From Residental Architect:
Buyers want items that look good, add value to home. We recently attended the International Builders Show presented by the National Association of Home Builders, which gives builders, remodelers, architects and other building industry-associated occupations a peek at the latest in building materials and technology.
One of the benefits of composite building products is the reduced demand on natural resources and the green building movement another fundamental theme of this years event.
Manufacturers are responding to consumer demand for maintenance- free products that use environmentally friendly technology.
For example, one of the biggest growth categories in composite building materials is decking and railing systems. The last several years have produced products that remarkably mimic the look of dimensional lumber. Most of the leading products in the category have several styles, patterns and colors from which to choose. Most products are handled like wood; they can be cut with a saw, nailed or fastened with screws. The better products hold up well to ultraviolet rays and require nothing more than periodic cleaning.
Manufacturers are responding to the other side of the green coin as well: energy efficiency.
Skyrocketing energy costs have sent consumers scrambling for building products that will improve personal comfort and lower their utility bills. In response, most manufacturers with products that affect comfort and energy use are putting their R&D pedal to the metal to come up with increasingly more fuel-efficient products that will keep consumers from going into hock to pay their utility bills.
Insulation with better R-values, more energy-efficient windows and doors, and state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems lead the pack of products that are making a big dent in utility bills. Photovoltaic energy systems where homeowners use the sun to generate their own power are the rage.
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