Wood has been the concrete contractors formwork of choice for years. Its relatively inexpensive and easy to understand, light weight, can be easily cut to size, and easy to replace and dismantle.

However, lumber formwork also has its disadvantages. It has limited usage and cannot be reused on one job to the next. Wooden formwork also been known to absorb water from concrete when dry, reducing the strength in concrete structure. On the other hand, lumber with too much moisture can compress wet concrete and cause cracks when shrinking occurs.

These challenges have resulted in hundreds of formwork alternatives from steel, aluminum, manufactured timber, plywood, plastics and fabricthat claim to offer the trifecta: saved time, labor and money.

Formwork is a crucial element to concrete construction, though, so selecting the right formwork is essential to any job. In fact, the right choice can greatly affect the schedule, labor requirements, quality and total cost of a project, says Michael Schaeffer, senior U.S. product manager with Doka USA.

Formwork, the temporary or permanent molds used to hold wet concrete until it sets, is a crucial element in concrete construction. Just as important is selection of the right formwork, Schaeffer notes. Over the years, formwork molds have evolved from traditional job-built timber to pre-engineered systems composed of a combination of steel, aluminum, manufactured timber, plywood and plastics. These advancements in formwork molds have led to increased jobsite production and safety, with less labor, while producing a better-finished product.

But with so many options, how can contractors choose the right one. Schaeffer suggests the following tips to consider when choosing a formwork system:

Now lets look at a few of the newest formwork alternatives on the market:

The Rapid Form Bracket from Innovative Concrete was designed to take the place of lumber supports in the construction of elevated slabs. The bracket is commonly used for work on foundations around a building, when constructing loading docks, or any job involving vertical work.

Made of steel and then powder-coated to keep away rust, the brackets inventor Bob Kalbach says it eliminates the labor and costs involved in purchasing, layout, measuring, cutting, constructing and cleaning up after stripping of wood supports. He estimates that the traditional process takes about three times longer than the bracket does.

When a slab is designed to turn down on top of a wall, you have to form the outer edges so that concrete doesnt go over the top of the wall. Traditionally, this is done by cutting two by fours that hold the form against wall. The pieces are layered on top of each other, the form is attached and then everything is braced. Once the concrete is poured, the supports then are removed and thrown away. Made of steel, the Rapid Form Bracket takes the place of lumber supports in the construction of elevated slabs.Innovative Concrete

Why are we paying $1,200 for a pallet of wood, cutting it all up and taking these pieces and throwing them away when were done. Not just that, but you have to collect all of that. Hundreds of pieces collected and then thrown in the dumpster, asks Kalbach.

The bracket was recently used during the construction of a four-story office building for LifeQuest, totaling 3,675 lineal feet of slab form. The project called for 925 brackets, which saved the company approximately 720 two by fours at a cost of $4,800. In addition, the contractor estimates a labor savings of $26,800.

The use of fabric formwork began in the early 20th century with concrete architectural structures. Today, the formwork alternative is slowly gaining momentum in the construction industry as the publics focus on sustainability grows. The industry is increasingly being asked to address and lower its carbon footprint. While the use of wood and/or metal is not completely eliminated by using fabric, it can be reduced to essential components thereby saving natural resources.

Using fabric formwork, such as a geotextile, offers several additional advantages, according to an article by Robert P. Schmitz, a registered professional engineer, with more than 35-years experience in architecture and structural engineering. Those benefits include:

Schmitz notes that fabric formwork does have its disadvantages though. Those include:

However, until new fabrics are developed, the benefits of using geotextiles far outweighs any disadvantages, Schmitz writes. In addition, unless standards and guidelines for use in precast and cast-in-place forming systems are developed, this method of forming concrete will remain a niche market exploited only by those brave and bold enough to challenge the status quo. To be of practical use to the design community, some standardization of systems and guidance are needed for contractors to feel comfortable using flexible formworks.Made of high-density polyethylene fabric, Fab-Forms markets its products as a green replacement of lumber and plywood for forming concrete footings.Fab-Form Industries

Leading the charge for adoption in the construction industry, Richard Fearn, owner and founder of Fab-Form Industries, Ltd., has developed several fabric forming products, including Fastfoot for continuous and spread footings, Fastbag for spread footings, and Fast-Tube for piers and columns.

Made of high-density polyethylene fabric, Fab-Forms markets its products as a green replacement of lumber and plywood for forming concrete footings.

Force Concrete & Masonry Corporation of Piscataway, New Jersey, has been working with Fab-Form for nearly a decade. They recently used the Fastfoot product to form the footings of Rutgers Universitys new Health & Athletic Performance Center.

The project had a tight deadlinejust six months. Because Force Concrete & Masonry was able to setup huge amounts of formwork before the pour took place, they were able to pour all the concrete in one day, keeping the project on track. In addition, because the fabric prevents the concrete from touching the lumber framework, the lumber framework can be reused and easily stripped, further increasing labor productivity.

When you strip [the forms], you only remove the lumber framework, explains Bill Pavlic of Force Concrete & Masonry. The fabric conforms to the uneven ground, which makes it a lot easier. If youre using regular forms, you have to go back and patch in the bottom or other spaces.

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) are not a new technology, but they are seeing a resurgence in popularity. In fact, before the collapse of the housing industry in 2008, many homes were built with ICFsa type of permanent concrete formwork that create the external wall envelope of a building. The alternative formwork has regained some of that traction in recent year, though, as the popularity of energy efficient and disaster resistant homes and buildings grows.

In the past, single family residential accounted for about 70% of ICF construction compared to about 30% for commercial or multifamily uses, according to a report by the Portland Cement Association. (PCA). But, use in larger commercial buildings appears to be a growing market for several reasons. Chief among them is the potential for reducing energy to heat and cool the building.Shown here are Nudura Insulated Concrete Forms, which meet the demands of today's buildings, offering an energy efficient and eco-friendly construction option.Nudura

According to the PCA report, some estimates place the savings at 20 percent or more. The R-value for a typical ICF is about 20, and the walls can often have high air tightness 10-30% better than frame-with compatible windows, doors and roof. As a result, assuming a 100-year service life, PCA estimates one single-family ICF home has the potential to save about 110 tons of CO2 compared to a traditional wood frame home.

This more than offsets the CO2 associated with the production of the cement used to make the concrete, the report adds.

In addition, ICF save natural resources by eliminating the structures wood frame. The forms also often contain recycled materials.

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Concrete Formwork Alternatives Save Time, Money and Labor - ForConstructionPros.com

Plastics ban

The federal government says it plans to ban many single-use plastics in 2021. Be careful what you wish for. Many of the items banned could affect you more than you realize. I agree that a lot of waste is the result of plastic products. But do we need to ban everything? Maybe we should rethink how we use these products.

Steve WhinesBrantford

Re: Trailer park residents fear for their future (Jan. 29)

I am the executive director of the Manufactured Home Park Owners Alliance of B.C., a non-profit business association serving, educating, and representing the owners and managers of manufactured home communities. About 45 per cent of British Columbias 900 communities are members of our association.

Your article refers to trailer parks and trailers. While the story is a sad one and unfortunately not unique our industry is constantly working to remove these terms, particularly from lexicon of the media and politicians.

The days of trailers and trailer parks are gone. Todays manufactured homes are built to a national building code. They have strong frames and roofs, 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 construction, insulation, Gyproc walls, etc. They dont have wheels or hitches any more.

Most important manufactured home living is a desirable and affordable housing alternative for people looking to own their homes, but who dont have the $500,000 to $1 million to buy a fixed house.

We would really appreciate your help in getting rid of the old stereotype by referring to manufactured homes and manufactured home communities or parks in any future articles.

Al Kemp,Manufactured Home Park Owners Alliance of B.C.

Why is there so much controversy over the teachers contract?

The education of our youth should be our No. 1 priority, if the children are the future.

Im a retired registered nurse. I volunteer in the elementary school to help children learn to read, the basis for all learning. The classes now that are inclusive do not benefit the students, the teachers or the students with special needs.

Some top bureaucrats at Queens Park have enjoyed a 14 per cent increase in pay. This raise does not help our students when money is needed for education funding. The next generation will not have the tools to participate in the future.

I totally support the teachers. In Brant, teachers work very hard with the limited resources they get from the government. I would encourage any retired person or person with some time to volunteer and see first hand the caring teachers at work in the classroom.

Now is the time for the tired old Tories to elect someone new who has no ties to the regime. Well, Toronto lawyer Leslyn Lewis fits that bill; she is a person of colour, female and has a lot to offer. She speaks her mind and is extremely well educated. I sincerely hope she gets on the ballot, she would give Peter MacKay a run for his money. Besides MacKay will not beat Trudeau, but she would clean his clock.

Stephen FlanaganOttawa

I remember when I used to look to the Oscars now it is just a bunch of actors who think they have something to say politically. First diversity, not enough women directors, etc., not enough people of colour. Both have some merit, but isnt it about the person that does the best job on a film? Listening to people Sunday night like Joaquin Phoenix was so cringeworthy I had to mute it. The best part was the director ofParasite with limited English, he was amazing. For my wife and me, the best part was the pre-show and interviews. It is no wonder the ratings keep dropping. Time to stop talking about diversity, etc. and get on with show. These actors are not politicians, just very rich privileged people who think we give a rats behind about their limited view of the world.

Jon GrosvenorBurlington

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Letters to the editor - Brantford Expositor

PARADISE, Calif. - Paradise Irrigation District said they are close to lifting all water advisories at all standing homes in the town with only 72 home meters left to test.

Additionally, almost all properties in the town are now eligible for public assistance funding to remove hazardous trees.

Community Information Meeting: The meeting was held on Tuesday, Feb. 4. The focus of the meeting was manufacturedhousing and what that permit-approval process entails. People from the Building Resiliency Center were there to answer questions. If you missed the meeting, you can watch it below.

Home Builders Resource Connection:On Friday, Feb.28, those looking to build in Butte County have a chance to speak with local agencies, realtors, architects, generalcontractors, lenders, insurance agents and more. This is a free event.

Business Outreach Forum:Hosted by the Paradise Ridge Chamber ofCommerce with partner agencies,all localbusinesses are invited to attend the Together We Rise Ridge Business Forum. This will be at the Paradise Lutheran Church at 780 Luther Drive on Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Rebuild Advocates at Building Resiliency Center:Those rebuilding in Butte County have help at the Building Resiliency Center. Advocates are on hand to help people through theprocess, including helping with unresolved insuranceissues. They can also help guide residents through the financialresources available to make rebuilding more affordable such ashelp people apply for loans and connect with contractors. You maycall 530-872-6291 ext. 130 to schedule an appointment.

RELATED:Paradise Rebuilding and Recovery: Manufactured homes community meeting

Tree Removal: The Paradise Town Council and the Butte County Board of Supervisors passed ordinances requiring the removal of hazard trees damaged by the Camp Fire from private property that may fall into public roadways. Property owners may enter the Government Tree Program to have the trees removed by the State at no out-of-pocket cost. Enrollment in the Government Tree Program requires a Right-of Entry form.

Property owners may also identify and remove hazard trees themselves but must submit an inspection form so an inspector may verify the removal of the hazard trees from the property. Property owners may also call the Tree ROE Center directly at (530) 552-3030 or submit Tree ROEs by email at TreeROE@buttecounty.net. The Tree ROE is available for download online at http://www.ButteCountyRecovers.org/treeremoval. ROE forms may also be picked up at the Tree ROE Centers when they open. An ROE Center will be open at the Butte County Library's Paradise Branch Community Room on 5922 Clark Road, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 pm.

Businesses Opening

Paradise Town Council Meeting

PID Regular Meeting

Home Builders Resource Connection

Business Outreach Forum

Fridays for Lunch Free Lunch

Paradise Community Dinner

See original here:
Paradise Rebuilding and Recovery: Nearly all water advisories lifted - Action News Now

Los Angeles, United State, 7 February 2020 The report titled Global Manufactured Housing Market is one of the most comprehensive and important additions to QY Researchs archive of market research studies. It offers detailed research and analysis of key aspects of the global Manufactured Housing market. The market analysts authoring this report have provided in-depth information on leading growth drivers, restraints, challenges, trends, and opportunities to offer a complete analysis of the global Manufactured Housing market. Market participants can use the analysis on market dynamics to plan effective growth strategies and prepare for future challenges beforehand. Each trend of the global Manufactured Housing market is carefully analyzed and researched about by the market analysts.

Global Manufactured Housing Market is valued at USD XX million in 2019 and is projected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% during the period 2019 to 2025.

Top Key Players of the Global Manufactured Housing Market :Nobility Homes, Modular Homeowners, Cavco Industries, Champion Home Builders, Palm Harbor Homes, Fleetwood Homes, Jacobsen Homes, Excel Homes, Woodlund Homes, Dutch Housing, Chief Custom Homes

>>>Download Full PDF Sample Copy of Report: (Including Full TOC, List of Tables & Figures, Chart) :https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/983290/global-manufactured-housing-market-size-trends-and-forecast-

The Essential Content Covered in the Global Manufactured Housing Market Report :Top Key Company Profiles.Main Business and Rival InformationSWOT Analysis and PESTEL AnalysisProduction, Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross MarginMarket Size And Growth RateCompany Market Share

Global Manufactured Housing Market Segmentation By Product :Single Section, Multi-Section

Global Manufactured Housing Market Segmentation By Application :Residential, Commercial, Other

In terms of region, this research report covers almost all the major regions across the globe such as North America, Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Africa and the Asia Pacific. Europe and North America regions are anticipated to show an upward growth in the years to come. While Manufactured Housing Market in Asia Pacific regions is likely to show remarkable growth during the forecasted period. Cutting edge technology and innovations are the most important traits of the North America region and thats the reason most of the time the US dominates the global markets.Manufactured Housing Market in South, America region is also expected to grow in near future.

Key questions answered in the report*What will be the market size in terms of value and volume in the next five years?*Which segment is currently leading the market?*In which region will the market find its highest growth?*Which players will take the lead in the market?*What are the key drivers and restraints of the markets growth?

We provide detailed product mapping and analysis of various market scenarios. Our analysts are experts in providing in-depth analysis and breakdown of the business of key market leaders. We keep a close eye on recent developments and follow latest company news related to different players operating in the global Manufactured Housing market. This helps us to deeply analyze companies as well as the competitive landscape. Our vendor landscape analysis offers a complete study that will help you to stay on top of the competition.

Why to Buy this Report?

>>>Request Customization of Report :https://www.qyresearch.com/customize-request/form/983290/global-manufactured-housing-market-size-trends-and-forecast-

Table of Contents

Executive Summary1 Manufactured Housing Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Manufactured Housing1.2 Manufactured Housing Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Manufactured Housing Production Growth Rate Comparison by Type (2014-2025)1.2.2 Single Section1.2.3 Multi-Section1.3 Manufactured Housing Segment by Application1.3.1 Manufactured Housing Consumption Comparison by Application (2014-2025)1.3.2 Residential1.3.3 Commercial1.3.4 Other1.4 Global Manufactured Housing Market by Region1.4.1 Global Manufactured Housing Market Size Region1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.5 Global Manufactured Housing Market Size1.5.1 Global Manufactured Housing Revenue (2014-2025)1.5.2 Global Manufactured Housing Production (2014-2025)

2 Global Manufactured Housing Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Manufactured Housing Production Market Share by Manufacturers (2014-2019)2.2 Global Manufactured Housing Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2014-2019)2.3 Global Manufactured Housing Average Price by Manufacturers (2014-2019)2.4 Manufacturers Manufactured Housing Production Sites, Area Served, Product Types2.5 Manufactured Housing Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Manufactured Housing Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Manufactured Housing Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion

3 Global Manufactured Housing Production Market Share by Regions3.1 Global Manufactured Housing Production Market Share by Regions3.2 Global Manufactured Housing Revenue Market Share by Regions (2014-2019)3.3 Global Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)3.4 North America Manufactured Housing Production3.4.1 North America Manufactured Housing Production Growth Rate (2014-2019)3.4.2 North America Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)3.5 Europe Manufactured Housing Production3.5.1 Europe Manufactured Housing Production Growth Rate (2014-2019)3.5.2 Europe Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)3.6 China Manufactured Housing Production (2014-2019)3.6.1 China Manufactured Housing Production Growth Rate (2014-2019)3.6.2 China Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)3.7 Japan Manufactured Housing Production (2014-2019)3.7.1 Japan Manufactured Housing Production Growth Rate (2014-2019)3.7.2 Japan Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)

4 Global Manufactured Housing Consumption by Regions4.1 Global Manufactured Housing Consumption by Regions4.2 North America Manufactured Housing Consumption (2014-2019)4.3 Europe Manufactured Housing Consumption (2014-2019)4.4 China Manufactured Housing Consumption (2014-2019)4.5 Japan Manufactured Housing Consumption (2014-2019)

5 Global Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Manufactured Housing Production Market Share by Type (2014-2019)5.2 Global Manufactured Housing Revenue Market Share by Type (2014-2019)5.3 Global Manufactured Housing Price by Type (2014-2019)5.4 Global Manufactured Housing Production Growth by Type (2014-2019)

6 Global Manufactured Housing Market Analysis by Applications6.1 Global Manufactured Housing Consumption Market Share by Application (2014-2019)6.2 Global Manufactured Housing Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2014-2019)

7 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Manufactured Housing Business7.1 Nobility Homes7.1.1 Nobility Homes Manufactured Housing Production Sites and Area Served7.1.2 Manufactured Housing Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.1.3 Nobility Homes Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.1.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.2 Modular Homeowners7.2.1 Modular Homeowners Manufactured Housing Production Sites and Area Served7.2.2 Manufactured Housing Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.2.3 Modular Homeowners Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.2.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.3 Cavco Industries7.3.1 Cavco Industries Manufactured Housing Production Sites and Area Served7.3.2 Manufactured Housing Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.3.3 Cavco Industries Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.3.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.4 Champion Home Builders7.4.1 Champion Home Builders Manufactured Housing Production Sites and Area Served7.4.2 Manufactured Housing Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.4.3 Champion Home Builders Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.4.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.5 Palm Harbor Homes7.5.1 Palm Harbor Homes Manufactured Housing Production Sites and Area Served7.5.2 Manufactured Housing Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.5.3 Palm Harbor Homes Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.5.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.6 Fleetwood Homes7.6.1 Fleetwood Homes Manufactured Housing Production Sites and Area Served7.6.2 Manufactured Housing Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.6.3 Fleetwood Homes Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.6.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.7 Jacobsen Homes7.7.1 Jacobsen Homes Manufactured Housing Production Sites and Area Served7.7.2 Manufactured Housing Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.7.3 Jacobsen Homes Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.7.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.8 Excel Homes7.8.1 Excel Homes Manufactured Housing Production Sites and Area Served7.8.2 Manufactured Housing Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.8.3 Excel Homes Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.8.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.9 Woodlund Homes7.9.1 Woodlund Homes Manufactured Housing Production Sites and Area Served7.9.2 Manufactured Housing Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.9.3 Woodlund Homes Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.9.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.10 Dutch Housing7.10.1 Dutch Housing Manufactured Housing Production Sites and Area Served7.10.2 Manufactured Housing Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.10.3 Dutch Housing Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.10.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.11 Chief Custom Homes

8 Manufactured Housing Manufacturing Cost Analysis8.1 Manufactured Housing Key Raw Materials Analysis8.1.1 Key Raw Materials8.1.2 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials8.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials8.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure8.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Manufactured Housing8.4 Manufactured Housing Industrial Chain Analysis

9 Marketing Channel, Distributors and Customers9.1 Marketing Channel9.1.1 Direct Marketing9.1.2 Indirect Marketing9.2 Manufactured Housing Distributors List9.3 Manufactured Housing Customers

10 Market Dynamics10.1 Market Trends10.2 Opportunities10.3 Market Drivers10.4 Challenges10.5 Influence Factors

11 Global Manufactured Housing Market Forecast11.1 Global Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue Forecast11.1.1 Global Manufactured Housing Production Growth Rate Forecast (2019-2025)11.1.2 Global Manufactured Housing Revenue and Growth Rate Forecast (2019-2025)11.1.3 Global Manufactured Housing Price and Trend Forecast (2019-2025)11.2 Global Manufactured Housing Production Forecast by Regions (2019-2025)11.2.1 North America Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)11.2.2 Europe Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)11.2.3 China Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)11.2.4 Japan Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)11.3 Global Manufactured Housing Consumption Forecast by Regions (2019-2025)11.3.1 North America Manufactured Housing Consumption Forecast (2019-2025)11.3.2 Europe Manufactured Housing Consumption Forecast (2019-2025)11.3.3 China Manufactured Housing Consumption Forecast (2019-2025)11.3.4 Japan Manufactured Housing Consumption Forecast (2019-2025)11.4 Global Manufactured Housing Production, Revenue and Price Forecast by Type (2019-2025)11.5 Global Manufactured Housing Consumption Forecast by Application (2019-2025)

12 Research Findings and Conclusion

13 Methodology and Data Source13.1 Methodology/Research Approach13.1.1 Research Programs/Design13.1.2 Market Size Estimation13.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation13.2 Data Source13.2.1 Secondary Sources13.2.2 Primary Sources13.3 Author List13.4 Disclaimer

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QYResearch always pursuits high product quality with the belief that quality is the soul of business. Through years of effort and supports from huge number of customer supports, QYResearch consulting group has accumulated creative design methods on many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch has become the brand of quality assurance in consulting industry.

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Manufactured Housing Market is Thriving Worldwide with Top Growing Companies Nobility Homes, Modular Homeowners, Cavco Industries - Instant Tech News

There is general agreement that California remains in a housing affordability crisis that is hitting the states working families extremely hard, forcing long polluting commutes and causing spiraling rates of homelessness. But opinions differ markedly on the appropriate response to the increasingly dire situation.

The only proposal that was remotely scaled to the size of the challenge SB 50 (Wiener) suffered another legislative setback. Though objections to the bill were various, its opponents offered few alternatives that provided credible paths to producing the additional homes needed to provide relief to suffering Californians, reduce pollution, and bring our unhoused brothers and sisters back inside.

There is simply not enough land around traditionally defined transit-oriented development (TOD) sites to accommodate the states housing needs

As we think about the next step in addressing Californias housing crisis, we need to recommit ourselves to the All of the Above strategy rather than fiddling with housing politics, while the money in Californians pockets burns. This would bring a range of strategies to bear from redressing historically discriminatory downzoning to providing tools for localities to finance needed infrastructure to ensuring that we are using all appropriate land for development.

To meet this challenge, the 2020 California Economic Summit Roadmap to Shared Prosperity includes a set of policy choices that can contribute to housing supply with a focus on assuring adequate land supply for housing for all income levels at affordable prices and located in places close to employment. This is particularly critical to the need for middle-income earners who rely on a market of starter homes to move up the economic ladder. Without that existing market near employment centers, upward mobility is stymied.

Leading up to the 2019 California Economic Summit, California Forward commissioned an analysis of how to meet the states housing supply challenge through land that is currently available for housing. The report confirmed that there is limited housing land supply within the states urban areas and that existing regulatory, entitlement, and financial barriers inhibit growing that supply and thereby prevent sufficient numbers of homes from being built.

It also underscored that there is simply not enough land around traditionally defined transit-oriented development (TOD) sites to accommodate the states housing needs and that converting underused, vacant parcels within the urban-suburban footprint can substantially increase land supply and thus ought to be added to the policy debate when considering how to increase housing supply.

To move the debate forward all parties in the discussion should focus on three aspects of the housing supply problem:

Expand the land available for housing beyond transitFirst, change the focus of the legislative debate from development around transit to increasing the overall supply of housing. The debate should not be characterized as a simple choice between on housing close to transit or sprawl. It should be about better utilization of existing land within the current urban foot print including land in close proximity to transit.

An additional policy choice centers on expanding the infill policy discussion to include under-utilized and skipped-over urban land, whether or not such land has close proximity to transit. There may also be circumstances where an existing regional urban footprint could be expanded as a means to have sufficient supply of land to accommodate enough housing for each regions employment and population growth so that families can live and work in the same community.

Limitations on residential development fees and exactions need to be part of the housing supply discussion.

To increase land available for housing, a top priority should be designating housing as the best use of existing vacant land in urban areas where land use decisions have been made through General Plan decisions. This will mean limiting community discretion: Residential developments that are surrounded by built-up urban development or are within municipal boundaries and meet state and community housing standards (such as density or affordability levels) could receive their approval by right, without additional discretionary review processes.

Reduce the high cost of housing developmentSecond, the cost of build housing in our urban and suburban centers has complicated the ability of middle-income families to be homeowners. In most regions, many Californians are struggling to earn enough to pay the high cost of housing, which is increased by local fees and process timelines placed on construction.

While the legislative debate is all about the process of establishing fees, limitations on residential development fees and exactions need to be part of the housing supply discussion. One approach is to cap fees at a percentage of the total project cost and prioritize development types. To further reduce costs, legislation will be needed to limit the timeline for approving housing developments and reduce the litigation opportunities through the California Environmental Quality Act. Innovation in building technology such as manufactured housing should be incentivized to provide another method to reduce costs.

New governance and funding model for housing related infrastructureThird, a new intergovernmental model, which includes cities, counties, schools and the state and captures a portion of the growth in local and regional economies to fund the infrastructure needed for housing, is essential to include in the mix of solutions. The objective of this proposal is to facilitate state and local investment partnership in housing and community infrastructure that will spur economic development and provide a growing property tax base, including property taxes that go to support school facilities along with the other public agencies.

One aspect of the debate has become crystal clear: no one set of polices nor a single piece of legislation will meet the housing needs of each region. The policy debate must focus on how state requirements and local actions can assist in meeting the housing supply needs for each region.Eds Note: Micah Weinberg is the CEO of California Forward, a nonprofit reform group seeking better government performance and accountability.

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Wanted: An 'all-of-the-above' housing strategy - Capitol Weekly

The spray polyurethane foam is expected to grow by USD 780.19 million during 2020-2024 according to the latest market research report by Technavio. Request a free sample report

Spray PU foams exhibit high energy efficiency, thermal or mechanical performance, and versatility. As a result, it is widely used in the construction industry as an adhesive in window and door installations and manufactured housing. It is used for insulating walls, gap filters, and panels in doors and windows. It is also used as a weatherproof sealant as it covers irregular and hard-to-insulate shapes. The increase in infrastructure activities is driving the demand for housing and flooring materials, in turn, driving growth in the construction industry. This is leading to an increase in the demand for spray PU foam in various construction projects, which in turn, will boost the growth of the spray polyurethane foam market during the forecast period.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200205005616/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled global spray polyurethane foam market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/report/spray-polyurethane-foam-market-industry-analysis

As per Technavio, the innovations in polyurethane foams will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024.

Spray Polyurethane Foam: Innovations in Polyurethane Foams

Various manufacturers and research institutes are developing new forms of PU foam such as photo-cross-linkable polyurethane. These are produced by incorporating photo-responsive groups such as coumarin into the polyurethane foam. Alkoxy phenacyl group can also be used to build PU foam backbone. This led to the development of DEMILEC APX, an innovative new spray PU foam, which is used to insulate and air seal homes, schools, and buildings. It also complies with the rigorous fire test standards established by the International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICCES). Such innovations and R&D activities in PU foam is expected to showcase a positive outlook during the forecast period.

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Spray Polyurethane Foam: Segmentation Analysis

This market research report segments the global spray polyurethane foam market by Type (Open cell spray PU foam, Closed cell spray PU foam and Others), and Geographic segmentation (APAC, Europe, MEA, North America and South America).

The APAC region led the spray polyurethane foam in 2019, followed by North America, Europe, MEA and South America. During the forecast period, the APAC region is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to factors such as the increasing demand for residences and commercial establishments, growth in the population of India and China, China being the hub for construction, and increase in infrastructure projects.

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Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds, flooding, and some tornadoes swept through the Southeast from Feb. 5-6. Several spots east of the southern Appalachians, including Greenville, South Carolina, saw flash flood emergencies.

Several tornadoes were confirmed on Wednesday in Mississippi near Jackson, including an EF2 near Yazoo City. A second EF2 tornado touched down around Bay Springs, Mississippi where it damaged homes and then traveled to the Mississippi/Alabama state line in Lauderdale County, a path of 60 miles.

They were some of the first tornadoes of the event. There were more than 20 reports of tornadoes from Mississippi to the Carolinas Wednesday into Thursday evening.

Southeast Lauderdale County High School in Vinville, Mississippi, was damaged by a possible tornado, according to a report from the National Weather Service.

In Alabama, an EF1 tornado destroyed several manufactured homes and one barn early Thursday morning to the south of Demopolis. Another EF0 tornado touched down in Shelby County, Alabama very early Thursday morning.

On Thursday, Feb. 6, there were several reports of tornadoes in North Carolina and South Carolina, with numerous trees and power lines downed.

Reports of extensive damage along W. Main Street in Spartanburg, South Carolina, possibly due to a tornado Thursday morning. Two tractor trailers were flipped and some buildings collapsed. A Walmart was also reported to be damaged.

A likely tornado caused a tree to fall on a house in Gastonia, North Carolina.

In all, about 240 reports of damaging thunderstorm winds, large hail and tornadoes were received by the National Weather Service from Louisiana to Virginia to Florida from just before midday on Feb. 5 through just after 1 a.m. on Feb. 7.

These are initial reports of tornadoes, large hail, and high winds or wind damage from thunderstorms. Note: The number of tornadoes is often not known immediately following a severe event. The number of tornado reports, therefore, doesn't necessarily correlate to the number of actual tornadoes, which are later confirmed by NWS storm surveys.

Major flash flooding also plagued several states Thursday from Alabama into Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and the Carolinas.

Water rescues were reported in Chattooga County in northwestern Georgia and near Chattanooga, Tennessee, Thursday morning due to significant flash flooding.

Flooding trapped a resident in a home in Hartwell, Georgia, midday Thursday and had to be evacuated.

A mudslide caused a car accident near Oakwood, Virginia Thursday morning and water was entering houses in Berwind and Coalwood, West Virginia.

A mobile home was reported to be floating down the Poor Fork of the Cumberland River in Kentucky midday Thursday.

Another flash flood emergency was issued Thursday for Tazewell County in Virginia where significant flooding was reported. The Clinch River at Richlands has already reached moderate flood stage and is expected to crest around 15 feet, which would be the highest level in over 40 years. Evacuations are underway in Richlands.

A flash flood emergency was issued for Pickens County in South Carolina midday Thursday with over 60 roads closed due to flooding and water rescues. Structural flooding is also expected.

A flash flood emergency was issued for the city of Greenville, South Carolina, mid-Thursday afternoon into the evening hours. Several roads in Greenville are closed due to flooding and structural damage due to flooding is possible.

Greenville picked up 5.36 inches of rain on Feb. 6, alone, by far its wettest February day on record and wettest single day in over 24 years.

In all, almost 230 reports of flooding and flash flooding were reported to the National Weather Service in the Southeast from this storm.

Reports of flooding and flash flooding are shown as blue dots over a map of estimated 48-hour precipitation from Feb. 5-6, 2020.

The Weather Companys primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

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Severe Thunderstorms, Flooding Rain Swept Through the South (RECAP) - The Weather Channel

Reports of tornadoes, hail and frightening winds blasted the Deep South on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. Over 20,000 residents from Mississippi to the Florida Panhandle woke up without power, if they were able to get any sleep at all.

The first of the severe weather reports began trickling in with a blast of hail in the far east corner of Texas in Beaumont. At 10:51 a.m., CST, reports of quarter-sized hail were recorded, with damage reports running east quickly thereafter.

In Louisiana, hail was first recorded in Singer shortly before 11 a.m., local time, and pieces the size of ping-pong balls were reported in Lacamp less than an hour later.

A construction area in New Orleans was the site of the outbreak's first injury reports, as scaffolding over a pedestrian sidewalk collapsed amid high winds. According to the New Orleans Emergency Medical Services, one individual was transported with minor injuries.

AccuWeather Meteorologist Isaac Longley said the severe burst was birthed in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Ample moisture from the Gulf of Mexico fueled these storms, causing flash flooding to occur in many spots due to heavy rainfall," Longley said. "In addition to flooding, many storms produced damaging wind gusts and even a few possible tornadoes, which brought down trees and resulted in structural damage across the states of Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee."

From New Orleans into Alabama and Mississippi, the damage from high winds and tornadoes raged on for hours.

The first tornado report came from a spotter in Simpson County in Mississippi. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center (SPC), trees were downed and structural damage was reported in the Martinville area. Minutes later, a storm chaser had visual confirmation of the possible tornado and more reports of downed trees and power lines were confirmed on Highway 540.

"I heard a roaring sound, kinda like a freight train coming, like when it's breaking down to a slow speed, and well by the time I got to the door to look, it was already blowing really hard," J.C. Powell, a Simpson County resident, told WLBT.com. "[The tornado] just took everything. It took the pickup bed out of my neighbor's pickup truck and brought it over to my house and that's what knocked my window out on my car... Wasn't nothing I could do."

Possible tornadoes leading to downed and snapped trees, structural damage and blown off roofs were also reported in the counties of Smith, Yazoo, Holmes, Leake and Jasper, Mississippi, through the afternoon and evening.

In Clarke County, located in eastern Mississippi, a reported tornado in Enterprise overturned an 18-wheeler and shut down numerous major roadways. The driver of that 18-wheeler was initially trapped in his vehicle. Emergency Director Eddie Ivy reported that there were no injuries, according to WTOK.com.

Alabama also had extensive damage, including a deadly sweep of strong winds that claimed a life and injured another individual in Marengo County. According to the county's emergency manager, the deadly storm hit shortly after 2 a.m., local time.

The storm-related death isn't being connected to a tornado report at this time, as the NWS is reporting the fatality as being linked to strong wind reports. According to the SPC, the death is in connection to the destruction of two manufactured homes.

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Four barns were also reportedly destroyed in Hale, Alabama, amid strong, straight-line winds.

Tornado watches and warnings were in effect as severe thunderstorms, with high winds, continued moving through eastern Alabama and Georgia, leading to widespread traffic hazards and delays.

In Dunwoody, Georgia, a tree fell on a vehicle traveling on Interstate-285, temporarily shutting down the eastbound lanes. No injuries were reported.

The ongoing severe weather and tornado threat in Alabama and northwestern Georgia prompted widespread school closures. In addition to tornado watches and warnings, widespread flash flood warnings blanket the region through Thursday afternoon.

At 8:43 a.m, local time, the Gordon County Sheriff's Office in Georgia confirmed reports of structural damage in Adairsville, with several trees and wires down.

Farther north and east, flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings cover much of Tennessee while an enhanced risk spreads into South Carolina and Virginia. Meteorologists urge residents to stay alert for the threat of damaging winds and potential tornadoes through the day and into the night.

"Another round of severe weather is expected to impact the Southeast Thursday and Thursday night with cities such as Atlanta, Raleigh and Orlando all within the threat zone," Longley said. "While damaging winds and flooding downpours will be the main threats, a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out."

Keep checking back onAccuWeather.comand stay tuned to theAccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.

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Sleepless night in Southeast after deadly severe outbreak rocks the area with tornado reports - msnNOW

Automaker Hosts Pet Adoption Events with Partner Shelters in Greater Chicago Area

CAMDEN, N.J., Feb. 07 /CSRwire/ - Subaru of America, Inc. today announced it will continue its mission to unite pets with loving homes by hosting adoption events during the 2020 Chicago Auto Show. From February 8 17, attendees are invited to the Subaru exhibit inside the McCormick Place Convention Center to interact with shelter pets in their community and potentially adopt and take one home.

Subaru has partnered with three shelters from the Chicago area in order to facilitate the adoption pop-ups:Anderson Animal Shelter,Hopeful Tails Animal RescueandFetching Tails Foundation. Shelter partners will alternate their presence daily throughout the event.

We are proud of our commitment to protect and improve the lives of animals everywhere, and at Subaru, that means helping our canine friends find love and companionship, said Alan Bethke, Senior Vice President, Marketing of Subaru of America, Inc. With help from our partner shelters in the Greater Chicago area, we hope this pet adoption event brings joy to all auto show attendees and ultimately unites local shelter animals with loving homes.

Auto show attendees will be able to interact with the adoptable pets from the three partnering shelters during select times and dates:

Saturday, February 8, 10AM to 9PM Fetching Tails Foundation

Sunday, February 9, 10AM to 9PM Hopeful Tails Animal Rescue

Monday, February 10, 10AM to 9PM Fetching Tails Foundation

Tuesday, February 11, 10AM to 9PM Fetching Tails Foundation

Wednesday, February 12, 10AM to 9PM Fetching Tails Foundation

Thursday, February 13, 10AM to 9PM Anderson Animal Shelter

Friday, February 14, 10AM to 9PM Anderson Animal Shelter

Saturday, February 15, 10AM to 9PM Anderson Animal Shelter

Sunday, February 16, 10AM to 9PM Hopeful Tails Animal Rescue

Monday, February 17, 10AM to 7PM Hopeful Tails Animal Rescue

All adopters are subject to standard guidelines and procedures. Prospective adopters should bring with them a photo ID.

This Chicago Auto Show adoption event is a part of theSubaru Loves Petsinitiative, which is dedicated to helping improve the safety and well-being of animals in communities nationwide. The automakers commitment to pets is one part of itsLove Promisecompany vision. For more information about Subaru Loves Pets, please visitwww.subaru.com/pets.

About Subaru Love Promise

The Subaru Love Promise is our vision to show love and respect to all people at every interaction with Subaru. Together with our retailers, we are dedicated to making the world a better place.

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc.(SOA) is a wholly owned subsidiary ofSubaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 630 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants andSubaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by theSubaru Love Promise, which is the companys vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA has donated more than $165 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged more than 40,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do.

For additional information visitmedia.subaru.com. Follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram

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Diane AntonCorporate Communications Manager(856) 488-5093danton@subaru.com

Charles BallardProduct & Technology Communications(856) 488-8759cballard@subaru.com

MWW PRSubaru@mww.com

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Subaru of America Helps Find Homes for Pets in Need at 2020 Chicago Auto Show - CSRwire.com

Imagine if we could grow a building the way coral polyps grow a reef, or if living cells in our clothes could break down sweat and body odor. Imagine colonies of bacteria on space stations produced the filament for 3D printers. Imagine materials we use every day could repair themselves.

It sounds like science fiction, butNeel Joshi, an associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern, believes such feats are achievable. And the National Science Foundation agrees.

Engineered living materialssubstances made of or by reprogrammed cellscould improve on and replace plastics, concrete, and other materials that are currently made with more standard manufacturing practices, Joshi says.

The carbon footprint of materials manufactured for our entire built environment is huge, Joshi says. Being able to decrease that by following the model of how biology builds things is going to be very important.

This idea, submitted by Joshi and his team, has been selected as a grand prize winner in the National Science Foundations2026 Idea Machine competition, which sought grand challenges to help shape the U.S. research agenda for years to come. The teams proposal was one of four grand prize winners selected from close to 800 submissions.

The idea of using bacteria to build things isnt as wild as it may seem, Joshi says. The biomanufacturing industry already uses microbes to make fragrances, vitamins, pharmaceuticals, and other useful molecules. And there are a few larger materials being created by living cells as well.

Some of our compostable plastics that you might find in the cafeteria are made from polymers that are harvested from microbes, Joshi says. Thats a step in the right direction. But there are very few examples of those types of materials, and they also dont really cover the wide range of material properties that we would want. The real vision of engineered living materials is to go beyond that and program cells to make functional materials and goods directly, circumventing traditional manufacturing practices.

Getting living cells to build a coherent material, as opposed to a molecule, is more challenging, but this happens regularly in nature. Some colonies of microorganisms create slick, glue-like layers called biofilms to protect themselvesthink of the plaque on your teeth or the slime on a river rockand these mechanisms could be adapted to create things like waterproof coatings or plastic-like materials.

Currently, we make about 300 million tons of plastic every year, and the vast majority of it is not recycled. Plastics dont really break down in the environment, and researchers are looking for ways to tackle the growing problem of plastic waste. Materials made by cells are much more likely to be biodegradable, Joshi says.

Biology is very good at converting stuff that was useful in one form into another form and reusing all the same raw materials to make something else, Joshi says. Anything that you make from a living system is likely going to be more degradable than plastic.

Joshi and his colleagues are already working on several new materials in their lab, including plastic-like substances created by bacteria.

Learning from nature has been one part of doing this research, saysAvinash Manjula Basavanna, a postdoctoral researcher who has been focusing on creating bioplastics. But this is one step ahead of typical biomimicry. We are engineering biology to customize materials to whatever we want.

The group is alsotweaking a biofilmcreated by E. coli bacteria to have different properties. The bacteria could be used to create a protective layer in the gut of someone with Crohns disease or colitis, guiding healing of lesions and inflamed areas.

In the next 10 years, we will talk about using microbes for producing materials for different applications beyond what we can even imagine right now, says Anna Duraj-Thatte, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab. This is just the beginning.

For media inquiries, please contactmedia@northeastern.edu.

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Could future homes be built with... - ScienceBlog.com