Codes + Standards Nearly 1 million formerly distressed homeowners have returned to ranks of homebuyers After the foreclosure crisis, more homebuyers are back on the market
Codes + Standards U.S. House passes bill to make manufactured homes more affordable The bill aims to make it easier for low-income buyers to afford manufactured homes
Codes + Standards GBCI renamed Green Business Certification Inc. The name change reflects the organization’s expansion beyond its original focus on design and construction
Codes + Standards OSHA’s estimated cost of silica rule said to underestimate impact by $4.5 billion annually The Construction Industry Safety Coalition says that OSHA’s flawed cost estimates point to flaws in the rule
Housing Zone* UNPUBLISHED Active House raises standard on energy efficiency While a passive house decreases energy consumption, The Active House produces more
Codes + Standards Lumber Liquidators faces five class action lawsuits over laminate flooring The flooring distributor’s testing kits were deemed “unreliable” by consumer rights firm Hagens Berman
Housing Zone* UNPUBLISHED Passive House Institute introduces new categories for building certification The established standard will be called Passive House Classic, while the new categories are Passive House Plus and Passive House Premium.
Codes + Standards New version of Building Energy Data Exchange Specification launched The new dictionary facilitates consistent exchange of building characteristics and energy use data
Codes + Standards New water heaters get efficiency boost in April The Department of Energy has released new standards
Codes + Standards Virginia surpasses Florida for strictest hurricane building codes The overhaul of Florida’s building codes after Hurricane Andrew made the state slip to second spot
