Award of Excellence Program Call for Entriesentires due July 22, 2011 21st Annual Award of Excellence program serves three purposes:

1. To recognize excellence in remodeling design and craftsmanship 2. To create a greater public interest in the remodeling industry 3. To recognize outstanding contributions by individuals to the remodeling industry.Entry packets are now available at www.mdremodelers.org or

by contacting Felicia Fleming at [email protected] or 410-265-7400, ext. 115.

Remember: Professional awards are a great addition to your marketing program! n


Less CO2When added up over the long life cycle, concrete’s many benefi ts re-sult in carbon savings that dwarf the initial carbon output of the project.

GREEN BUILDING

BY STEVE TRIPP

Concrete had been used in various forms for thousands of years, but it is only recently that we are discovering how benefi cial using concrete can be over other alternatives.

Local MaterialsConcrete is made from raw materials that often times are mined right here in Maryland, decreas-ing fuel and energy needed to transport these materials and provide for the local economy. Because wet concrete can only travel short distances, plants are local and also support their local communities and economies.

Strength and DurabilityOften, other materials need frequent replacement; however, concrete can last decades and even centuries in some applications. Infrequent replacement means less use of both raw materials and the energy associated with a construction project. Plus, when concrete is used as a road it increases fuel effi ciency by about 4 percent for cars and 7 percent for large trucks.

RecyclableConcrete can be recycled when it is fi nished with its long service life. Chaney Enterprises alone processes more than 100 million pounds of recycled concrete a year.

Recycled ContentConcrete can contain recycled con-tent, most commonly as a replace-ment for cement in the form of fl y ash (a byproduct of coal burning) and slag (a byproduct of metal refi ning).

BrighterConcrete’s bright color cuts down on the heat island effect and decreases ambient temperatures around a building by 7 to 10 degrees. The bright surface also decreases light-ing usage by 30 percent—energy and cost savings that repeat year after year.

Thermal Mass Buildings constructed of concrete have thermal mass, a property that enables the building to absorb, store, and later release signifi cant amounts of heat. This delay and reduction of heat transfer means insulated con-crete walls can reduce heating energy use by up to 44 percent and cooling energy use by up to 32 percent.

Steve Tripp is a LEED Green Associate and the Marketing Manager, Chaney Enterprises. He can be reached at 301-932-5000 or [email protected].


GREEN BUILDING

By Chris Wood and BoB ManCuso

Improving Indoor Air Quality with Green Cabinetry


As obvious as it sounds, there are many good reasons to be concerned with indoor air quality. One reason is that we are spending more time indoors. According to the U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency, people spend 90 percent of their time indoors, where the air is two to five times more polluted than the air outside. The EPA also tells us that children receive 72 percent of their chemical emissions exposure indoors. If our children’s health is not reason enough, nothing is.

Homes used to be built to “breathe.” Yes, we wanted to keep cold air out in the winter and inside in the summer, but less attention was paid to properly sealing and controlling the indoor environment. Not anymore. If you’re building a green or high performance home, it is designed to control every space in, un-der and over the living area. You will hear this called the home’s “envelope”, a term clearly describing the intent to seal and man-age the air inside the home. This makes it even more critical that everything inside a home be a positive, healthy contributor to the indoor air quality.

Well, I told you I was a cabinet guy so what does this have to do with cabinets? Simply, we live our l lives in the kitchen so your cabinetry should meet or exceed the healthy product goals you have for the rest of your home.

Cabinetry may involve two of the most prolific sources of indoor air polluters…finish and casework materials. For finish, make sure you are looking for low to no VOC (volatile organic compounds) finishes. Although not widely used, the healthi-est solution is an all waterborne finish system. You will find proven durability in a waterborne finish and the technology has improved dramatically allowing for deep, rich paints and stains that rival traditional solvent finishes. For casework, the best option is NAF (no added formaldehyde) construction. This will cost a little more. Fortunately, most manufacturers have adopted standards set by the California Air Resource Board. California has decided what formaldehyde levels they will allow to be shipped into their state and that has been adopted as the de facto national standard.

Whether you are building a green high performance house, remodeling your current kitchen or building a traditional house, your indoor air quality matters. Don’t make your cabinet deci-sion solely on price, “ecofriendliness” or style. Do a little investi-gating…you can find a solution that meets all three. n

Chris Wood is the Director of Customer Service and Sales Support for Executive Cabinetry and is responsible for their green initiatives and certi-fications. They are a FSC Certified Manufacturer and recently became the first and only residential cabinet manufacturer to achieve the Children and Schools rating from the GreenGuard Environmental Institute. Bob Mancuso is a Key Business Manager with REICO Kitchen and Bath and a member of the Maryland Residential Green Building Council. REICO is a distributor of Executive Cabinetry. For more information about Execu-tive or any of the products and services available at REICO, please call 800-435-2611.

A s I travel, around, I often hear stories about new GREEN homes being built. They talk about energy ef-ficiency, and if you’re lucky, they will mix in 30 seconds about rainwater capture for irrigation and then a final 30 seconds about...of course…cost. I guess it’s great exposure for the US Green Building Council

and green building in general. I am all for that. But for a cabinet guy, or for a living breathing human being for that matter, it feels like they’re forgetting something important…indoor air quality.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, people spend 90-percent of their time

indoors, where the air is two to five times more

polluted than the air outside.


The 1,245-space public parking garage is a new hub for rechargeable electric vehicles, offering renters similar “in-home” charging conve-niences as homeowners.

The Bozzuto Group, a Washington, D.C. area-based residential real estate company has unveiled Maryland’s first public electric vehicle charging stations contained within a residential devel-opment at The Fitzgerald, an apartment community located in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon district. A March 31st “plug-in” cer-emony attended by local business leaders and officials revealed the stations and demonstrated their use.

Bozzuto worked with SemaConnect, a leading developer of wireless networked electric vehicle charging stations, to in-stall two ChargePro charging stations within The Fitzgerald’s 1,245-space public parking garage. The garage has the capabil-ity to support two additional stations as demand increases and as area residents acquire electric cars.

“As a developer, builder, owner and manager, we recognize that we have the opportunity to be a leader in the sustainable use of the Earth’s resources,” said Toby Bozzuto, president of Bozzuto Development Company. “We also realize that, over the long term, we actually can create more value with less environ-mental impact. We look forward to helping recharge current – and future – electric vehicle owners at The Fitzgerald.”

The ChargePro charging stations are available to the general public to recharge any new mass-marketed electric vehicle, including the Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt and plug-in Toyota Prius, and include smart card authentication, energy metering, an au-tomatic payment system and web-based network management.

“By installing our charging stations at The Fitzgerald, we provide residents and visitors the ability to safely and easily recharge their electric vehicles in a state of the art facility,” said Mahi Reddy, president and CEO of SemaConnect. “We look for-ward to working with Bozzuto to deploy charging infrastructure at additional multifamily properties, helping our country make the transition to a fossil-fuel free transportation future.”

Professionally managed by Parking Management, Inc. (PMI) and with 950 spaces available for use by the University of Bal-timore (UB), The Fitzgerald garage provides 60 percent of the school’s student parking accommodations and is equipped with free door-to-door UB shuttle service, a staffed office and auto-matic university debit capabilities.

“The University of Baltimore and Bozzuto have been great partners in building this transit-oriented development, and now with preferred hybrid parking, UB Zimride ridesharing, Zipcars, and Bozzuto’s foray into electric vehicle charging stations, there are even more ways to get around with less impact on the earth,” said Steve Cassard, vice president for facilities management and capital planning for the University of Baltimore.

“As the first residential community in the Mid-Atlantic to in-stall public electric vehicle charging stations, Bozzuto’s Fitzgerald development exemplifies the use of SemaConnect’s smart grid compatible and multi-tenant capabilities and stands to greatly benefit the ever-increasing number of Marylanders who will own an electric vehicle,” said Jill Sorensen, executive director of The Baltimore Electric Vehicle Initiative. “This important addition to our EV infrastructure – public stations within an apartment community – will make owning an electric vehicle a real pos-sibility for anyone choosing to rent a home rather than own.”

The Fitzgerald is a mixed-use development comprising 275 luxury apartments, 24,000 square feet of street-level retail and a 1,245-space public parking garage. The community is the larg-est LEED-certified apartment community in the Baltimore area and is a recent recipient of the Urban Land Institute’s Award for Excellence, an award widely recognized as the land use indus-try’s most prestigious recognition.

The Fitzgerald is a joint venture between The Bozzuto Group, Gould Property Company, NYSTRS and former Baltimore Raven Michael McCrary, and sits on 4.6 acres of land owned by the Uni-versity of Baltimore. The community was developed by Bozzuto Development Company, built by Bozzuto Construction Compa-ny, and is now managed by Bozzuto Management Company. n

For more information, visit www.FitzgeraldBaltimore.com or call 888-345-9142.

First Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in a Residential Community Unveiled

GREEN BUILDING


GREEN BUILDING

Your company may be listed in our annual Directory and Buyers’ Guide but what about your individual contact information? You’ve developed the relationships, now make sure your industry contacts can find you.

Get your name, photo, contact information and key areas of experience and expertise in front of the industry decision makers in the Who’s Who section of the 2012 edition of the Home Builders Association of Maryland Directory and Buyers’ Guide.

For $100 your individual listing will be included in the annual publication that is mailed to over 5,000 industry professional and has a year-long shelf life.

Members Do Business With Members

Do they know where to find you?

Home Builders Association of Maryland7127 Ambassador Road, Suite 150Baltimore, MD 21244

Phone 410-265-7400Fax: 410-265-6529www.homebuilders.org

Home Builders Association of Maryland

www.homebuilders.org

Directory + Buyers’ Guide

2011

Your do-it-all resource is here.

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. PostagePaid Permit No. 356 York, PA

FINALcover.indd 1

11/18/10 1:59 PM

2011 HBAM Directory & Buyers’ Guide

62

Leslie Rosenthal

Bob Lucido Team, ReMax Advantage

Director of Marketing and

New Homes Division

Work: 240-295-6000, ext 1508

Mobile: 410-977-1244

Email: [email protected]

Director of Marketing and New Homes Division, Leslie

develops relationships with builders and sales people to market

the various programs offered through BLT, engages small

volume builders for listings and sales, recruits and coaches new

home sales professionals, and manages marketing programs for

builder clients. Leslie proudly sits on several Boards and

committees at HBAM.

Jeremy RutterRutter Project Management, LLC

President

Mobile: 410-982-2882


Professional engineer since 2002. Construction management

background in heavy highway and residential sitework. Recently

started Stormwater Solutions, LLC to handle sediment and

erosion control inspections for clients. Bachelors and Masters

Degrees at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. Howard County

HBAM President for 2011.

David R. Robbins

Architecture Collaborative, Inc

President

Work: 410-465-7500

Mobile: 443-983-5286


The principle or Architecture Collaborative, Inc. an innovative

architectural design firm located in Historic Ellicott City, MD,

specializing in residential housing. He has built a reputation

throughout the Mid-Atlantic area for resourceful and imagina-

tive designs. The success of his designs comes from their over-

whelming appeal in the marketplace, flexibility and economic

value, which is an integral feature with each project.

Michael C. Powell

Gordon, Feinblatt, Rothman,

Hoffberger& Hollander, LLC

Member; Chair, Environmental and

Energy Practice Group

Work: 410-576-4175

Mobile: 443-570-8953


Michael Powell chaired Gordon, Feinblatt’s Environmental and

Energy Practice Group and received the HBAM’s 2010 “Consul-

tant of the Year” for the Land Development Council. For over

30 years, he has navigated the environmental permit process for

residential and commercial builders and developers, includ-

ing contaminated property remediation (such as Brownfields),

waterway and wetlands permitting and critical area approvals.

Ron PylesKim Engineering

Principal Engineer

Work: 410-480-1062

Mobile: 410-353-7147


Ron offers a total of 30 years of experience in the geotechnical

discepipline soley in the Baltimore/Washtingon, D.C. area. He

received is Bachelor’s Degree from the State University of New

York and earned his Master’s Degree at George Washington

University. Ron is a life member of ASCE and a registered

engineer in MD, PA, VA and D.C.

Cindy Plackmeyer

Cindy Plackmeyer Marketing

Owner

Mobile: 410-960-7038


Twitter: @cindywp

Facebook: /CindyPlackmeyerMarketing

Cindy Plackmeyer is an award-winning marketing professional

specializing in social media for the building industry. With 25+

years experience in marketing and public relations, she fully

understands social media’s role in branding and messaging while

entertaining and engaging all customers of a company, both

internal and external. Let her help you.

whoswho.indd 62

11/18/10 1:55 PM

2011 HBAM Directoryand Buyers’ Guide

Reserve your Who’s Who Directory listing in the 2012 HBAM Directory and Buyers’ Guide, visit www.homebuilders.org/page/whoswho/

Green building has been broadly defined as the practice of increasing a building’s resource efficiency while reducing build-ing impacts on human health and the environment during the building’s lifecycle. Many aspects of boosting building resource efficiency can be done at the planning boards, at no additional first cost to the construction budget. Here are some actions that get credit without adding cost.

1. Selection of an infill lot with access to mass transit and close proximity to community amenities like parks, recreation areas, shopping and religious worship.

2. Planning that retains natural features like mature trees and established storm water runoff swales and catch basins and includes minimum site disturbance and demarcation of the sensitive areas during excavation and construction. Land-scape plan development that includes native plantings not requiring an irrigation system.

3. Topsoil at the excavation is removed, stockpiled and replaced. Areas that are disturbed by excavation for the house are quickly reseeded for erosion control. Silt retention fencing ringing the construction area throughout the build.

4. Detailed layouts and quantity take-off calculations allow for minimal framing waste and maximum quality. I-joists, engineered sheathing, and roof trusses to minimize the total board feet of lumber needed to build the house.

5. Vinyl windows and cellular PVC exterior trim minimize the surfaces that required site-applied finishes.

6. Doorways covered by roofs, a sloped final grade from house outward and good gutter details move water away from the house and enhance the building’s durability.

7. Organization of site-generated debris allow for recycling or re-use.

8. Selection of bio-based, recycled content, and/ or materials that require fewer resources to be applied on site.

9. Selection of ENERGY STAR appliances.10. Selection of a plumbing system and fixtures that minimize

water usage by minimizing flow. 11. Sealed HVAC ducts and equipment located in conditioned

space. Detached garage is better for indoor air quality.12. Selection of interior finishes with no- or low-VOCs. n

No Cost Green

Appraisers Making Headway in Recognizing Value of Green Home Features

Recognizing Value

gReen BuilDing


Green builders have been waging an uphill battle in recent years to convince the lending community to recognize the dif-ference between homes that are just built to code and those that incorporate techniques, systems and products that can dramati-cally reduce monthly utility costs, which represent a significant expense for home owners.

Sandra Adomatis, with, Adomatis Appraisal Service, said she hopes the addendum will be adopted by the Federal Housing Administration, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. “Builders can fill it out ahead of time and give it to the appraiser,” she said, who “can’t always see what’s behind your walls.”

Adomatis confessed that she herself knew little about the at-tributes of green homes until she ran into a green builder whose home she was appraising who was kind enough to point out that she didn’t know what she was doing.

She told him it was the first green home she had ever worked on, and that prompted the builder to provide a crash course in green housing, the start of her education on an increasingly important segment of the housing industry about which most appraisers still know next to nothing.

“Ask 10 appraisers and only one has ever seen a HERS report,” she said, referring to the evaluation that a trained energy rater provides on the overall energy efficiency of an individual home.

The Appraisal Institute, she said, has been stepping up efforts to make its members more knowledgeable through its Valuation of Sustainable Buildings Professional Development Program, which is conducted in the classroom and online and whose cur-riculum includes an introductory course and a course presenting case studies on residential green buildings, with a similar course on commercial buildings coming on line soon. Some builders have been signing up for the instruction, she added, and more courses will be added as new technologies are developed.

Correcting a ‘Blind Spot’ in Mortgage UnderwritingConsumers themselves have a lot to learn about green building, and upgrading the existing housing stock, which lags far behind new housing in energy efficiency, represents a major opportunity for the industry.

Adomatis described one concept, embodied in legislation championed by Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), that would correct a “blind spot” in current mortgage underwriting and home appraisal practices by adding expected energy costs to the principal, interest, taxes and insurance now entered into the equation when qualifying a buyer for a mortgage.

The SAVE (Sensible Accounting to Value Energy) Act would hand a clear advantage to new homes over existing homes, she said, but also would create a healthy retrofit market. The second phase of the program envisioned by SAVE would tackle water consumption.

Adomatis recommended Home Energy Saver Pro as a tool for assessing average utility bills for homes compared to other homes in the same zip code. “This is a good tool for appraisers,” she said.

Finding Qualified AppraisersAdomatis emphasized that finding appraisers who are experi-enced in green is key for green builders and their customers. “Qualify the appraiser,” she said, and determine “what education and experience they have in green. Ask lenders to ask for them.”

“The appraiser is still under pressure from the lender,” she added, stemming largely from policies in the secondary mort-gage market, where extra construction costs for green are not allowed to be used in valuations.

“The comparables have to be there,” Adomatis said, making it important to pair up houses to demonstrate the savings in average monthly utility bills in a more expensive, and valuable, green home over a comparable home built to code. In cases where there are disagreements over appraisals of green homes, Adomatis directed builders to guidance provided by Fannie Mae last year.

“If the lender has concerns with any aspect of the appraisal that result in questions about the reliability of the opinion of market value, the lender must attempt to resolve its concerns with the appraiser who originally prepared the report,” she said, and “try to work it out with them.” However, if the appraiser has overlooked certain green features and has not correctly described the quality of the property, that can be the basis for hiring someone else to complete the appraisal report. If they are unable to resolve their concerns with the appraiser, “the lender must obtain a replacement report prior to making a final under-writing decision on the loan,” Adomatis advised.

Greening the Multiple Listing ServicesIncluding green attributes in the homes on Multiple Listing Services has received a major push in the past couple of years from those who understand the need for sales comps to show appraisers and lenders how green certifications and features can boost the value of green homes and to enable prospective buyers to more effectively search for the green homes they want.

Recognizing Value

The continuing effort to provide recognition for the added value of energy-saving and other green features in homes will take another step forward around mid-summer when the Appraisal Institute is expected to add a green and energy addendum to its appraisal report form.


On that battlefront, there has been considerable headway, ac-cording to Al Medina, director of the National Association of Real-tors®’ Green Resource Council, but there is considerably further to go in aggregating data from the MLS system. Comps are the “holy grail” in the quest for a system that can support proper green home appraisals, Medina said, but the going has been slower than he would like because the nation’s 862 MLSs are independently owned and the NAR is not constituted so that it can dictate to lo-cal Realtor® groups what they must do on this issue.

A Realtors® survey at the end of last year found that 80 of the MLSs, or 13 percent, had live searchable green fields.

About 70, or 11 percent, were in the process of implementing these fields, and about 80, or 13 percent, said they were in the planning stages. That leaves several hundred MSLs that have yet to take steps to incorporate green into their listings, but Medina pointed out that there were fewer than 20 of the services that acknowledged green in their listings before the NAR launched its Green MLS Tool Kit in April of 2010.

Designed to support the flow of green home information in the marketplace and provide a step-by-step process that MLSs can follow to include green in their listings, this educational resource is already receiving a makeover.

A Need for DocumentationThe Realtors®’ Green Resource Council is also working to address some of the significant shortcomings that have been found in the early adapters of adding green to their listing fields. “The problem is, agents aren’t using the fields or are putting in wrong informa-tion,” Medina said. “The MLS has to have a way of preventing erroneous entries, and some only have one serviceable field.”

With a focus on comps and appraisers, efforts are now under-way to ensure that the MLS green fields include documentation, with possible certifications including the National Green Build-ing Standard, a RESNET- or Department of Energy-approved HERS rating and Energy Star Qualified New Homes. “Appraisers need validated comparables,” he said. “Documentation is critical.”

Efforts are also underway to link green programs to MLSs, he said, starting with builders, architects and contractors. Evolving retrofit programs include the Better Buildings Initiative in 35 communities, Home Performance With Energy Star and DOE’s Home Energy Score.

Keeping Up the PressureLeading efforts for years to make green mortgages a mainstay of the financing options available to home buyers, David Porter, of Porterworks, indicated that now is hardly the time to ease up on exerting pressure on the lending, appraisal and sales community. While there are many lending products available that recognize the value of green homes, both for new housing and renovations, none is being consistently offered by lenders, he said.

“Force lenders to learn these programs,” Porter said. “Require lenders to get trained and offer programs to borrowers at the time of loan application.” Builders should also be pushing for the inclusion of green in consumer search sites. And “when you build green, have the certification recorded with the title so that it will travel with the property,” Porter said.

“Communicate to the buyer what the power of green is,” he said. “Go through the list of green features and turn them into benefits, such as a higher R value equals lower utility costs.” Builders need to ensure that the appraiser evaluating the home is competent, with the experience and education needed to do the job competently. n


Green Building Breakfast Panel Discussion and NetworkingSeptember 228:30 – 9:30 a.m. at HBAMTopic: Certified Green Homes – New ConstructionFree to MRGBC Members, $10 for all other HBAM members

Seminar: Selling High Performance Homes: Extracting Maximal Value in a Minimal MarketSeptember 28New high performance homes built today are safer, more energy efficient, comfort-able and healthier than ever before. This four hour workshop will help builders, real estate agents and new home special-ists gain a better understanding of the advanced technical features of these homes. As well, they will learn the most effective way to translate this information for home buyers so they can make more informed and effective choices.

Hosted by Dow Building Solutions and led by Gorde Cooke, nationally recog-nized engineer, author, industry consul-tant, and trainer, the event is a can’t miss seminar designed to improve your profit margin. Topics include how to properly assess customers needs for high perfor-mance homes, a discussion of Energy Star 3.0, ICC 700 National Green Building Standard, and real world demonstrations on how to close sales utilizing benefits of high performance homes.

Seminar objectives:• Gain a wider and deeper knowledge

of high performance homes• Identify technical features of high

performance homes • Translate the technical feature of

the homes into language that you & homebuyers are comfortable with.

• Practice communication skills that are very useful in selling high performance.

• Learn how energy efficiency is the best investment available to homeowners.

Price: $35 for MRGBC Members; $50 for HBAM members; $60 for non-members

Green Key ConnectionsOctober 6This EXCLUSIVE EVENT FOR GREEN COUNCIL MEMBERS provides you with the unique opportunity to spend 5 minutes face-to-face with decision mak-ers to explain why they should use your GREEN product or service (yes, think of it as speed dating). Bring a sample of your green product and let them see for them-selves why they should be doing busi-ness with you. Don’t forget to bring your marketing materials and special promo-tions geared to entice them and provide a value-added benefit to their bottom line.

Going green is the future of residential construction and the builders, remodel-ers, and developers at this event are look-ing for green products like yours to build energy efficient and affordable homes. This is your opportunity to showcase your products to the decision makers.

Price: MRGBC Members: $25. All other HBAM members: $100, which includes your MRGBC membership for one year plus your ticket, a $125 value!

Advanced Green Building Education: Project ManagementNovember 9 & 10This two-day course teaches builders and remodelers how to successfully integrate green building-related tasks and the green home certification process into their project management to create an effective, streamlined process. Using the whole-house approach to building, this course identifies important documents and methods of communication in order to clarify who does what and when. By completing this course, the participant will be able to:

• Integrate green tasks into project management for a collaborative and more efficient approach toward meet-ing green standards

• Develop an understanding of the fundamental principles of the Na-tional Green Building Standard™ and describe the green home certification process

• Discuss ways to limit the potential liabilities of green building

• Increase the project’s bottom line through streamlined management practices

• Improve marketing strategies for selling green

continuing education Hours: 12.0Designations: Master CGP Continuing Education Credits: CAPS, CGA, CGB, CGR, GMB, CSP, Master CSP, CMP, MIRM

Green Building Breakfast Panel Discussion and NetworkingDecember 88:30 – 9:30 a.m. at HBAMTopic: Certified Green Renovations, with speakers: Tim Ellis and othersFree to MRGBC Members, $10 for all other HBAM members. n

For more information on these Green Building Events and Education Courses, please contact Michael Harrison at 410-265-7400, ext. 109 or [email protected] or visit www.greenhomebuilder.org.

2011 Green Events and Education Courses


MAX

201

0 M

Aryl

And

AwAr

ds o

f EX

cEll

EncE

Get T

his P

arty

Sta

rted!

37www.homebuilders.org JULY/AUGUST 2011 MID-ATLANTIC BUILDER

For a complete list of winners visit www.homebuilders.org/page/max


Night at the BallparkBullpen party and Orioles game, June 8, 2011

Attendance more than doubled for this annual HBAM outing and the Orioles pulled off a win.

left: Leslie Rosenthal, Bob Lucido Team/ReMAX Advantage gives the raffle winner his prize. top Center: Judy Borns, Residential Title and Escrow sells another raffle ticket. Bottom Center: Barry and Tim Ellis of T.W. Ellis.

left: Gina and Bill Zahler, Zahler Construction & Development and Lewis Hibbs, Chase Home Finance. right: Scott Barhight, Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP and Bob Goodier, Goodier Builders.

top left: Beverly and Don Sample of Land Development Services. Bottom left: Cindy McAuliffe and Eliot Powell, Whitehall Development. Center: summertime buffet enjoyed by all. right: Howard Perlow, Residential Title and Escrow.



green building

By H. AlAn Mooney, P.e. President, Criterium engineers

BUILDING HOMES – BUILDING SUCCESS

To continue with my series of explor-ing your signature as a builder; it’s your brand, it’s what you stand for and it’s how

people remember YOU. It’s not just a house, it’s a house by…

John Smith – A Builder you can Trust

For this series, I outlined the key elements that I believe should be part of your signature as a builder. They are:

1. Responsive service – you should genuinely care about your customers. They are making one of the biggest decisions of their life to buy a home from you. They need to know that you care about them and they will typically pay more for that comfort.

2. Fundamental Construction Quality – not claims that “I build a great house” but proof! Show them the construction details that are your standard. Explain the materials you use, and why. Tell them about how you train your crew and how you choose your subs.

3. Follow through and follow up – you will have problems; not everything is perfect. Your customers are people too; they know that mis-takes get made. What is important is to have an aggressive policy in place to follow up on issues and correct them quickly and carefully.

4. Manage expectations – timber frame resi-dential construction is not a perfect process. There will be cracks, distortion, irregularities and inconsistencies. A buyer orientation pro-gram to help the average homebuyer under-stand what to expect from their new home will reduce complaints and increase your credibility.

5. Responsive Service – I know, that’s the same as #1, but it can’t be overemphasized. If the message comes from the president/owner of the company, that’s even better.

Remember, in the end, it’s about how people feel about you and your homes. That’s your signature and no one can take that away, or duplicate it.

In the last issue, we looked at Responsive Service.

In this issue, let’s look at FUNDAMENTAL CONSTRUCTION QUALITY in more detail.

How do you define construction quality? It means something different for everyone. However, for you, as the builder, fundamental construction quality should start with measur-able performance.

What measurable performance should matter to you and your buyer? Based on our experience, there are a few specific areas where we frequent-ly see performance compromised and the cost can be substantial, both for your reputation and your bottom line. We have surveyed construc-tion quality nationally and the results are avail-able at http://criterium-quality.com/whitepapers.

WATER INTRUSION – That’s NUMBER ONE on the list of performance issues and complaints. The installation of windows and roofing is the biggest cause. Basement waterproofing failures are also common. How do you minimize that problem in your homes? If you have a formal process for assuring good quality assurance and that you know works, you should showcase that as part of your promotional material; be willing to be accountible.

STRUCTURAL SOUNDNESS – Your owners don’t like squeaky floors, bouncy floors, cracking finishes and distortion. Your choice of lumber, framing details and thoughtful design will yield a sound house that “feels” solid. While there are opportunities to save lumber in wall fram-ing, you should be generous with floor framing. Nobody likes to hear things rattle when they walk through a room. Just meeting building codes will not produce a solid feeling floor.

Make sure you build in allowance for di-mensional changes as temperate and humid-ity change. Adquate rough openings around windows, slip joints for truss lift, and dry wall

Turning saw dust into “magic dust”

www.homebuilders.org MAY/JUne 2011 MID-ATLANTIC BUILDER 41

clips that allow for movement at corners are some ways to minimize cracking and distor-tion related to dimencional changes. Wood will change, it can be part of your signature to minimize the impact of that change.

For your “signature,” I suggest some testimo-nials from your previous buyers:

FULLY FUNCTIONAL AND INTEGRATED SYSTEMS – We hear many complaints about poor airflow and non-uniform temperature throughout the house. It can be part of your signature that the HVAC system has been fully tested, balanced and the ducts checked for leakage (duct blasting). Also, that the light-ing minimizes heat load. While you may not want to pursue a “green rating” (either LEED or NBGS), your signature can include a commit-ment to energy performance.

For your signature, you can demonstrate your commitment to a home that’s comfortable to live in and get some testimonials.

CLEAR, ESTABLISHED STANDARDS – In my experience, most good builders often overlook many of the fundamental things they do to make their homes well liked by their buyers. To develop your signature, you should consider creating a handbook (or website) of details that represent your commitment to quality and show how those details will produce a home that per-forms well for your buyer, for many years.

In that handbook, show them the construc-tion details that are your standard. Explain the materials you use and why. Tell them about how you train your crew and how you choose your subs.

Two final thoughts on how fundamental construction quality can and should be a major part of your signature.

1. Details and installation matter – most of the performance issues we investigate in homes turn out to be related to the installation of the

materials not the materials themselves. Train, manage and monitor your people well. And tell you buyers about your training program.

2. Your buyers are a good source for defining your quality – talk to those who bought house from your FIVE YEARS AGO. See what they think. Two things will result; some great tes-timonials and some solid information on how you can continue to improve your home and your signature.

Developing your signature isn’t simple, but it works! There are builders I know who spend virtually nothing on advertising. Their customers hear of them through reputation and word of mouth. Those same builders are usu-ally able to charge a bit more for their homes. They realize they are a builder selling a service not just a home. For them saw dust has become “magic dust.”

John Smith – A Builder you can Trust

Please feel free to send me an e-mail ([email protected]). Working together, my goal is to help explore new and better ways for you to build homes that you can be proud of and that will turn your customers into some of your best sales people! n

Criterium engineers has special-ized in residential construction for more than 50 years, with more than 60 offices in more than 30 states. We have evaluated more than 750,000 buildings. H. Alan Mooney, P.e, President of Criterium engineers, is a licensed, Profes-

sional engineer in 8 states, with more than 35 years experience. Please visit www.criterium-engineers.com and www.criterium-quality.com.

We know our owners don’t like

water leaks! We have built 350

homes in the last five years and

none have leaked!

“One of the things we really like

about a John Smith home is that the

temperatures are comfortable year

round. We can set the thermostat

and forget it.”

Our home was built by John Smith

and we love it! It’s solid.


HBAM offers A vAriety of events And progrAMs eAcH yeAr tHAt provide BotH Business And sociAl foruMs to increAse your industry contActs.

Builder MartKey connectionsMAX Maryland Awards of excellenceinternational Builders’ showcelebrity chef night and AuctionHBAM remodelers Awards of excellencethe Maryland Housing conferenceth e Maryland real estate and construction

forecast conferenceicon Awardsla nd development council community

development Awards

Contact Felicia Fleming at 410-265-7400, ext. 115 for more information.

Benefits of Membershiplegislative Advocacypublic relations and informationeducationevents and conferences

Do Business With Your Fellow HBAM Members. “Building Your Business Through Association” is our philosophy. HBAM members believe that they should support those who support the building industry.

NETWORK with other companies in the building industry to gain new contacts as well as strengthen your current ones at the Celeb-rity Chef Night and Auction, sporting events, chapter and council meetings and more.

KEEP UP-TO-DATE about pertinent legislative and regulatory issues on a local, state and national level.

INCREASE YOUR KNOWLEDGE of the building industry through our educational programs and seminars.

TARGET YOUR MARKET with cost effective advertising in any of HBAM’s publications and receive a spreadsheet of HBAM members.

STAY INFORMED with HBAM’s publications. You will receive Mid-Atlantic Builder, BNN, HomeFront Online and the Buyers’ Guide.

ADD CREDIBILITY for your company in the building industry as well as with the general public by being associated with one of the largest building associations in the country.

WWW.HOMEBUILDERS.ORG is designed to serve both consumers and those in the building industry. You can access the latest legislative news, find out about member benefits, profile your company in the online directory or register for an event. Consumers can visit the HBAM home page to find you and other builders or suppliers in their area.

ANNUALEVENTS& CONFERENCES


AssociAte RMS Retirement Marketing SolutionsJames Myron529 Benfield RoadSuite 250Severna Park, MD 21146Phone: 410-518-9868www.winningbynotlosing.com

The Moran Group, LLCDorman Marc696 Ritchie Hwy.Severna Park, MD 21146Professional Services - InsuranceSponsor: Evan M. Gilligan, Mandrin Homes, LTD.

Martin & Phillips Design Associates, Inc.David Martin222 Bosley AvenueSuie B1Towson, MD 21204Phone: 410-321-8444Professional Services - Engineering & TechnicalSponsor: Robb Aumiller, Mackenzie Communities

RLO Contractors, Inc.Stanley MersonP.O. Box 57Dayton, MD 21036Subcontractor - Excavating, Grading & UtilitiesSponsor: Robert Goodier, Goodier Builders, Inc.

United National Construction Co., Inc.Danny Kim7410 Coca Cola Drive #212Hanover, MD 21076Phone: 410-712-0900www.uncconstruction.comSubcontractor - Siding

U.S. Utility CorpDuane Zentgraf10176 Baltimore National PikeSuite 210Ellicott City, MD 21042Professional Services - UtilitiesSponsor: Robert Goodier, Goodier Builders, Inc.

Advantage Group, Inc.Fred Hildebrand698 D. Corporate CenterWestminster, MD 21158www.advantagegroupinsurance.comProfessional Services - InsuranceSponsor: Scott Armiger, Orchard Development Corporation

Topper Construction CompanyRichard Topper7138 English Muffin WayFrederick, MD 21704Phone: 301-874-0220www.topperconstruction.comSubcontractor - Roofing & Gutters

Striker Construction Co., Inc.Kevin Eller4962 Commerce DriveFredericksburg, VA 22408Phone: 540-710-6700Subcontractor - Masonry & ConcreteSponsor: Rod Hart, Dan Ryan Builders

PrimeLendingLewis Hibbs1954 Greenspring DriveTimonium, MD 21093Professional Services - Banking & Mortgage

Structural, LLCScott Austin201 Poplar Ave.Thurmont, MD 21788Supplier - Trusses

Weichert Realtor’s New ColonyMary Beth Brown6925 Oakland Mills CourtColumbia, MD 21045Phone: 410-381-3331www.marybethbrownhomes.comProfessional Services - Real EstateSponsor: Theresa R. Leatherbury, Rachuba Group, The

Shepherd & Sons, Inc.Donald Sands4210 Leeds AveBaltimore, MD 21229Subcontractor - Roofing & Gutters

Home Construction Services, Inc.James RosickP.O. Box 309Culpeper, MD 22701Phone: 571-292-9980www.hcsgreenproducts.com

BUiLDeRsHencken & Gaines, Inc.Sally Costello10616 Beaver Dam Rd.Cockeysville, MD 21030Phone: 410-771-0060Builder

Viking Development Corp.Cary Cumberland815 WindriverSykesville, MD 21784Phone: 410-489-6728vikingcustomhomes.comDeveloperSponsor: Dan Murtaugh, Sandy Spring Bank

Shore-Line Construction Enterprises, Inc.Jonathan Skarda302 Greyhound RoadBaltimore, MD 21221Phone: 410-574-6623www.shorelineconstruction.netBuilder

Viking Development Corp.Cary Cumberland815 WindriverSykesville, MD 21784Phone: 410-489-6728vikingcustomhomes.comSponsor: Dan Murtaugh, Sandy Spring Bank

Shore-Line Construction Enterprises, Inc.Jonathan Skarda302 Greyhound RoadBaltimore, MD 21221Phone: 410-574-6623www.shorelineconstruction.netBuilder - Custom

ReMoDeLeRsLampost LLCLarry Kramer1594 Colony RoadPasadena, MD 21122Phone: 410-615-9286RemodelerSponsor: Cheryl Crowther, The Somerville Showroom/ Kohler Registered

Peak Carpentry, LLCNelson Laur4140 London Bridge RoadSykesville, MD 21784Phone: 443-609-4710Remodeler

HBAM Welcomes new Members


Flowers are in bloom and the grass is looking much greener outside, however it doesn’t appear to look this way for many in the housing industry. Focusing on the year to date numbers, clos-ings seem to be down year over year in the Baltimore MSA. All housing types are down almost 40 percent comparing January – May 2011 to the same period in 2010. Let’s focus on a bright spot for a minute; single family home closings were up in March 2011. This product type has been strug-gling the past few years while town home and condo sales were increasing. In March 2011 they were up 8 percent over 2010 statistics. While prices are down 1 percent for single family homes, the fact that they have increased in closings is a sign that this product type has made a comeback and the American Dream is not completely lost! There is a spring market out there for some. We also have to look back at 2010 and remember the tax credit was still in place and was driving the market. Average Prices are down 7-8 percent for single family and towns while condos are up by 5.5 percent.

Things don’t look much different in the Washington DC MSA for the first few months of the year for closing numbers. However pricing has stayed pretty strong in this market not dropping for single family and town homes and increasing 11 percent for condos.

These markets are still some of the more attractive markets if you are in the residential housing industry due to the economic factors that have assisted. It has a strong educated workforce. The population is anticipated to increase in 2011 about 1.3 percent. Jobs growth is set to increase 1.8 percent which will positively affect the housing market. n

Brooke Burns is the Regional Sales Director for Hanley Wood Market Intelligence and can be reached at [email protected] or 202-729-3678.

By Brooke Burns

Is this our typical spring selling season?

By the Numbers

36,638Total number of homes for sale as of May 26, 2011, up 6.23 percent from last year.

2,067Average square footage of homes sold between January 1, 2011 and May 26, 2011.

$37.18The price per square foot in single family homes has dropped by $37.18, down 22.46 percent between Jaunaury 1, 2011 and May 25, 2011 as compared to last year.

$11,486Closing prices of homes sold be-tween January 1, 2011 and May 26, 2011 have dropped $11,486 com-pared to the same period last year.

-62.01%Compared to the same period last year, the amount of condominium closings between January 1, 2011 and May 26, 2011 has dropped by 62.01 percent.

Figures are for the Washington DC MsA for January 1, 2011 to May 26, 2011 and the same period in 2010.

stats&facts


Monthly Closing Rate: 2010 vs. 2011

Average Closing Price

$500,000

-7.94%

Townhouse/Duplex/Plex

single Family Condominium

-6.97% +5.69%

$400,000

$300,000

$200,000

$100,000

$0

one icon is equal to 25 closings

single Family Homes2010 2011

Townhouse/Duplex/Plex2010 2011

Condominium2010 2011

Average Square Footage

Average Price Per Square Foot

single Family Home3,824 square feet

Townhouse/Duplex/Plex2,423 square feet

Condominium1,587 square feet

single Family Homes

2010: $165.552011: $128.37

2010: $154.992011: $129.02

2010: $213.262011: $203.00

Townhouse/Duplex/Plex

Condominium

2010

2011


governmentaffairs

The Regulatory Merry-Go-Round Shows No Sign of Slowing DownWhen the Obama Administration came into office, it was clear that environmen-tal issues were high on their agenda, but few imagined how much the pace of the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory activity would accelerate. The fact that the nation is in a major economic downturn has not slowed down EPA’s rate of issuing new guidances, new rules, and revised, more expansive interpreta-tions of previous policies. In addition, the President has grown fond of the use of Executive Orders, Presidential Proclama-tions, and the hiring of “czars” that work in federal agencies but report directly to the President, as a way to use the federal work force to further his environmental agenda and other social goals.

The following list summarizes activities that NAHB sees as the major near-term environmental actions from EPA that will impact home builders nationally:

1. Finalization of the federal Construction General Permit (CGP)Proposed on April 25, 2011, the CGP will become the state permit in those states where EPA is the permitting authority for National Pollutant Discharge Elimina-tion System permits. Those states include Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Idaho and Washington, DC. The CGP will also serve as a model for other new NPDES state permits when they are revised on their 5-year cycle.

The proposed CGP includes a number of modifications, many of which are to implement the new Construction & De-velopment Effluent Limitations Guidelines published on December 1, 2009. Impor-tantly, the CGP includes a placeholder, into which EPA expects to insert the final numeric limit for turbidity after the revised ELGs rulemaking is completed

2. Finalization of the Construction & Develop-ment Effluent Limitation GuidelinesThe ELGs are a technology-based rule-making that will require construction sites to implement new erosion and sedi-ment control measures and meet a numer-

ic limit for turbidity on large construction sites. NAHB has been very involved in this rulemaking as it developed.

The rule contains a numeric turbid-ity limit of 280 NTUs (nephelometric turbidity units) for sites with a disturbed area of 20 acres or more. Each state must incorporate the ELGs rule into the next revision of the state’s Construction Gen-eral Permit. EPA used a faulty analysis to determine the 280 NTU numeric limit in the rule and, subsequent to a lawsuit by NAHB; EPA is currently revising the limit for re-proposal.

3. A National Post-Construction Stormwater RuleLater this year, EPA is expected to pro-pose a major stromwater rule that will focus on volume and flow requirements for stormwater runoff, and it is likely to break new ground by addressing storm-water discharges that are currently un-regulated. Some Chesapeake Bay-specific provisions are likely to be issued as part of this rule. As background for the rule, EPA conducted surveys in 2010 to assess the current long term stormwater man-agement systems and costs and it held two meetings with small homebuilding companies to assess the potential impact of a new stormwater rule.

4. A National Rule on New NPDES Discharges and the Appropriate Use of Offsets when Per-mitting to Impaired WatersA second national rule to be proposed later this year has become necessary due to several court decisions. The rule will focus on the permitting of new or increased discharges in impaired waters, both when a TMDL is in place and prior to TMDL issuance. The rule will insure that permits that violate water quality cannot be issued. The use of “offsets” for new growth or for increased discharges will likely be part of the rule.

5. New Proposed Draft Guidance on Identifying Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act Finally, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jointly proposed controversial draft guidance on May 2, 2011 dealing with the reach of federal jurisdiction

under the Clean Water Act. A rulemaking on the same subject is to follow finaliza-tion of the guidance.

NAHB has held two meetings with EPA and the Corps to discuss the draft guidance and to seek clarity on the proposed language. EPA and the Corps have said that the guidance has been is-sued primarily to improve the clarity and predictability of the wetlands permitting program. However, the guidance express-ly covers all programs under the Clean Water Act, including stormwater permit-ting. The guidance will act to expand the reach of federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act to encompass additional wetlands and water bodies, thus requir-ing permits where no permits would have been necessary prior to the guidance.

Questions on this article can be ad-dressed to Glynn Rountree at NAHB at 202-266-8662 or [email protected].

Anne Arundel CountyBill 37-11, an Administration Bill that passed by a 5-1 council vote (1 ab-stained), increased Capital Facilities Con-nection Charges (Water and Sewer Con-nection) by a combined $1,300 this year. In addition, the bill implements phased annual increases through 2015. Though this bill passed and became law effective July 1, 2011, the HBAM Anne Arundel Co. Chapter is diligently working with the County Council on a range of issues to help offset these increases. n

HBAM Government Affairs Michael Harrison Director of Government Affairs Howard, Baltimore and Carroll Counties [email protected] 410-265-7400, ext. 109 Jeff Tosi Director of Government Affairs Anne Arundel, Harford and Cecil Counties and Baltimore City [email protected] 410-265-7400, ext. 101

47www.homebuilders.org JULY/AUGUST 2011 MID-ATLANTIC BUILDER

foundation

HBAM Foundation Gets New Logo

The Maryland Commu-nity Builders’ Founda-tion, the charitable arm of the Home Builders Association of Mary-land, adopted a new logo at their June board meeting. According to

Christopher Rachuba, the chairperson of the Foundation, “The update to the logo is a refl ection of the refresh taking place inside the organization.”

With the design expertise of Mark Sucher and Lyons & Sucher Advertising out of Alexan-dria, Virginia, the board chose the new symbol for the Foundation noting that it represents the helping hands of the members of the Associa-tion. “This logo symbolizes the renewed sense of purpose we have to help people through our Foundation,” said Rachuba.

The 501 (c) (3) charitable foundation, founded in 1999, was formed to promote shelter related activities for those less fortunate throughout the Baltimore region. The Foundation focuses on ‘sticks and bricks’ projects that provide shelter or shelter improvements for needy families in the six counties and city serviced by HBAM – Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Harford, Howard and Baltimore City.

The strategy of the group remains to provide shelter-related charitable services in the region by calling upon HBAM members for donations of la-bor, materials and funds. Examples of past proj-ects supported by the Foundation include The Arc of Baltimore, the Night of Peace Shelter, the Carroll County Hospice, the Grassroots Home-less Shelter in Howard County, St. Casmir and the Lighthouse Industries, Boys Hope Girls Hope and Rebuilding Together – Howard County.

To fi nd out more, visit the Foundation’s web-site at www.buildingindustriesfoundation.org. It offers industry professionals a place where they can easily sign up to donate time and/or materials, share their projects for promotional purposes and view the latest projects under-taken by the Foundation. �

48 MID-ATLANTIC BUILDER JULY/AUGUST 2011 www.homebuilders.org

By the time many of you read this ar-ticle the first direct impact of BRAC for Maryland will be complete. The official numbers published are that 15,300 direct jobs (Direct = actual Department of Defense positions +contractually obli-gated imbedded personnel) are required to be in place at Fort Meade, National Naval Medical Center Andrews Air Force Base, Aberdeen Proving Ground and Fort Detrick by September 15, 2011. It is estimated that another 50 percentof that number of “indirect jobs” (Indirect = contractors and other jobs not associated with the core mission) roughly 7,650 jobs will also be in place throughout the State of Maryland.

But that is just the first wave. The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development is estimating a total of 45,000 – 60,000 jobs coming to Maryland due to BRAC with many of the indirect and induced jobs beginning in 2012 through 2020. The modeling as-sumptions made show 100 percent of the direct jobs and 50 percent of the indirect jobs will be felt in 2006 – 2011. In 2012 – 2015 50 percent of the Indirect Embedded Jobs will be in place, 100 percent of the Indirect Other jobs will be in place and 30 percent of the Induced jobs.

Following will be the additional 70 percent of the Induced jobs scattered from 2016 – 2020. As a follow up to the projections made by MDBED local jurisdictions have been pushing state and federal authorities for funding for road and other infrastructure improvements to support this projected growth, prompting additional job support in the area. Check out this link for an article discussing a Memorandum of Understanding with a variety of public and government parties for a Transportation Demand Management Plan (HINT - on the same page sign up for BRAC updates from DISA) http://www.disa.mil/brac/news/ridehome_ widening_060310.html

Economics 101 in the home building industry has taught us that job growth eventually translates to household growth. We can read article upon article today that household formations are falling off due to the economy, graduat-ing students moving home with parents and household doubling up but this short term trend will change, after all how long could you really live with your parents after college? But according to Dr. Daraius Irani of the Regional Economic Studies Institute at Towson University “we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel”. Dr. Irani believes that the more immediate impacts are being felt in Anne Arundel and Harford Counties with the direct jobs and these counties will benefit in the short run. Dr. Irani gave some interest-ing insight saying that many of the direct jobs being transferred to the area are employers that are within a few years of retirement age. He expects this to prompt a “next generation of jobs” that will help lead the next wave of the BRAC impact.

In the meantime there are success stories in new home communities where BRAC families are gathering. However, the winners aren’t out there bragging and are keeping trade secrets pretty quiet. To hear about it we would encourage you to attend HBAM events and keep your eyes and ears open. n

Brenda L. Desjardins, MIRM is a seasoned veteran in the residential building industry with more than three decades of experi-ence in new homes. She leads New Home Marketing Service and New Home

Development Strategies based in Annapolis, Md. with a satellite office in Sussex County, De. Ms. Desjardins is a leader in providing market research, strategic planning and opportunity assessments for single family and multi-family home builders and developers. She is active in regional building associations and is a gradu-ate of the Johns Hopkins University Real Estate Institute in Baltimore, Maryland with a Master of Science Degree specializing in real estate development. More recently she has become obsessed with understanding how to reach that BRAC new home buyer. She can be reached at 410-990 1050 or [email protected].

BRAC

Don’t Think Short Term with BRAC … This Is Just the First Wave

The official numbers published

are that 15,300 direct jobs

are required to be in place by

September 15, 2011.



Frank Potepan, owner of Catonsville Homes, understands the delicate balance between quality products, quick turnarounds and competitive pricing. When Frank needed high grade windows in a pinch, he came to John H. Myers & Son for a solution. We recommended the Ply Gem MIRA Premium Series window because it's great looking, sharply priced and we knew we could get it fast. His order was placed and two weeks later the windows were hung and the house was being sided...on schedule.

Ply Gem MIRA Premium Series window features:

• Aluminum clad-wood

• Available in 8 colors

• Comes standard with Low-E glass, Warm Edge Insulation, Argon gas

• Exterior casing options

• Architectural styles available

• Various hardware finishing & options

• Variety of grille options

• Tinted, tempered, obscure or laminated glass

• Rated DP50 right out of the box

• Easy installation

• Short lead times

www.jhmson.com

Aberdeen, MD20 S. Philadelphia Blvd.443-327-7933

Camp Hill3442 Simpson Ferry Rd.717-737-0471

Chambersburg1090 S. Main St.717-263-9151

York2200 Monroe St.717-792-2500

Dallastown217 E. Maple St.717-244-4077

Hanover108 Ram Dr.717-632-0217

Looking for a solution to make your business more successful? Contact one of our sales representatives at the location nearest you.

Documents

Mid-Atlantic Builder July/August 2011