There aren’t many good things that can be said about the housing market over the last two years, but as the industry begins to strengthen, an interesting paradigm shift is starting to occur: More and more of the components built into our homes are prefabricated. Many of these components have been pre-built for a long time – windows and doors, for instance, are no longer site-built, but are precision-built in a factory.
Electrical contractors are in the midst of change in their industry. The most dramatic change recently is the increase in the number of “shovel-ready” public works projects created by stimulus funding. The landscape is now dominated by public works projects, some reaching well over $1 billion. In response to this, electrical contractors specializing in these types of projects are venturing outside of their local territories to get the business.
For many builders today, market forces and a personal commitment to protecting the environment make using green products and practices a growing priority. Despite this commitment, making the “green choice” is not a simple matter. For example, when it comes to a home’s exterior cladding, builders are faced with numerous options and the mass of sometimes-conflicting information can complicate decision-making. Fortunately, there is readily available information based on data and thorough analysis. At the same time, there is a large amount of information available that is based on an incomplete picture, erroneous assumptions and misinformation.
Buildings constructed or renovated before the 1980s are prime candidates for restoration, but a hidden health hazard may be lurking. Whether unearthed during renovations, repairs or while replacing a window, this dangerous chemical is known to cause a variety of adverse health effects, including cancer. From the 1950s to 1978, when their use was banned in the United States, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used to add strength and flexibility to an important but easily overlooked building material: caulk. Unfortunately, caulk is usually used in precisely the part of the building most likely to experience high rates of wear and tear over the years: windows and door frames. The EPA has adopted strict health, safety, environmental and regulatory requirements for the management of PCBs, including those in caulk and other building materials, under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
Since we ventured out of our local market more than a decade ago by targeting electrical packages nationwide, Colonial Electric Supply has learned the hard way the challenges of operating in new territories. It should be no surprise that Colonial was not welcomed with open arms in new markets – far from it. The last thing local industry participants wanted then and even less so today in a slower economy is added competition vying for the few local construction projects moving forward.
Not too long ago, when our ancestors set out to build a house, they relied on their deep understanding of the land. They often had lived and worked this land for generations, gaining knowledge of where to seek refuge from the sun on a hot August day and how the wind blew in different seasons. Now, with one in six Americans moving each year, our connection to and our understanding of the places we live has shifted to the other end of the spectrum.
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Building and Construction Northeast
79 West Monroe St., Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60603
