PITTSBURGH, June 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Maronda Homes, a designer and builder of quality, affordable and energy efficient homes in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, Florida and Kentucky is celebrating the company's 40th anniversary with a new logo and new home styles built for comfort and designed for modern living. The company is unveiling the new logo and Presidential Series designs from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at Maronda Farms (126 Stallion Road, Clinton, PA), where members of the media will have an opportunity to tour the Monroe model.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120627/NE32093LOGO )

"To celebrate 40 years of innovation, we want to highlight all of the features Maronda Homes has introduced to the building trade and unveil our plans for the next 40 years," said Ron Wolf, president of Maronda Homes. "We're proud to embark on this next chapter of our history, and we're especially excited for people to see and experience our new Presidential Series designs."

As part of the Presidential Series, homebuyers will see a variety of features Maronda Homes has implemented in recent years, as well as some new additions to the company's repertoire, including:

As part of the news conference, a virtual tour within a tour will include monitors that show rooms within The Monroe decorated in different styles and furnishings to reflect homebuyers' various design preferences.

For more information about Maronda Homes, please visit http://www.marondahomes.com.

About Maronda HomesMaronda Homes is a designer and builder of quality, affordable and energy efficient homes in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, Florida and Kentucky. For 40 years, Maronda has built single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums designed for family living. The company's integrated material purchasing and distribution systems reduce waste and save homebuyers money. For more information about Maronda Homes, please visit http://www.marondahomes.com.

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NEWS CONFERENCE: Maronda Homes Celebrates 40 Years of Innovation with New Look, Introduction of Presidential Series

26-06-2012 19:53 5804 Dubois Road, Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 647-5912 One of the best ways to lower your heating costs is preparing your home for Winter. This can be done in many ways, but one of the most effective ways is by replacing your windows. If you happen to have older windows chances are here is a draft flowing through and making your house much colder then it should be. The heat you are generating goes right out the window and can cost you hundreds of dollars each month. By replacing your windows you will be able to keep the heat inside your house, thus reducing your heating costs. Proper insulation can lower your heating bills by thousands of dollars!

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Window Replacement in the City of Brandon FL - Video

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION:

Tips to Beat the Heat and Save Energy

MADISON - Utility bills can soar during extreme heating periods, and with temperatures across the state expected to jump to nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit over the next few days, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) is offering a few tips to stay cool and keep costs down.

Home Cooling

Turn off lights when leaving a room. Check weather-stripping and caulking for leaks around doors and windows. Use a microwave oven or cook outside instead of using the stove or oven. Minimize the amount of time your refrigerator and freezer doors are open. Use natural lighting and compact fluorescent light bulbs. Ninety percent of the energy used by an incandescent bulb makes heat. Close blinds and curtains on hot days. Install white window shades or blinds to reflect heat away from your house. For long-term cooling, plant trees/shrubs to shade your house. Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25 percent of a typical household's energy used for cooling. Place your room air conditioner on the north side of the house. A unit operating in the shade uses up to 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun. Whole-house fans help cool your home by pulling cool air into the house and exhausting warm air through the attic. Most effective when operated at night as the air is cooler outside than inside.

Appliance Usage

Use cold water for doing laundry and air dry clothes on clotheslines. Unplug electronics like computers, televisions, and radios when not in use. Set your dishwasher to air-dry mode and use it only when it's fully loaded. Turn on ceiling fans only when you're in the room. Clean and maintain your air conditioner often. Make sure air filters, air intakes, grilles, and radiators are unblocked and clean at all times. Clean dirt and leaves off coils on outdoor units. When buying new appliances, including air conditioners, look for those that are ENERGY STAR rated, which means they are more energy efficient than traditional appliances.

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HEAT WAVE 2012: Beating the heat in your home

News-Sun staff report June 27, 2012 8:12PM

Updated: June 28, 2012 2:48AM

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Midwest has kicked off the first phase of a $57 million, multi-year project to decentralize the Naval Station Great Lakes steam heat delivery system.

Over the next three years, Newburgh, Ind.-based Kroeschell ESG, L.L.C. joint venture will disconnect 110 of the bases buildings from the central steam plant and instead install individual heating systems in each building. This will improve the bases overall energy efficiency and save the Navy money.

Were looking forward to working with our contract partners on this very important project over the next few years, said NAVFAC Midwest Commanding Officer Capt. Scott Bernotas. This is one of the most significant projects weve undertaken within the region. Not only is it large in scope, but also in future benefit. Decentralizing Great Lakes steam distribution is really about preparing the base and Navy Region Midwest for a future where resources are more scarce.

New infrastructure, including new gas lines and other supporting systems, will be installed around the base. The existing aging steam lines will be removed in a follow-on phase of the project, to be completed in 2017.

While building occupants may not notice a difference in their work areas Navy directives set heating points at 68 degrees and cooling points at 78 degrees each building will be heated more efficiently, saving the Navy money, according to Public Works Department Great Lakes Energy Manager Peter Behrens.

Having heating systems for each building will eliminate the energy loss inherent in having what is essentially a 20-mile-long radiator carrying steam around the base, said Behrens.

NAVFAC anticipates this project will save the base around $9 million per year and reduce the bases overall energy intensity the amount of energy used per square foot of occupied space by 21 percent.

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Naval Station Great Lakes buildings to get new heating systems

Is summer the best time to remodel? Well, according to remodeling expert Dan Fritschen, yes it is. Here are some reasons why, and also some tips on how to get it done.

Summertime is when you might go away for the weekend to visit Grandma and perhaps take another weekend or a week to go to Disney. If you are remodeling, these are the best times for the workers to be in your house making a mess and getting the work done. The workers will have more space, and you don't have to worry about staying out of their way plus when you come home, all or at least a good amount of the work will be done.

If you are remodeling the kitchen, summer is certainly a good time to do it. You can eat outdoors, and light meals, not requiring much if any cooking, are just the thing during the summer. Picnics are fun.

If you happen to be opening a wall because you are adding a room, or if you need to open a wall to add a window, summer is the perfect time because you don't have to worry about freezing-cold temperatures entering your humble abode. If painting is in order, summer is good because you can open windows to let the smell out and the fresh air in.

Nature gives great inspiration, and summer is a perfect time to go out and enjoy nature. Look at the colors and the color combinations in nature. Absorb what appeals to you and use it in your remodeling.

While you are out there soaking up the sun, consider getting your yard in order. Remodel, upgrade or simply clean up your landscape. Do it yourself for some great exercise! Some remodeling projects, such as a new driveway or walkway, might better be left to experts. But you never know: You might be ambitious enough to tackle these yourself. (A note of caution, however: Before tackling any project that could involve significant exertion, you might want to get an OK from your doctor.)

Solar panels are suggested for installation on your house. They can save you money and power your home, and summertime is when you will benefit the most from the panels.

Well, there you have it. Don't be too lazy during the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Get the house in order and the yard, too. You'll be glad you did.

Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, an interior designer in Naples, Fla., is author of "Mystery of Color." For design inquiries, write to Rosemary at DsgnQuest@aol.com.

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Interiors: Summer remodeling

WALLINGFORD Town staff will prepare an in-depth report on ownership of a retaining wall on Holy Trinity school property that supports a town-leased parking lot and get a legal opinion before deciding what to do concerning repairs.

The Town Council tabled the issue at its meeting Tuesday night and will await the results of the report.

Its so important that now we do some research and we find out once and for all what is the town liable for on the retaining wall for your school, said Town Councilor John Sullivan, a Democrat.

The issue revolves around who is responsible for a retaining wall that divides the schools playground from a parking lot behind buildings on Simpson Court and North Main Street that is used for public parking through a lease with the town. Church and school officials say the structure is deteriorating, with cracks and chunks of it falling onto the playground, and it needs to be reconstructed.

Church officials say the wall was built by the town on their property in the early 1960s, either with or without the agreement of the church, and believe the town should be part of its maintenance. But no documentation has yet been found regarding its construction.

Parish priest the Rev. Thomas Walsh and school Principal Kathleen Kelly presented the issue to the council at the meeting.

Walsh read a prepared statement saying that the parish did not know that the wall was considered Holy Trinitys property until a survey prepared a few years ago declared it to be.

It was news to us that this wall, by a matter of inches, was on school property, Walsh said. Try to understand that this issue is more complex than who owns the wall who does the wall benefit and who should be involved in its maintenance.

He said he believed the wall was likely built by the town, as it was constructed during a time when the town had a parking authority that was involved in creating lots. He also said that agreements found for other projects during the time did not include maps, leading him to believe that the wall was built on their property in error.

Walsh also said that he believed work done on storm drains by the town that routed water to the wall was aiding in its destruction.

Link:
Wallingford council wants more info on liability for school's wall

Readmore: Local, News, Construction, Bridge Repair, New York State Department of Transportation, State DOT, Bridge Decks, Interstate 690, Crouse Avenue, Downtown Syracuse, Vector Construction

SYRACUSE -- The New York Works program means more orange construction signs on Central New York roadways.

While that may frustrate some commuters, it's good news for companies that have been struggling since the recession.

The state Department of Transportation says its ready to get started on several projects throughout the region.

Contracts have been awarded on several projects including replacing the bridge decks on Interstate 690, going over Crouse Avenue just east of Downtown Syracuse.

Its helping out businesses like Vector Construction in Cicero that have been struggling to find work.

"We have about 45 people, 35 working between April 1st and Thanksgiving and the past three years we have been struggling to keep those people busy," said Richard Andersonof Vector during a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

A $17.4 million dollar contract will replace 13 bridge decks in Syracuse and Utica.

There are also several projects ready to go in Tompkins, Cayuga, Cortland and Oswego Counties.

Link:
Orange construction signs a good sign that Central New Yorkers are getting back to work

The hated house feature

Remember when people once liked practical things on their houses? Porches and overhangs and aluminum awnings and such?

Well Greenpoint, for one, has had it with aluminum awnings, reports The New York Times.

Those humble providers of shelter are so mid-century, and not Eames chairs/ skinny ties/ birth of the cool kind of mid-century, but smoking around children and eating TV dinners kind of mid-century.

Its almost like theyre deliberately trying to be unattractive, a la that golden girl of Greenpoint Lena Dunham, who films herself doing things like awkwardly hitching up a pair of flesh-colored panty-hose.

Youre never going to go on Craigslist and find someone whos looking for a vintage 1950s fiberglass or aluminum awning, architect and Greenpoint-dweller Jonathan B. Held told The Times. They are despised.

Even the general manager of a scrapyard takes calls them an eyesore. Ouch!

However, apparently some practical-minded people still want these functional coverings to block the rain and the snow and to keep their newspapers (we hope they dont read The Times) dry. In fact, in an indication of just how much attention they pay to such passing fancies, Brooklyn-based Aluminum Awnings informed us that they hadnt even heard about The Times article when we called their office.

Indeed, we found several other purveyors of awnings, including General Awnings and Home Depot, who are still selling the product, focusing, we suppose, on the small segment of the population who are not part of the ever-fickle tastemakers. Why just last year The Times was singing the virtues of vinyl siding in nearby Williamsburg:

To Mr. Canfield, replacing vinyl siding that is in good shape, as some homebuyers do as soon as they have the deed, is like carelessly restoring antiques that came over on the Mayflower. He views vinyl siding facades as the key to preserving Williamsburgs working-class traditions, which arguably has become its own facade.

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Aluminum Awning Companys Not Yet Aware Their Wares Are Considered Démodé

25-06-2012 18:14 Church Building with Building Gods Way @ , shares an incredible building strategy with church leaders. Building God's Way is a remarkable network of services that includes ministering to workers on the jobsite while in the church construction process. Don't wait till your building is finished before you reach out to further growth in His kingdom BGW has a nationwide builder network, specializing in church building, that fully endorse and support the Ministry of Construction outreach program. An example of that Builder network is listed here, visit any to learn more: Connect with us on facebook & twitter:

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"Pre-Construction Stewardship during Church Building", by BGW's Don Mahoney - Video

25-06-2012 18:38 Testimonials from church and Christian school leaders from across the country about the Building God's Way process and the impact the the programs had on their ministry, including architecture, fundraising, construction and job site ministry.

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Church Building - BGW Testimonials.mov - Video