GREEN GRACE PERIOD IS CLOSING FOR CONCRETE PROMOTERS
Grim conditions in the residential construction market are expected to worsen for the remainder of 2008, according to a recent Economic Research Report from the Portland Cement Association (PCA).
High home inventories will cause housing starts to decline 25 percent in 2008 from already depressed 2007 levels, according to PCA. The large number of foreclosures caused by the sub-prime crisis is a main contributor to the large inventory that will depress start activity for the foreseeable future.
Edward J. Sullivan, chief economist for PCA, does not expect "a significant improvement in sales or inventory conditions until the second half of 2009."
There is a silver lining in this gloom-clouded residential construction slowdown: Builders and residential architects have time to rethink the fundamentals of how they design and build homes.
This reflection may well result in the abandonment of conventional stick-built construction in the 53172 delivery area, as designers and contractors look for economically-feasible, environmentally-sustainable alternatives to the status quo.
Concrete fulfills these alternative criteria.
There are no free environmental rides in construction. But research demonstrates facilities built with cast-in-place concrete construction have less impact on global warming, toxicity, solid emissions, and energy consumption than competing structural systems, reducing the overall environmental impact of a building. Insulating Concrete Forming technology (ICF), concrete patios and pavements, and pervious concrete stormwater management systems are proven technologies ready to supplant current residential building fundamentals.
The Next Boom
In the most current online issue of Residential Architect Magazine, editor S. Claire Conroy provides perspective for the current residential housing marketplace and predicted the next housing boom for her readership:
A ‘green’ grace period is available for concrete promoters, but will close quickly, as other materials vie for sustainability superiority.At the 2008 Builders' Show, there was one hopeful refrain running through each booth: Green. Nearly every manufacturer came prepared with a sustainability spiel.
It was gratifying to see, if a bit suspect.
I do believe the next boom we see will come in green building and remodeling. But this time, we really must think, research, and justify before we act. Our grace period is over.
Do Concrete Promoters have the passion, moxie, and resources to help builders and residential architects in the 53172 deliver area embrace concrete as a whole-house building material … the construction material of choice for green building and remodeling?
A bright future for Wisconsin’s ready-mix industry requires every Southeastern Wisconsin Concrete Promoter roar “Yes!” and start educating architects and builders.
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