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Home sales weaken as buyers back off

Michael J. Berens Construction & Building Materials

Increased inventory and declining prices were not enough to seal the deal for some prospective homebuyers in September. Sales of both new and existing homes were down from August’s rather lackluster performance. Although demand remains high, concerns about rising mortgage rates and a shortage of entry-level properties kept buyers at bay. After a modest gain in August, sales of new single-family homes dropped 5.5 percent in September, the lowest month-over-month decline since December 2016, and were down 13.2 percent from the same period last year.

‘Lego building’: Can modular housing disrupt the US housing…

Lucy Wallwork Construction & Building Materials

Daily headlines carry news of technologies "disrupting the market." One of the latest stories is that of pre-fabricated, "modular housing" and what it could do to transform the way the construction industry operates. If there was ever an industry in need of disruption, it is homebuilding. Modular housing promises to take much of the risk and complication out of that process by performing most of the construction work in a weathertight plant. Panels are manufactured in a factory and slotted together on site, often in a matter of hours — a true "plug and play" model.

Using design to curb aggression

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Within the past five years, American society has become increasingly angry, belligerent and aggressive. It may be due to the intense stress of daily life, to fallout from the last recession, to income or racial inequality, to political and regional polarization, to the nature of much popular entertainment, to the fractured news media, to the no-holds barred invective popular on social media — or due to all of them. Whatever the reasons, as a society we need to look for ways to alleviate and prevent aggression, especially in public spaces. Research shows design can help.

Does your school facility need a makeover?

Brian Stack Education

Does your school facility need a makeover? According to this 2012 report by the National Center for Education Statistics, 53 percent of American schools are due for such an upgrade. Upgrades can be done in ways to fit almost any school budget. The key for school principals is to stretch the financial resources they have to provide the biggest rate of return possible to enhance student learning and overall school culture.

Designing in many shades of green

Lloyd Princeton Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Green, or eco-friendly, is now widely accepted as a responsible way to design. Yet, in practice, designing green can take many forms. You need to consider your own as well as your clients’ values when offering green solutions. Even among clients who consider themselves to be eco-conscious and responsible, being green may translate into conserving utilities and faithfully recycling. These individuals want energy-efficient appliances and heating and lighting systems, water-saving fixtures, and well-insulated walls and attics. They also have their eye on another kind of green — money.

Making housing more affordable

Michael J. Berens Construction & Building Materials

Historically, a robust housing industry has been a bellwether of a booming economy. At present, however, the economy is at its strongest point in 10 years, but the housing industry is limping along. Recent projections indicate annual home sales will fall below those of last year. A number of factors are contributing to this situation, but the major one is affordability. For many Americans who want to buy a home, the cost is just too high.

Simple changes we can expect to see in workplace environments

Scott E. Rupp Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

The death of the cubicle may have been long-predicted, but it seems its demise is getting closer. The workspace continues to change, and rather than cubing employees, efforts are being made to make work environments more open, livelier and more technologically savvy. Traditional workspaces, if not dying, are evolving dramatically, driven by the wants and desires of younger employees — millennials and Generation Z — who are dramatically influencing office design. What else are we going to see in the near term in regard to office design?

Interior design activity regains momentum

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Adhering to a familiar seasonal pattern, demand for interior design services softened somewhat in late summer, then picked up in the last two months. Designers are reporting an increase in projects and new inquiries, with an average project backlog of around five weeks. Growth is expected to taper off slightly, but remain positive, toward the end of the year.

Homeowners adding bedrooms, remodeling baths

Michael J. Berens Construction & Building Materials

In the previous two years, U.S. homeowners completed more than 43.7 million home improvement projects. That and other data related to recent home remodeling and renovation activity are part of the responses to the 2017 American Home Survey (AHS), released last month by the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The findings include information on the most common types of projects, amount spent, use of professional services, and activity by age and income groups.

Building community, fostering creativity: A collaborative workspace for…

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Collaborative or co-working spaces provide a supportive environment where self-employed individuals can gather with other professionals and have access to the amenities of a commercial office setting. They have been a part of tech culture for some years now, but have not really caught on as yet with the A&D community. That may change with the launch of a new collaborative design studio for designers and architects, hosted by a Chicago design-build firm.

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