2009 Street of Dreams to feature condos, sustainability and the Pearl District

For the first time ever, the NW Natural Street of Dreams is going urban. In honor of its 34^th year, the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland (HBA) is bringing America’s longest running luxury home show to the heart of the city.

Click here to see KGW story

The 2009 show will take place Aug. 1^st-30^th in Portland’s Pearl District and will highlight approximately 10 high-rise condos priced between $1 and $4 million. HBA had been working on sites in more suburban locations, but also had plans under way for adding an urban component to this year’s show. Changing market dynamics, combined with strong industry and consumer interest in the urban component, created an opportunity to focus exclusively on an all-urban show featuring some of Portland’s finest luxury downtown living.

“Dream homes come in different shapes, sizes and styles,” said 2009 HBA President Tom Skaar. “This year’s Street of Dreams focuses on the height of urban living in one of Portland’s residential jewels. It will bring tens of thousands of people to the area’s galleries, breweries, unique restaurants and shops. In essence, the Street of Dreams in The Pearl will give showgoers an authentically Portland lifestyle experience and invite them to see all the wonderful things the city has to offer.”

The 2009 Street of Dreams will also feature a significant increase in its emphasis on sustainability. Most of the homes will meet LEED standards and have other sustainable site development and construction practices that exceed current code. Eco-friendly materials and furnishings and energy efficiency will also be showcased in the condos interiors. Sustainable practices also will be incorporated into the show’s production, marketing and operations. This emphasis demonstrates the HBA’s commitment to being earth-friendly in all its shows and events.

Attendees will be encouraged to take advantage of the region’s public transportation systems, including the MAX, light rail and Portland street car to reduce driving and traffic, to stroll around the highly walkable Pearl, and to pop into local businesses, which will offer special promotions in coordination with the show.

“The 2009 show will offer the public the things they’ve come to love and expect from the Street of Dreams with a new focus and feel,” said Roger LeClair, this year’s Street of Dreams Chairman. “It will still feature innovative homes, showcase the latest, greatest and finest the building industry has to offer and inspire people with the beauty and unique features of the sensational homes it highlights. The show focuses on dreams and will continue to do so for many years to come.”

March Luncheon

Thank you to Superior Home & Design for hosting our group.

Superior Home & Design Team

On The Go With Joe: Tour of Remodeled Homes

See On The Go With Joe segment about Tour of Remodeled Homes here.

National News: Energy Tax Credit to Generate $6 Billion in Remodeling Jobs

Energy Star has published comprehensive information on how the housing industry and consumers can take advantage of the federal tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements in the new economic stimulus package. The credits are expected to significantly increase demand for green renovation projects this year and next, according to federal officials.

Congressional economists project that the new provisions will generate an estimated $6 billion in remodeling work by the end of 2010.

The credits will be the centerpiece of new marketing efforts for remodeler Scott Sevon, CGR, GMB, CAPS, GMR, CGP of Sevvonco Inc. in Palatine, Ill. “We will be featuring information for consumers on our Web site, brochures and other promotional materials,” he said. “We want to make sure they can come to us for accurate information.”

Remodelers trained in and experienced with making energy-efficient upgrades are well-positioned to take advantage of increased consumer interest in consuming less power. They can also use the tax credits to encourage home owners to undertake a more complete renovation that can be certified under the National Green Building Standard as part of NAHBGreen, the NAHB National Green Building Program.

The Internal Revenue Code Section 25C for existing homes, which had expired at the end of 2007, was reinstated as part of the economic rescue package passed by the Bush Administration last fall. Installing energy-efficient windows, doors, roofing and insulation as well as furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps all qualified for the credit.

But remodelers found that the terms of the 25C credit — equal to only 10% of the cost of each product and with a lifetime cap of $500 — weren’t quite strong enough to get home owners off the fence and into a contract.

Under the stimulus legislation signed by President Obama, the percentage of the cost and lifetime cap have been tripled to 30% and $1,500, respectively, and the deadline for installing them has been extended through the end of 2010.

In addition to expanding the 25C tax credit, the IRS 25D credit for renewable energy products has also been expanded and is even more generous for specific improvements — including geothermal heat pumps, solar panels, solar hot water heaters, small wind energy systems and fuel cells. The 30% tax credit applies to these products but there is no cap on their cost through 2016. In addition, these credits also apply to new construction, as well as to remodeling and renovation projects.

The newly expanded tax credits are in alignment with industry research showing that remodeling and retrofitting the nation’s older homes will have a far more significant impact on reducing residential energy consumption than meeting even the most aggressive efficiency goals for new homes, according to Greg Miedema, CGR, CGB, CAPS, chairman of NAHB Remodelers.

A December 2008 survey by Whirlpool Corporation revealed that 84% of consumers said that energy efficiency is significantly more important than water use or other potential savings when it comes to home appliance efficiency. Seventy-two percent of respondents seek the Energy Star label when making purchasing decisions.

“These new tax credits are another way that the home building industry can combat the potential effects of global climate change by encouraging home owners to make energy-efficient improvements to their homes,” said Miedema.

A 2008 California study showed that homes built before 1983 were responsible for 70% of the greenhouse gas emissions related to single-family envelope energy consumption.

The study also found that spending $10,000 to retrofit a 1960s home could save 8.5 tons of carbon at a cost of $588 to $1,176 per ton, depending on existing tax credits and incentives. By comparison, increasing the energy efficiency of a new home 35% over current state requirements would cost about $5,000 and would reduce emissions by 1.1 tons at a cost of $4,545 per ton.

The bottom line is that retrofitting existing homes with energy-efficient features is four to eight times more carbon- and cost-efficient than adding further energy-efficiency requirements to new housing, the study showed.

Tax Credit How-to

Details on qualifying improvements are available on the Energy Star Web site.

Remodelers should familiarize themselves with the model types and products that qualify for the tax credit so they can advise their customers. However, they do not need to give their clients the product sales receipts to verify the claim. Certification statements in the manufacturer’s product information may suffice.

Home owners can claim the 25C and 25D credits on Form 5695 when they prepare their income tax returns. They should also retain records that include:

* Name and address of the manufacturer
* Identification of the component
* Make, model or other appropriate identifiers
* Statement that the component meets the 25C standards
* Climate zones for which the criteria are satisfied
* Additional information for storm windows, if applicable
* A declaration that the certification statement is true

Don’t miss the Tour of Remodeled Homes…

The Hottest Stimulus Package in History!

Check out NW Naturals site for information about the federal stimulus bill and energy efficient natural gas equipment.  Click here for consumer page.  Click here for press release.

On Feb. 17, 2009, President Obama signed a stimulus bill that offers significant incentives when you improve the efficiency of your home heating equipment. Now’s the time to make a smart investment in a high-efficiency natural gas furnace. In return you will receive:

up to $2200 back
years of operating savings
greater warmth and comfort
higher energy efficiency
a way to be kinder on the environment!

When you invest in a 95%+ AFUE high-efficiency natural gas furnace with e-rated ECM from one of our NW Natural Certified Contractors, you can enjoy up to $2,200 in rebates, tax and gas credits. It’s the hottest set of incentives we’ve ever offered!

To commemorate NW Natural’s 150th anniversary, our Certified Contractors have included, as part of this offer, a $150 credit on your NW Natural gas bill.

So get some significant savings by making a smart heating choice. Offer expires April 30, 2009.

Oregon Offer

For new (conversion) and existing gas customers who purchase a high-efficiency natural gas furnace or boiler from a Participating NW Natural Certified Contractor – up to $2200 in incentives:

$200 rebate from the Energy Trust of Oregon for 90%+ AFUE gas furnace or boiler (no ECM required)1
Up to $350 Oregon Dept. of Energy tax credit for 92%+ AFUE gas furnace with GAMA electrically-efficient (e-rated) ECM2 or up to $225 for 92%+ AFUE boiler
 Up to $1500 Federal energy tax credit on 95%+ AFUE gas furnace with or without a GAMA e-rated ECM or 90%+ AFUE boiler3
$150 gas credit applied to your NW Natural account, courtesy of the Participating Contractor who installs your 90%+ AFUE natural gas furnace with ECM

March New Members of the Remodelers Council

Welcome new members of the Remodelers Council

• Peggy Lightfoot, Advantage Services Construction Inc.
• Joshua Polvogt, Artistic Cabinet Creations