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August 6, 2009

INDUSTRY ACCESS*

Door Components Joins Steel Door Institute

Door Components has been selected as a member of the Steel Door Institute (SDI), an elite organization of only ten manufacturers of steel doors and frames for the non-residential construction industry.

The Steel Door Institute has a rigorous membership evaluation process; prior to Door Components’ selection on July 31 it had not accepted a new member in ten years. SDI standards are frequently used by architects in their specifications.

Potential members are evaluated to meet the standards of the SDI and must also meet business criteria, including selling products in at least 15 states in the U.S. and selling primarily through distributors.

For more information, visit www.steeldoor.org.

Click here for more Industry Access news including recent new hires, merger & acquisition activity and who's offering new products.

* DHI Members may submit news releases to be considered for inclusion in DHI's IndustryWatch. Send to: jmadden@dhi.org.

BUSINESS UPDATE

Buildings.com offers advice for specifying the best doors for your application. Full Story

According to a survey of 40 commercial project owners by Mortenson Construction, 87% of owners are more likely to focus on green construction methods; and 83% of owners have made changes to their project approach, including delaying or canceling projects, reported Building Design & Construction. Full Story (PDF file)

The U.S. economy has the potential to reduce annual non-transportation energy consumption by roughly 23% by 2020, eliminating more than $1.2 trillion in waste – well beyond the $520 billion upfront investment (not including program costs) that would be required, according to Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the U.S. Economy, a new report from McKinsey & Company. The reduction in energy use would also result in the abatement of 1.1 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions annually – the equivalent of taking the entire U.S. fleet of passenger vehicles and light trucks off the roads. Full Story

CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

The year-to-date value of construction starts through June 2009, excluding residential contracts, totaled $103.3 billion, 21.8% less than in the same period in 2008, reported Reed Construction Data. Individual month-of-June starts decreased 71% from May, more than offsetting the 27% increase the previous month. Every construction category declined significantly in June. The year-to-date decline is consistent with expected market trends and with other measures of construction market activity, reported Reed Construction Data. Full Story

RSMeans forecasts a 14% drop in hospital construction in 2009 compared to 2008, with $17.1 billion in registered hospital projects as of June 30, 2009. The Reed Construction Data unit finds renovation of healthcare facilities increasing, from 36% of projects in 2008, to 40% of projects in the pipeline in the first six months of 2009. Click here to view slides from the recent AIA Summer Leadership Summit. (PDF file)

During the next five years, a flurry of public school construction projects, valued at about $700 million, will roll out in New Orleans, with the bulk of the tab paid through Federal Emergency Management Agency recovery funds. Five new-construction and renovation projects wrapping up in the next few months represent the first part of the largest school-building initiative in the city's modern history, reported Nola.com. Full Story

National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities reviews U.S. K-12 school construction data 1999-2008. View Data (PDF file)

Blythedale Children's Hospital broke ground on a $63.5 million modernization project. The project will replace Blythedale's inpatient beds, by constructing a new hospital building which will incorporate the latest medical technology in a warm and child centered environment. The new building will also feature larger inpatient rooms, in which parents will be able to room-in overnight, reported New York Real Estate Journal. Full Story

SECURITY & SAFETY

The August Security Management cover story interviewed school security experts around the country to get a snapshot of the security technologies and strategies being used to mitigate this formidable range of risks. Full Story

ASIS International has released its Facilities Physical Security Measures Guideline. The purpose of the guideline is to outline the main types of physical security measures that can be applied to minimize the security risks at a facility. The guideline assists in the identification of physical security measures that can be applied at facilities to safeguard or protect an organization's assets - people, property and information. Full Story (Word Document)

IT managers are getting more involved in decisions regarding physical security solutions, according to a new report from the Security Industry Association (SIA). A survey of integrators and installers of IP-based security products by IMS Research found that more than three-fourths of companies are working with IT managers more now than they were a year ago. The survey also discovered that three out of five IT managers are involved in physical security purchase decisions. Full Story

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

A key stumbling block to the growth of the highest level of green building performance is an existing set of codes and regulations, reported Building Design & Construction. Federal stimulus funds for green building and infrastructure projects are important drivers in the shift in how buildings are designed and constructed, but there needs to be a "greening" of the regulatory systems to fully meet sustainability goals. Stepping in to help resolve the impasse is a new report by the Cascadia Region Green Building Council entitled Code, Regulatory and Systemic Barriers Affecting Living Building Projects, which presents a case for fundamental reassessment of building codes. Full Story Click here to download the report. (PDF file)

The National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) has taken another step toward securing congressional approval of its life safety alarm installation language for colleges. The House Committee on Education and Labor passed H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, in late July. The $2.5 billion bill will provide funding for modernizing community colleges, including the installation of fire/life-safety alarms, constructing new facilities as well as renovating existing facilities, reported Security Sales & Integration. Full Story

SMALL BUSINESS NEWS

Health Care Reform

The three principal House committees with jurisdiction over health care reform have finished their work. Over the August recess, the House Rules Committee will attempt to perform a feat of magic and somehow decide what should be in the final version that is brought to the floor.

Among the significant revisions was an adjustment to the employer mandate. In the original version, employers with less than $250,000 were completely exempt and employers with payrolls over $400,000 would pay an eight percent tax if they did not provide coverage to employees and their dependents.

The amendment to the House Energy and Commerce Committee altered the exemption/payroll table a follows: If the annual payroll of an employer for the preceding calendar year does not exceed $500,000, the applicable percentage is 0 percent, if the payroll exceeds $500,000, but does not exceed $585,000, the percent is 2 percent; if payroll exceeds $585,000, but does not exceed $670,000, the percent is 4 percent; and if payroll exceeds $670,000, but does not exceed $750,000, the percent is 6 percent. If payroll is over $750,000 the percent is 8 percent.

The Senate Health Education Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee has a mandate for employers of more than 25 employees to provide coverage for employees or pay a flat fee to the government.

The Senate Finance Committee's bi-partisan negotiating group will continue to negotiate over the summer recess.

DHI's Jerry Heppes sits on the board of the Small Business Legislative Council. If you'd like more information on these or other issues affecting small businesses, feel free to contact him at jheppes@dhi.org.

This material is protected under copyright law and contains confidential information. It is for the sole personal, informational use of DHI members. It cannot be distributed, reprinted, referenced as a source for attribution, or otherwise made public.

DHI NEWS

ADVANCE REGISTRATION SAVINGS EXTENDED!

Due to the positive response and the continued drop in airfare prices, DHI has decided to EXTEND the Advance Registration Special until FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2009 to make your attendance at this event as AFFORDABLE as possible!

Full Conference Package for DHI’s 34th Annual Conference and Exposition, September 16 – 25, 2009 in Orlando, FL starts as low as $195*! Receive 3 FULL days of conference and exposition activities, including complete access to:

Industry Marketplace
Forum for the Future Kick-off Luncheon
Exhibit Hall
Opening Reception on the Trade Show Floor
Forum for the Future including the release of cutting edge industry research, a short and long term economic forecast as it impacts our industry, problems to avoid as the recession ends and ways to recession-proof your business, and a discussion of distribution channel partners’ best practices.
Forum for the Future Wrap-Up Luncheon
Closing Reception on the Trade Show Floor
Conference Education Sessions

Click here for the complete conference brochure and to register online!

* Members only rate. Price for non-members is $295. Offer valid only through August 14, 2009.

Have you experienced DHI’s NEW and IMPROVED Course Offerings?
Don’t miss the LAST National Education Session this year!
September 18 – 25, 2009 in Orlando, FL!

With more than 25 classes being offered, there is something for EVERYONE! Classes are limited and space is filling, so ACT NOW TO SECURE YOUR SPOT! For a complete list of course offerings and to register online click here or contact Member Services at 703-222-2010.

PLUS! Register by AUGUST 31, 2009 to take advantage of Early Bird Pricing!!!!