HGTVPro.com Weekly: Resources for 09.27.08

Soaring prices at the gas pump fuel a new housing trend. Exact measurements required to make a window wall look as nice as the view. Curing concrete when conditions aren’t perfect. Using design to ease difficulties for some, can make life easier for all. Business Tip: EPA Draft Specification WaterSense for New Homes Segment 1: In the News: Rising cost of gasoline means future home buyers are going to look for homes that help them save on gas. The trend of falling house prices continued through the first half of 2008. Single women are hardest hit by the downturn in the housing industry; still trend of single female homeowners is expected to continue. Fannie Mae estimates by 2010, 31 million single women will own homes, that’s about 28% of homeowners. Resources: S&P/Case/Shiller Home Price Index Lenox Village Congress for the New Urbanism "Single Women Slammed by Housing Mess" On Her Own: Single Women Homeowners Segment 2: It’s All About Building Products: Consumer Reports investigates Energy Star standards, a simple system for deck drainage plus attention to detail is key when installing a long row of windows. Resources: Jeld Wen Windows & Doors HGTV Dream Home Central Ledson Homes Building the HGTV Dream Home Consumer Reports Finds Energy Star Standards Lax and Tests Out-of-Date Editor’s Choice Rain Escape Excel Homes Product of the Day Sweepstakes Segment 3: The Best Practices for doing business better: the finer points of curing concrete, it’s a process that definitely requires patience and precision. Resources: BP Curing Concrete http://www.buildiq.com/ Segment 4: Design for all, leading professors talk about the importance of incorporating Universal Design into all projects. Resources: The Center for Universal Design, North Carolina State University www.hgtvpro.com/universaldesign