Home and Garden Expo Displays Latest Technology in Construction
By: Brendaliss Gonzalez
Updated: March 3, 2012
It's home improvement 10 and Mike Griffith is ready to begin class.
He's a teacher at Texas State Technical College and says it's all about introducing the latest technologies to home building.
"A lot of the new technology and what have you that we're dealing with in the construction has to do with the management of our energy with limited resources and the more expensive resources that we have now," he said.
Griffith was there to represent the school at the Home & Garden Expo in Abilene. The yearly event is put on by the Home Builder's Association.
There has been a decline in new construction, but Griffith says the industry is making a come back.
"Housing is down right now in the area and generally in our industry as in many it fluctuates," he said.
His students built a model room to show the techniques used in modern construction to ensure energy efficiency and durability.
Among some of the newer technology in building is bringing in features from commercial buildings like fire sprinklers. They're actually mandated in some areas like California or Arizona where fires are prevalent. It's not yet in Texas, but it is a feature that could save lives.
"With this the fire sprinkler, it will go off and put the fire out sometimes before they even realize they have a fire in the vicinity," said Chris Williams of Viega Plumbing.
This is just one of the many new options homeowners and builders have to improve their homes. Williams says that the installation is cheaper than installing a sprinkler system.
Real estate has begun to pick up in areas like Abilene and constructors like Griffith remain positive that construction will too.
He's a teacher at Texas State Technical College and says it's all about introducing the latest technologies to home building.
"A lot of the new technology and what have you that we're dealing with in the construction has to do with the management of our energy with limited resources and the more expensive resources that we have now," he said.
Griffith was there to represent the school at the Home & Garden Expo in Abilene. The yearly event is put on by the Home Builder's Association.
There has been a decline in new construction, but Griffith says the industry is making a come back.
"Housing is down right now in the area and generally in our industry as in many it fluctuates," he said.
His students built a model room to show the techniques used in modern construction to ensure energy efficiency and durability.
Among some of the newer technology in building is bringing in features from commercial buildings like fire sprinklers. They're actually mandated in some areas like California or Arizona where fires are prevalent. It's not yet in Texas, but it is a feature that could save lives.
"With this the fire sprinkler, it will go off and put the fire out sometimes before they even realize they have a fire in the vicinity," said Chris Williams of Viega Plumbing.
This is just one of the many new options homeowners and builders have to improve their homes. Williams says that the installation is cheaper than installing a sprinkler system.
Real estate has begun to pick up in areas like Abilene and constructors like Griffith remain positive that construction will too.
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I'D RATHER [censored]
Anonymous A.
March 4, 2012 at 10:07 am
