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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008

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Active Adult Communities ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Environmental Awards The Wrap on Insulation Builder Connections

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Maryland-National Capital Building Industry Association 1738 Elton Road, Suite 200 Silver Spring, MD 20903 Phone (301) 445-5400 Fax (301) 445-5499 E-mail: building@mncbia.org Website: www.mncbia.org

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008

BUILDING

IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC Representing Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St Mary’s Counties in Maryland and Washington, DC

Executive Committee RICHARD A. SULLIVAN, JR. President JAMES KETTLER Vice President/ Calvert Co. GARY KRET Vice President/ Charles Co. FRANK BOSSONG, JR. Vice President/Mont. Co. TOM FARASY Vice President/ Prince George’s Co. EDWARD “GUY” CURLEY Vice President/ St. Mary’s Co.

BRIAN “A.J.” JACKSON Vice President/ Washington DC ROB JACOBS Associate Vice President BOB LARKIN Treasurer CHAS STUART JR. Secretary DAVID WEISS Life Director JOHN CLARKE Immediate Past President STEPHEN P. ELMENDORF Legal Counsel SUSAN J. MATLICK, CAE Executive Vice President

FEATURES 10 The 50+ Market Active Adult Communities Gaining Ground 13 Insulation Hot Spot in a Cool Market

Board of Directors Bill Bilo Mike Conley Tony Crane Timothy Dugan Brett Egloff Andrea Leahy-Fucheck Robert Harris Cecilia Hodges David Lunden Hayes Mccarthy Doug Meeker Marty Mitchell Steve Nardella

Stephen Paul Nanci Porten Andy Rosenthal Michael Ruehr Mark Scott Ted Smart Joseph C. Smith Ray Sobrino Stephen Spano Clark Wagner Peggy White Bryan Whittington

15 2008 Environmental Awards Honoring the Habitat We Call Home

MNCBIA Staff Executive Vice President - Susan J. Matlick, CAE Manager, Communications - Kelly H. Grudziecki Manager of Financial Services - Linda Groft Bookkeeper - Tammey Artutis Director of Government Affairs - F. Hamer Campbell, Jr. Associate Director/Legislative Affairs Raquel Montenegro Associate Director/Legislative Affairs - Laura Yaffe Associate Director/Regulatory Affairs Annette T. Rosenblum Membership Coordinator - Debi Turpin Member Services Coordinator - Samantha Ager Receptionist/Asst. Membership - Kim Williams Program Manager - Builders Development Guaranty Group Debi Turpin Program Manager - Home Builders Care Foundation Patricia Kane

Published for: Maryland-National Capital Building Industry Association 1738 Elton Road, Suite 200 Silver Spring, Maryland 20903 301 445-5400 Fax: 301 445-5499 E-mail: building@mncbia.org Website: www.mncbia.org Published by:

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20 Builder Connections Getting Down to Business 21 MNCBIA Wins Excellence Awards

DEPARTMENTS

Publisher: Christopher Hodges Editor: Catherine Jones Project Manager: Jason Dolder Publication Director: Jason Ruppert Advertising Sales: Denise Creegan, Jennifer Canady, Erik Henson, Don Ryan, Marcus Weston, Jason Zawada Marketing: Heather Zimmerman Advertising Art: Reanne Dawson Layout and Design: Deb Churchill Basso

PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2008/MNC-S0608/7511

19 The Greater Washington Builders Expo A Look Back at a Successful Two Days

A Message from the President of MNCBIA

A Message from the Executive Director of MNCBIA

The Legal Pad

The Engineer’s Angle

MNCBIA Membership News Stars Club New Members/Member Renewals Members in the News What Has MNCBIA Done for You Lately?

Calendar of Events

Index of Advertisers

Advertiser.com

Cover photo: shutterstock.com BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

“What A Long, Strange Trip It’s Been”

Richard A. Sullivan, Jr.

erry Garcia got this one right! It’s hard to believe the year is almost over. Stating the obvious, it’s been a difﬁcult one for our association and our businesses. And yet, we’ve accomplished so much. As I look back on our areas of focus for 2008, I am proud of our achievements. Let me ﬁrst thank our Executive Committee and Board of Directors for their tireless effort this year. There is no question that these dedicated and talented individuals made some very tough but necessary decisions to ensure the viability of the Association. Because of their thoughtful oversight and the willingness to act, the BIA is well positioned to enter what we hope will be the last year of the worst housing recession in recent memory. At BIA, advocacy is our core mission and the Liaison committees worked long and hard to combat harmful (and often ridiculous) legislation and regulations. We increased our involvement at the State level through the work of our State Legislative Committee, working in conjunction with a retained lobbyist in Annapolis and the Maryland State Builders Association. For obvious reasons, we don’t often publicize our victories, but we’ve had our share this year. Thank you to all of our legislative and regulatory chairs and committee members who continue to hold government accountable for their actions or inactions. We will continue to promote the importance of housing as a top policy objective in all of our jurisdictions. Throughout the year there was constant focus on providing VALUE to our members. We held a record number of networking events including Celebrity Chefs, golf and tennis tournaments, Builder Connections, Builder Banker breakfasts as well as our general membership meetings. We expanded our educational offerings, which resulted in the most successful education campaign in our Association’s history. We acknowledged our members in a variety of ways including print and electronic publications and the MAME, PROS, Custom Builder, Monument and Environmental Awards. Our Builders Guarantee

Group continued to provide access to capital as institutional credit tightened. And we expanded our Affinity Program for the benefit of our members. Thanks to the committee and council chairs and members for holding such terrific programs and events and offering a wide range of members services. I want to acknowledge and thank our staff who has also had a very difficult year. Your professionalism, dedication and understanding are very much appreciated by the entire membership. I’d like to welcome our new Executive Vice President, Diane Swenson to the BIA. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience and I can tell you she is very excited about the opportunity. It will be critical that past and present leadership work with Diane as she gets up to speed. Thanks to the Search Committee members David Flanagan (Chair), Chuck Ellison, Ralph DeSena, John Clarke and Kristy Mitchell Sullivan for the time and effort they put into a comprehensive search for our new Executive Officer. Best of luck to incoming President Tom Farasy. I am confident he and his very accomplished team will lead us in the right direction. On a sad note, I say goodbye and good luck to my friend Susan Matlick, our executive officer of 32 years, who is retiring at the end of November. No words can adequately describe what she’s meant to this Association and to my experience as president. She will be missed but never forgotten. I look forward to honoring her at the President’s Luncheon on December 18th. Finally, my thanks to all of you, the members of this great association. I have truly enjoyed the opportunity to serve as your president. Despite the difficulties we faced this year, I have loved every minute of it. As we forge ahead into the new year, we will continue to fight the good fight and meet the many challenges that lie ahead. Thank you for your support throughout the year. Have a joyous holiday season and a prosperous 2009!

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (with apologies to Neil Sedaka)

Susan J. Matlick CAE

y journey as MNCBIA’s Executive Officer comes to its end with my retirement this November. And what an amazing journey it has been! Forty years ago I made the very difficult decision to leave home, family and friends in Australia and set out on an adventure of traveling the world to experience different cultures, to discover the “places to go, things to do and people to meet” that I knew were out there in the world. Those travels led me, five years later in 1973, to Silver Spring, Maryland and a job with the (then named) Suburban Maryland Home Builders Association. At the time I knew nothing about trade associations or homebuilders, but I discovered very quickly that what would begin as a job would become a passion and commitment that has lasted to this day. Over the past 31-plus years I have had the extraordinary and incredible experience of serving as your association’s executive officer. I have worked in partnership with 28 outstanding presidents beginning with Milton Kettler in 1975 and ending this year with Rick Sullivan Jr. I have had the honor of assisting two of our presidents (David Smith in 1986 and Bob Mitchell in 2000) win election as president of the NAHB; I have attended more than 320 membership dinner meetings, 300 board meetings, countless committee meetings, and more golf outings than any non-golfer should be subjected to! And every day I came to the office with an enthusiasm and an energy that I do not believe any other job, profession or career could have inspired in me, because I have had the opportunity to work with each of you who individually and collectively pour your heart and soul into building the houses and creating the neighborhoods that we all call home. I cannot begin to acknowledge, and will not attempt to do so in this brief message, the many very special people who have helped shape and influence and support and encourage me on my journey with the BIA. The members whose generosity in good times and bad make our Home Builders Care Foundation one of the leading philanthropic industry groups in the country; the committee and council chairs who have been so responsive to every request, the committee and council members who have contributed so many hours, the vendors who always gave me that “special deal” for the association, the incredibly professional staff team who all give ‘above and beyond’, the elected leadership on the Board, the Executive Committee and – I’ll say it again – “my” presidents who made each year an exciting new challenge. And now here I am again, making a decision to leave what I know and love to explore (figuratively if not literally) what else is out there in the world. And just as I have always kept Australia and my family close in my heart despite the geographical distance, so I will always keep my BIA family in my heart and will always be a passionate advocate for housing and for each of you who makes the dream of homeownership a reality. Thank you all!

BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

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The 50+ Housing Market Now Under Development By Michael Fickes

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008

BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

ge-restricted housing is a complex specialty that many builders have yet to delve into. Still, industry observers say that the age-restricted market is evolving in ways that general housing developers should follow. Congress carved out the 50+ market with an amendment to the Fair Housing Act back in the late 1980s. In short, the legislation states that a housing community can qualify as housing for older persons if “at least 80 percent of the occupied units” are “occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older.” As with most federal legislation, state and local governments may enact more, but not less, restrictive measures. That is why some communities offer 62+ housing communities but no communities offer 40+ housing. Over the past 20 years, age-restricted housing for active adults in the 50- to 60-age-bracket has typically occupied large tracts of land and encompassed thousands of units. Builders specializing in these active adult communities have noted that retiring baby boomers, the rising prices of gas, food, clothing and other necessities of life will probably change the conventional age-restricted neighborhood into a small part of a larger intergenerational community. “Baby boomers are different,” says John Rhoad, managing partner with RMJ Development Group, LLC in McClean, VA. “Many want to stay near their adult children and grand children. They enjoy engaging with other generations. I think what we will see in the not too distant future are 400- to 500-unit active adult components of larger 3,000-unit communities.” These communities will also offer a mix of uses, continues Rhoad, including intergenerational residential, retail, restaurants, health care and perhaps ofﬁces to bring business to the community while providing opportunities for boomers to volunteer with nearby non-proﬁt organizations. “Because of gas prices and the rising cost of living, another key to these communities will be sidewalks, walking paths and bicycle trails so that people can get around without their cars,” Rhoad says. Rhoad goes on to say that such intergenerational mixed-use communities are already in the planning stages. When they eventually break ground, conventional builders hoping to participate will need to know about the various kinds of markets served by these developments. Susan Matlick, MNCBIA’s executive vice president, goes even further. “My message to builders is that we’re all in the 50-plus housing business,” she says. “Even if you have no intention of building an active adult or lifestyle community, assisted living or some other kind of age-restricted

project, a large percentage of your buyers are 50 and older. You need to know what type of product they want and how to market to them.” According to the “Proﬁle of the 50+ Housing Market” survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB’s) 50+ Housing Council, America’s 55+ population is expected to reach 85 million in the year 2014. By that time, people 55 and older will head half of all households. The survey breaks the 50+ market into demographic groups, income and wealth groups, regional and local populations, mobility rates and current housing inventory. Other 50+ Housing Council research offers consumer preference studies of older buyers as well as data that can help get 55+ projects approved. For instance, the Council’s brochure entitled, “Approving 55+ Housing: Facts That Matter,” reports that building 100 homes in a typical active adult community generates $22.5 million in local income, $2.3 million in tax revenue for local governments and generates 378 jobs. Such data will get any municipality’s attention.

Neighborhood Design Whether active adults live in their own neighborhoods or in portions of intergenerational communities, they prefer developments with high quality neighborhood designs, says Mark D. Stemen, senior vice president, active adult, for K. Hovnanian Homes’ Landover Group in Chantilly, VA. “Neighborhood design means creating an urban fabric with a community center,” he says. “These communities are walkable, and they provide a mix of uses. The challenge is ﬁnding ways to move away from two story houses and coming up with a product for people who don’t want stairs.” Active adult community designs also include clubhouses, continues Stemen. “A trend today is to emphasize ﬁtness with a health club, state of the art machines, outdoor as well as indoor pools and personal trainers,” he says. “I also think this market wants wellness opportunities like those offered in spas.”

Breaking Down the Active Adult Market Consultants identify several groups within the 50+ market. Leslie Marks, a principal with the Marks Collaborative, an active adult consulting firm in Bethesda, MD, describes an active adult portion of the market with two groups. “While exact age ranges vary depending upon individuals, the first group is about 55 to 70 years old,” she says. “This segment of the market is healthy and involved. They are interested in lifestyle activities. They enjoy trying new and different things. They feel young and act young.” Some might move to warm climates in Arizona and Florida, continues Marks. Others might move to be near a university. “These buyers are often lifelong learners,” she says. “Others, particularly those from the national capital region, have often worked for the government. They enjoyed their careers and want to keep their hands in during retirement, perhaps by volunteering with a local agency in a related field. This buyer wants to be relevant.” The second group is 75 to 85 years old. They are still healthy. They prefer independent living communities that offer a variety of social experiences. Some of these older buyers, from the late 70s to the mid-80s might need help with daily living tasks. These groups go into assisted living communities. They enjoy fitness programs as well as social experiences. Finally, there are folks drawn perhaps from any of the age groups that require 24-hour skilled nursing assistance.

Active adults also want new houses, says Stemen. They want the granite countertops they didn’t have in the old house and the want a low maintenance community where the homeowners association takes care of maintenance like cleaning the gutters and cutting the lawns. “In the markets around DC,” continues Stemen, “there are a lot of retired military and government people that have moved into second careers and work from home. They are tech savvy

BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

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and want home ofﬁces with high speed Internet connections.” Leslie Marks says that interior designs may need modiﬁcations. “For example, lighting is a big issue to people with 50-year-old-eyes,” she says. “Mobility can be an issue. People with arthritis will appreciate designs that require less bending. In a kitchen for example, that may mean placing ovens up high instead of low. It may mean cabinets with shelves that slide out and kitchens designed with places to sit while preparing food. “The point is to give thought to design ideas that an older market may appreciate.”

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Marketing To Active Adults Along the same lines, Kathy Osen East, MIRM, vice president of client services with Creating Results Strategy Marketing, LLC says that marketers should develop materials with larger type to ensure readability and avoid reversing body copy in white on a black background or placing body copy over images — techniques that make text difﬁcult to read. Of course, marketing begins before a development has been designed, with the selection of a target market and research that reveals what will bring that market to your development.

BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC 7/30/08

“Research is key,” East says. “Whom are you selling to? What do they need? Can you modify your product in ways that will enable your market to use it in different ways? One of our clients built a community with single-family homes with the master bedroom suite on the main level. A loft space provided two additional bedrooms — but it was designed so that it could be easily converted to another master suite.” The design with the two-bedroom loft could accommodate visiting adult children with grandchildren. By opting for the second master bedroom, two adult buyers could transform the home into something appropriate for roommates. “Sometimes cousins or friends move in together,” East says. As for marketing materials, East recommends brochures, direct mail, print advertising, a welldesigned Website and public relations to generate word of mouth. “We formed the MNCBIA 50+ Housing Council years ago, knowing how pivotal the active adult market segment would become to our members in coming decades,” says Executive Director Matlick. “Our Council publishes a lot of research for members. So does the NAHB 50+ Council.” The market is already here. According to MNCBIA data, there are dozens of seniors communities across the Washington DC area, most of them built within the last ﬁve years. “A decade ago, most of the activity in this market was in the Sun Belt states. But today, these developments are going up all over the country. As I said before: we’re all in the 50+ housing business today.” ■

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Insulation —A By Mary Lou Jay

Hot Spot in Cool Building Market

he overall home building market may be down, but there’s at least one specialized segment of the construction industry where work is still plentiful. Thanks to high-energy costs and homeowners’ subsequent concerns about skyrocketing gas, electric and oil bills, insulation contractors are finding their services are very much in demand. “With the Energy Star program being pushed by NAHB and other similar entities in the country, our industry has seen a push for green housing,” says Wayne Smith, tech rep and sales manager for Accurate Insulation in Upper Marlboro, MD. “This includes both energy efficiency, in the form of energy savings for homebuyers, and indoor air quality. It has opened up a vast area for us as insulators in both the new and existing home market and the residential retrofit market.” With the increased emphasis on energy efficiency, the products that insulators are offering today have improved. “The traditional blanket insulation will always be there because it is the standard that everybody has used and it is the least expensive in the market,” Smith says. “But there are many new items already here or on the horizon.” One of the most recent innovations is the introduction of new foam systems for new construction and retrofit. “Foam systems traditionally use Icynene®, which is an open cell product; the newer products on the market that are showing promise are closed cell products, which are urethane-based,” Smith explains. The difference between the two is that the

open cell product like Icynene allows air to penetrate and moisture to pass, which Smith says does have some advantages. “But with air infiltration being one of the biggest loss leaders of energy in the home, [builders] want to tighten homes up to make them more energy efficient. “The foam products now — the urethane products — are a closed cell product that has a slightly higher R value, which gives more bang for the buck. R value is a measure of thermal resistance. The bigger the number, the better the building insulation’s effectiveness. The closed cell product is a little more costly, but overall the return on investment is greater,” Smith adds. “The bigger difference is that closed cell foam insulation will repel water and makes the home airtight, and basically removes the problem of mold. If it’s airtight, there’s no mold.” Although some homeowners and homebuilders still use traditional bat insulation, it has shown its shortcomings, in that air movement through it reduces R value. Alternatives such as the blow in fiberglass (BIF) systems have been used for at least 15 years, Smith says. “There is also a wall-sprayed cellulose fabric, a dense pack cellulose product, which helps eliminate the infiltration of air without going to foam. “There are also more air sealing technologies available today for new and existing construction, where methods are being developed to help stop the depressurization of homes and to make them more energy efficient,” Smith says. “Less air infiltration means a more comfortable house, one that

takes less energy to cool and less energy to heat.” For example, manufacturers have developed products that will allow insulation installers to foam around some gas–ﬁlled windows and doors to stop air from intruding. These new products no longer void the door and window manufacturers’ warranty, Smith adds. Today’s thermal imaging techniques also allow builder and homeowners to identify where heat loss is occurring in a home and have sparked interest in some other insulating procedures. “There’s new technology where you can go into an attic after the drywall has been installed and seal all around the perimeter of all the electrical and HVAC penetrations in it. They also now are going around and foaming the space where sheet rock meets sheet rock at the upper level of the house, where wall meets ceiling, since it has been shown on thermograph to be an area of heat loss,” Smith says. The customer can chose to have a halfinch wide bead of polyurethane foam applied over these areas — the most cost effective solution — or opt for a more expensive polyurethane product that is sprayed across the entire partition in a six-inch wide band, which gives it an R3 insulating value.

Going green One result of the green building revolution has been an emphasis on non-traditional types of insulation technologies. “There are organics being used for thermal insulation on

BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

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roofs,” Smith says. “I ﬁrst learned of it about 25 years ago in Scandanavia where they were using organisms to produce an R-value for insulation. In Germany they had green roofs everywhere.” The organics are usually found on ﬂat roofs but they can be installed on cluster homes as well. Smith has recently learned of a company that is doing similar organic green roofs in the United States. Even traditional insulating materials have become greener. Fiberglass batting no longer contains formaldehyde, so it doesn’t off gas. Some insulation manufacturers are using natural products like cotton for insulation (Owens Corning’s Ultra Touch blanket insulation is one example). There’s even a soy-based foam product available today, although Smith says that there hasn’t been much demand for the product in this market as yet.

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Insulating Older Homes In the retroﬁt market, many insulating companies are starting to do air sealing packages for existing 20-30 year old homes, Smith says. “They’ll do a blower door test where they depressurize the home using a device called a smoke bubble that produces white smoke. As you depressurize the house you can walk around and see where all the energy loss is (doors, window, attic) then go in and seal those areas to make the home more energy efﬁcient. “It’s becoming very important now, because you can help people save anywhere from 25 to 35 percent. For $1,000, which is the average cost it takes to do a home, it’s worth every penny.” The bottom line is that there are cost effective insulating solutions for every home, new or existing, Smith says. ■

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2008 Environmental Awards

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—All Natural, No Preservatives NCBIA’s Environmental Awards are presented annually to builders, developers, land planners and engineering ﬁrms throughout the Greater Washington Region for their commitment to preserve, protect and enhance the environment and safeguard the habitat we call home. Below are the 2008 winners and a very brief synopsis of their winning project. You can read the descriptions in their entirety at www.mncbia.org > “Industry Awards” > “Environmental Awards.”

Winchester Homes was named a winner in the category of Land Development for Auburn Village, a “Rural Neighborhood Cluster” style community comprised of 31 single family homes in Sandy Spring, MD. Of the total 50.3-acre project, 35.1 acres were preserved as rural open space. Preservation of existing forest, agricultural hedgerows, specimen trees, wetlands and rural open space were major priorities. Designed as a pedestrian friendly and walkable community, there is an extensive pathway system that includes sidewalks, bike paths and equestrian trails. The land planner, landscape architect and consulting engineer was the firm of Gutschick, Little & Weber, P.A. A second award was presented to Winchester Homes in the category of Land Development for Riverwood in Ellicott City, MD, a community that will consist of 74 homes on one-acre homesites. Environmental features include 44.8 acres of 100year floodplain, 4.83 acres of greater than 25 percent slopes that are protected and portions of mature hardwood forest across the site. In addition all the homes will be 100 percent EnergyStar certified. The consulting engineer was Benchmark Engineering, Inc.

Another winner in the Land Development category was Miller and Smith for Woodcrest, a 47-acre neighborhood of 86 homes nestled next to Little Bennett Regional Park in Clarksburg, MD. Woodcrest’s environmental protection measures protect sensitive features such as forests, stream valleys, water quality, a farm pond and steep slopes. Over 30.7 acres is in dedicated open space including a 7.85-acre park dedication and bike paths promoting environmentally-friendly transportation options. The ﬁrm of Gutschick, Little and Weber served as the land planner, engineer and landscape architect. BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

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Another award winner in the Land Development category was Sunrise Senior Living for Fox Hill, a senior living community located in Bethesda, MD. Excellence in environmental design and a holistic, think-outside-the-box approach was at the forefront of this project, resulting in an exceptionally tight building footprint that facilitated the preservation and integration of trees and forests. Several aspects of the project highlight a commitment to environmental excellence including, tree retention, thoughtful architecture, pioneering sediment control solutions and integrated stormwater management and conscientious utility alignment. The consulting engineer was Rodgers Consulting, Inc. Mitchell & Best Homebuilders LLC (M&B) was honored with two awards in the Land Development category. The first was given for Hampshire Hamlet, a 20-lot in-fill project in Silver Spring, MD. Mitchell & Best overcame environmental concerns, moratoriums and regulatory hurdles involving downzoning, impervious caps and conservation easements to create an accessible smart-growth community. A key to the project finally moving forward was M&B’s design to reduce the impervious area, including using porous pavers in the driveways, and their plan to treat 100 percent of the first flush of precipitation, along with taking public water off the streets and treating it in underground stormchambers. The consulting engineer was Patton Harris Rust Associates. Mitchell & Best’s second Land Development award was given for Long Meadows at Davis Mill in Germantown, MD. The land plan was designed to protect the stream valley, (home to a tributary of Great Seneca Creek), and the wooded area with a 200’ buffer and forest retention, and required extremely sensitive stormwater management techniques. M & B made this project one of State’s first to widen the bottom of the ditches to 5 ft., increasing infiltration and reducing water flow. The discovery of rare American Chestnut trees resulted in revised house locations to provide extra protection. Long Meadows land development was recently certified through NAHB’s National Green Home Certification Program in the Emerald level. The consulting engineer was Macris, Hendricks & Glascock, P.A. Loiederman Soltesz Associates, Inc. (LSA) was also a double winner in the Land Development category. The first award was given for Manning Preserve, a 55-acre mixed-use community in Accokeek, MD. The Preserve was designed as a low impact development, by reducing the footprint and minimizing forest clearing. Due to the proximity of the Potomac River, careful stormwater management planning and other features to protect natural water resources were key in design considerations. One interesting feature is the 51 rain gardens throughout the property that are maintained and updated by each homeowner.

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BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

LSA’s second award was for the National Harbor project, a $2.1 billion mixed-use community, built by Peterson Companies and sitting on 300-acres of waterfront property along the Potomac River in Prince George’s County, MD. LSA’s challenge was to help take a formally minded-out gravel pit and transform it into a world-class waterfront destination without disturbing the Potomac. LSA provided a critical area conservation plan modification, conceptual site plan, preliminary plan of subdivision, detailed site plans, stormwater concept plan and approval of state permits associated with wetlands and critical area instructions. An innovative feature of the project is the underground stormwater filtering system, which contains 448 filter cartridges designed to treat runoff from 24 city acres. In the category of Green Building there were two winners. Taking home the first award was EYA for Arts District Hyattsville, along Rte. 1 in Hyattsville, MD, a mixed-use neighborhood within close proximity to DC and two metro stations making it a vibrant urban infill community. The extensive process of transforming this 25-acre site, formerly home to a car dealership, involved cleaning up petroleum spills, recycling acres of asphalt and unearthing mounds of buried cars. Now the neighborhood includes pocket parks, public artwork, community greens, play fields, and a hiker/biker trail. The homes were built with renewable and recyclable resources and feature EnergyStar appliances. The consulting engineer was Bowman Consulting.

Also being honored with an award for Green Building was Mitchell & Best Homebuilders LLC for a home at Long Meadows at Davis Mill in Germantown, MD. This Green home, labeled the Westport II, was built within one of the most environmentally sensitive land plans in Montgomery County, where great care was taken to save forest, plant stream valley buffers and replenish the groundwater. The home itself was constructed with low-e windows, an upgraded HVAC system and various low emission products to improve air quality, which helped earn it a Gold Level rating within NAHB’s Green Building Guidelines. Saved trees on the property provide shelter from prevailing winds and summer sun and minimized landscaping reduces watering needs. The consulting engineer was Macris, Hendricks & Glascock, P.A. This year marked the introduction of a new category in the Environmental Awards, Green Renovation. Taking home our first and only award this year for a Commercial Building was, Mangan Group Architects for the company’s own renovated office space in Takoma Park, MD. To minimize adverse ecological impacts the majority of the remodeling work, which followed the LEED standard, stayed within the historic building’s original shell and demolition waste was taken to local recycling facilities. To compensate for the shell’s inefficiencies, Mangan heavily insulated exterior walls, utilized high efficiency heating and cooling equipment and used operable windows to extend the passive cooling system. Cork flooring and low VOC carpets were also used. To further incorporate sustainable concepts, interior bicycle parking was added to encourage alternative transportation. The consulting engineer was Structural Design Group. BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

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Charles P. Johnson and Associates, Inc. was presented with an award in the category of Partnership with a Civic or Environmental Organization for it Burleigh Manor Middle School Bioretention Projects. As part of Howard County’s Centennial Lake and Wilde Lake Watershed Studies, water quality enhancements were made to existing county school sites, including Burleigh Manor Middle School. Members of CPJ’s Environmental Services Division gave presentations to more than 200 students about stormwater pollution and treatment, Chesapeake Bay issues and selecting appropriate plants. The ﬁnal plans were prepared using student designs as a basis for layout and plant selection. CPJ, along with site contractor, Environmental Quality Resources LLC, worked with nearly 400 students over several days to install plants, spread mulch and clean up the construction site. Mid-Atlantic Builders, Inc. was also named a winner in the category of Partnership with a Civic or Environmental Organization for its contribution of land to the Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS). In August of this year Mid-Atlantic donated an 82-acre parcel of land in the Piscataway area of Southern Prince George’s County to the MOS, a non-proﬁt statewide organization founded in 1945 that promotes knowledge of Maryland’s natural resources, fostering appreciation and conservation of birds and bird habitats. Mid-Atlantic’s intention was that the contribution would serve as an example of how the development community can invent new partnerships with the conservation community.

The 2008 Michael T. Rose Environmental Award for the Community of the Year was presented to Mitchell & Best Homebuilders LLC for Hampshire Hamlet in Silver Spring, MD. Congratulations to all the winners. Your communities, developments and projects are shining examples that builders truly do care about the environment. ■

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The Greater Washington Builders Expo — An Investment in the Future of the Industry

he 2008 Greater Washington Builders Expo moved to its new home this year, the Gaylord National Resort on the Potomac, and was presented courtesy of a partnership among MNCBIA, NVBIA and NaylorCMG. Inside the gorgeous new hotel you couldn’t miss the blue and gold signage guiding you toward the Washington area’s premier building show. Along the way you also couldn’t miss the Gaylord’s striking atrium, with its floor-to-ceiling glass walls and spectacular views of the Potomac River and beyond. The Expo kicked off Thursday, September 4th at 9:00 a.m. with a morning packed full of education sessions led by industry experts and covering hot topics like Green Building, Sustainable Design, 50+ Housing, ICC codes and remodeling. The day continued when the doors to the exhibit hall swung open at noon to reveal more than 100 exhibitors displaying the latest products and services available to the building industry. From elaborate displays featuring appliances, flooring, furniture, AV equipment and even commercial trucks to more intimate arrangements showcasing gutters, mailboxes, security systems, pest control and banking options, the diversity of exhibitors offered something for everyone. At MNCBIA’s booth there was a chance to win cash money in the “Cold Hard Cash Giveaway.” Thanks to sponsors, Brook Furniture Rental, Cates Engineering, Dominion Electric Supply Company, HADCO and Nisus Corp., attendees who completed their game piece and dropped it off in the game box at BIA’s booth had the chance to win $500 dollars. Congratulations to Eric Souder of Butler Brothers Construction, Doug Horgan of Bowa Builders and Ed Curley, Jr. (father of Guy Curley from Liberty Homebuilder Inc.) who happily took home the loot. New this year, the Expo dedicated an aisle in the exhibit hall to Green Building, one of the hottest trends in residential building, and one of the most highly visited areas of the show floor. Attendees could learn about shoreline protection, energy and water efficient

lighting and plumbing fixtures, thermal insulation and pervious concrete, just to name a few. Another exciting highlight of this year’s show was the Monument Awards. Held on Thursday night, day one of the Expo went out with bright lights and bubbling champagne as the industry honored 85 builders, architects and planners for their innovation, new ideas, and the creation of living space. For a complete list of 2008 winners visit www.monumentawards. com. The Expo wrapped up on Friday, September 5. Keynote speaker Steven Freund of the Ritz-Carlton drew a crowd (even at 8:00 am) to hear his presentation on legendary customer service and charmed the crowd with stories of his nine (yes 9) children. Two more education sessions on marketing and website design concluded the education portion of the Expo. Before the the show concluded, attendees had a final chance to cruise the exhibit floor, gathering bags of literature, business cards, samples and the oh-soimportant cachkas. Heartfelt appreciation goes out to the 2008 Expo Advisory Committee including Committee Chair Marty Mitchell, Mitchell & Best Homebuilders LLC, Vice Chair/Chair of Education Michael Bell, the bell company, Rick Sullivan, Jr., Alliance Homes, Vince Butler, Butler Brothers Construction, Leslie Marks, Marks Collaborative, Tony Crane, Crane Homes, Bill Bilo, Dico Inc., John Clarke, Elm Street Development, Rosemary DeButts, Fulton Research and Consulting, Michael Faerber, McMillan Metro, P.C., Chuck Ellison, Miller and Smith at Woodcrest, LLC, and Andy Rosenthal, Rosenthal Homes. And of course this show wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of our partner NaylorCMG, with special thanks to John Russell, Camille Stern, Mark Miller, Akta Patel, Erin Wellen and Mike Muldoon. Plans are already underway for Builders Expo 2009. You’ll definitely want to reserve your exhibit space early for this show! Stay tuned for the exciting details and be sure to bookmark www.greaterwashingtonbuildersexpo.com. ■ BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

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Builder Connections – Getting Down to Business F

or MNCBIA’s associate members, this was the place to be on September 18 to connect with the area’s top builders. Almost two dozen builder member companies, along with their key personnel, ﬁlled the ﬂoor of Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt, MD, prepared to shake a lot of hands and collect a lot of business cards from the hundreds of associate members lining up at their tables for some valuable face time. This was the third year for Builder Connections, which was honored with an NAHB

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Association Excellence Award for “Best Service Delivered to Members” in 2007. Where else do associate members get the chance to meet with so many builders in the same place at the same time? Builder Connections is all about getting down to business. Associate members meet with as many builders as possible in ﬁve-minute intervals in the hopes of making a business connection. It’s the perfect event for those people who hate making cold calls and who aren’t comfortable making small talk. Conversations

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range from new product lines to current market conditions, but no matter the topic, associates get traction with key decisionmakers. Armed with timers, builders are responsible for making sure people don’t exceed their time limit. Thanks to the builder companies who participated including, Advantage Homes, Alliance Homes, Bozzuto Group, Craftmark Group, D R Horton Inc., EYA, LLC, Haverford Homes, K. Hovanian Homes, Kettler Brothers, Kettler Forlines Homes, Michael Harris Homes, Mid-Atlantic Builders, Inc., Miller and Smith Homes, Mitchell and Best Homebuilders, LLC, Porten Homes, R.A.M Investing, Ltd., Rosemark Design/Build, Rosenthal Homes, Steuart Kret Homes, Timberlake Homes, and Winchester Homes. A special thank you to our sponsors, Acacia Federal Savings Bank, McMillan Metro, P.C., Aspen Enterprises, Inc., K Bank and IWIF. Five minutes may not be enough time to ink a contract, but it is enough time to get your product, your service and yourself in front of the key people who make the decisions. In between meetings, attendees were treated to a grand buffet and open bar and the chance to mix and mingle with fellow associate members. Overall the evening was a huge success. Our members continue to rank Builder Connections as one of the association’s top networking events, earning it a permanent place on the annual MNCBIA roster. ■

MNCBIA Takes Home

National Awards M NCBIA staff and volunteer members were recognized and honored by the NAHB Executive Officers Council with four Association Excellence Awards for “best in the nation” programs and services developed and offered by the MNCBIA at the annual NAHB 2008 Executive Officers Council Seminar in August. In the category of Best Communication-Update Publication the MNCBIA won for its bi-weekly E-publication, E-news, which provides members with short alerts about upcoming hearings, meetings, educational and awards programs, events and other industry-related information. In the category of Best Communication-Special Events Publication, the MNCBIA won for its Greater Washington Builders Expo Program Guide, a glossy magazine-style publication complete with general show information, floor plans, exhibitor listings/descriptions, articles and paid advertising. In the category of Best Specialty Targeted Fundraising Program Conducted, MNCBIA’s charitable arm, the Home Builder’s Care Foundation (HBCF), won for its “A Day at the Races” event. Held at Laurel Park in Laurel, MD, the event features a day of horse racing for MNCBIA members, employees and families, with all proceeds benefiting HBCF’s community service program. In the category of Best Community Service Project, HBCF won for its Dale Drive Apartments project (A Public-Private Partnership for

Affordable Permanent Supportive Housing). The Dale Drive Apartments in Silver Spring, MD, was a formerly dilapidated apartment building that was completely renovated and is now home to formerly homeless and disabled individuals. Renovation of the building, which cost approximately $850,000, was accomplished through a public-private partnership and variety of funding sources, of which MNCBIA’s Home Builders Care Foundation played a major role. Special acknowledgement goes to the staff and members who developed the various programs and events; Kelly Grudziecki, Communications Manager, Patti Kane, Manager, Home Builders Care Foundation, Builder Captain Ted Smart of Maryland Development Co. LLC, and Mike Conley, 2007 President, Home Builders Care Foundation. “These are prestigious and hotly contested awards for a local association to win,” said Susan Matlick, Executive Vice President of the MNCBIA. “They reﬂect the hard work of volunteer leaders and staff to make our association one of the best in the nation. ■

7200 WISCONSIN AVENUE Y BETHESDA, MD 20814 Y 301.654.0504 145 MAIN STREET Y ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401 Y 301.261.1668

www.linowes-law.com

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER2/26/08 2008 21 5:36:27 PM

The Legal Pad

You Get What You Pay For Erica A. Leatham, Meyers, Eisler, Leatham, LLC

r, do you? Unless you are buying lots after the entitlement proIn certain circumstances, however, utilizing different development cess is complete, you never know quite what you will get. During methods or changing the style or type of the development can yield more entitlements, proposed lots or units are frequently eliminated. In density than originally envisioned. In some cases, the extra density may some rare cases, however, developers achieve greater densities than come with a cost, additional MPDUs for example, but may still work out originally contemplated. Although the first scenario occurs far more to an economic advantage. In that case, the buyer may be getting more frequently than the second, both possibilities should be considered than originally expected. As the market was booming, sellers had conwhen going under contract. In addition, if one is selling a portion of tracts in which they could get a share of the increase in value as a result one’s holdings, or a buyer is purchasing a portion of someone else’s of the increase in density above a certain threshold. Although not necesholdings, there may be unintended consequences of the first develsarily in favor now as market conditions change, the concept is useful opment to move forward on the remaining lands. Therefore, potential in reaching a deal if the seller believes the land is worth more than the future development needs should be taken into account at the outset of buyer. the negotiation. Finally, in order to avoid a situaIn order for buyers and sellers to Doing research upfront and understanding tion in which the seller sells a portion come to a realistic agreement in the the land use and entitlement process is of its land, but fails to retain rights current market, both need to underto build infrastructure or retain stand and appreciate the complexi- critical to a successful land transaction. easements, thereby, compromising ties and opportunities of the develfuture development of the remainopment process. Terms of the contract, including the price, the study ing land, sellers need to spend the time to examine future needs, should period, the settlement date and the exchange of information, need to the remaining land develop. Development should be contemplated under be reexamined, and considered on an individual basis to make sure multiple scenarios and the needs — easements, transfer of developthat each party understands what it is getting from the deal. ment rights, etc. — must be clearly communicated to the buyer at the Often in land deals, the study period only allows time for minimal beginning of negotiations or risk jeopardizing the entire contract. investigation into the nuances of the development rights, generally only The entitlement process is often lengthy, time-consuming and exanswering the question whether the project is possible in the abstract. pensive. It is not until you are well into the contract, that anyone will While due diligence may identify major impediments to achieving that know if they received the benefit of its bargain. Therefore, doing regoal, it will not give any reasonable assurance that the buyer’s potensearch upfront and understanding the land use and entitlement process tial density is a certainty. In fact, the maximum density is generally is critical to a successful land transaction. ■ never attainable — despite what the seller may say — as lots/units are chipped away for engineering, environmental or planning concerns by Erica A. Leatham concentrates in the areas of zoning and land use, real the planning staff and approving body. Understanding this reality at the estate taxation appeals and commercial transactions and has developed start is the key to negotiating a fair contract — otherwise, the buyer significant experience with agricultural uses, smart growth concepts and may not be getting what he paid for. land use development in Rockville, MD.

BRUCE HUTCHINSON, A.I.A.

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS 2214 Spencerville Rd. Spencerville, MD 20868 301-384-0084 Phone 301-384-3523 Fax

Dean Bichner (Ext. 108) Mark Ramsey (Ext. 107) Tim Stephens (Ext. 105)

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hutchaia@aol.com

HUTCHINSON + ASSOCIATES, L.L.C. Architect 11820 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20852 Phone: 301-770-9680 Fax: 301-770-9163

BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC 2/26/07 11:53:03 AM

The Engineer’s Angle

Construction Stormwater Management Jeff Hancock, Senior Water Resources Engineer, WEG, Inc.

hile stormwater management for construction sites is nothlimitations for most construction stormwater discharges, effluent guideing new to builders and developers in the Maryland-National lines could result in monitoring and limits. The day could come when Capital (MNC) area, there are actions underway at the Federal construction stormwater dischargers are required to monitor and report and State level that will impact the way designers, developers, and effluent quality, as required for municipal wastewater dischargers. builders manage construction stormwater. These initiatives include the Lastly, but certainly not least in terms of potential impact, are the release of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 2008 TMDLs being developed by the EPA for the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal Construction General Permit; EPA’s renewed effort to develop Effluent tributaries. When finalized, TMDLs could place limits on discharges from Guidelines for Construction Activities; and the development of Total urban activities, including construction activities. While this may not reMaximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for the main stem of the Chesapeake sult in effluent limitations for construction stormwater, it could require Bay and its tidal tributaries. the use of more extensive and expensive BMPs in the Chesapeake Bay On July 14, 2008, the Final National Pollutant Discharge Elimination watershed. The TMDLs are required to be completed by 2010 and will be System (NPDES) General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from implemented through NPDES permits. Construction Activities was pubThe current trend for regulation lished in the Federal Register. Actual There are actions underway at the Federal of stormwater discharges from conchanges to the 2008 Construction struction sites indicates more strict General Permit (CGP) are minor, but and State level that will impact the way environmental regulation in the MNC one major change is the two-year designers, developers, and builders region. When you include the presterm for the permit, instead of the sure placed on localities and DC five years allowed under the Clean manage construction stormwater. by the NPDES Municipal Separate Water Act and NPDES regulations. Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit The stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) remains the core program, the outlook is for more challenges for the building and develcomponent for permit compliance, with more stress placed on addressopment industry. Designers will spend more time and effort developing ing discharges from construction activities to impaired streams and waSWPPPs, and developers and builders will spend more time and money terways with TMDLs. implementing and maintaining BMPs. It is important that the industry get While the EPA’s 2008 CGP is not used in Maryland, it is the permit involved in the regulatory development process to ensure that developer issued within the District of Columbia (DC). Existing permitted construcand builder interests are heard. ■ tion activities in DC that filed a notice of intent (NOI) under the 2003 CGP are not required to file another NOI, but new activities or existing activiJeff Hancock is a senior water resources engineer with WEG, Inc. WEG ties without a permit must obtain coverage under the 2008 CGP. has been providing environmental services for developers, builders, and In Maryland, the CGP issued by MDE was released in 2008 and has municipalities in the Maryland-National Capital region since 1991. been limited to two years after environmental groups argued that the general permit issuance process did not allow for adequate public input and threatened lawsuits. The two-year permit term allows for MDE to work with stakeholders to develop ways to involve the public in the permitting process. Like the EPA’s 2008 CGP, the Maryland permit relies upon the SWPPP, with BMPs and design standards with which most designers, developers, and builders are familiar. SWPPPs for discharges to impaired streams or waterways with TMDLs will have to address the A.G. Vincent & Son Inc., AIMCO, Arbor Care, Inc., Artery Homes, LLC, BB&T pollutants identified as the source of impairments. Bank, Brodsky Group, Chang’s General Constr Inc, Creating Results, LLC, In 2004, the EPA concluded action on Effluent Guidelines for the D R Horton Inc, DeHaven, Kruhm & Vekeman, Dewberry, Evaluation And Construction Sector, finding that existing stormwater management proReview Associates, Inc., Georgetown Insurance Service, Inc., Hercules grams provided sufficient protection. In 2006, the EPA was sued by the Fence Co., Interior Concepts Inc, Knight, Manzi, Nussbaum & Laplaca, P.A., Natural Resources Defense Council, resulting in a court order for the EPA Lorenzi Dodds & Gunnill Inc, Maryland Newsletters, Monument Constructo develop effluent guidelines for the construction sector by December tion Inc, Palisades Development LLC, Potomac Valley Surveys, Rexel Elec1, 2009. The EPA is actively working to develop effluent guidelines, with trical & Datacom Products, Simi & Jones Consultants Inc., Stanley Halle a reporting milestone of December 1, 2008. While current Federal and Communities Inc., Sterling Mirror Company, The Insco Dico Group, The State programs in the MNC area do not require effluent monitoring or Traffic Group Inc, Urban Atlantic, Wertheimer & Ciazza, LLC ■

Member Renewals (as of September 1, 2008)

BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008

MNCBIA Membership

New Members (as of September 1, 2008) STARS CLUB 2008 BUILDERS Abrams Design Build Custom Building, Remodeling Alan Abrams Ph: 202-726-5894 alan@abramsdesignbuild.com Capital Design Group, Inc. Building Single Family Dennis Lee Ph: 202-986-8965 dblee@capitaldesigngroup.com Federalist Builders, LLC Remodeling Ari Fineroth Ph: 202-302-4567 ari@federalistbuilders.com Majestic Homes, Inc. Building Single Family Homes Russell Litten Ph: 410-586-1665 majestichomesmd@comcast.net Miller Development Corp. Custom & Spec. Development & Home Building Robert Miller Ph: 202-289-4446 rmiller@millercos.com Perseus Real Estate Developer Commercial Building Gabrielle Kornely Ph: 202-452-0101 gkornely@perseusrealty.com

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Swann Construction Remodeling Rosanna Morales Ph: 202-289-1107 swannconstruction@comcast.net TSC/Muma Mattawoman Associates, LP Land Development Vicki Sotak Ph: 301-283-0081

ASSOCIATES Chasen & Chasen Real Estate Law Chad Older Ph: 202-244-4000 c.older@chasenandchasen.com M & M Appliance Sales & Service Appliances Chris O’Neill Ph: 202-882-7100 chriscwa@comcast.net My Pest Control Company, Inc Termite Control Barbra Osgood Ph: 301-475-9433 barbrajo@mypestco.com Soil Consultants, Inc. Geotech Engineering, Materials & Training David Johns Ph: 703-366-3000 johnd@soilconsultants.net Sponsor: Tom Hyde

PLATINUM LINOWES & BLOCHER LLP

GOLD Acacia Federal Savings Bank Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll LLP BB&T Classic Group LLC DGG-MC GE Appliances Kettler Brothers Homes LLC Loiederman Soltesz Associates, Inc. Mitchell & Best Homebuilders LLC PEPCO Pleasants Development Rodgers Consulting Winchester Homes

SILVER Elm Street Development Fraser Forbes Company, LLC Georgetown Insurance Service, Inc. Greenhorne & O’Mara Inc. K. Hovnanian Homes McMillan Metro P.C. Miles & Stockbridge, P.C. NVR Steuart-Kret Homes

BRONZE Bank of America Bradford Bank Centex Homes Charles P. Johnson & Assoc. Gutschick, Little & Weber, P.A. Holland & Knight

BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

Lerch Early & Brewer Chartered Liberty Home Builder Miller and Smith Homes O’Malley Miles Nylen & Gilmore. P.A. Provident Bank Reznick Group Sandy Spring Bank Smart Development/Premiere Homes

FRIEND Allegiance Surety Associates, Inc. Alliance Homes Artery Group Beers & Cutler Ben Dyer Associates, Inc. Bozzuto Homes Inc. Burgess & Niple, Inc. christopher consultants llc The Columbia Bank Counter Intelligence Craftmark Homes Dewberry Hailey Development IDI MD Inc. KBank Kim Engineering Macris, Hendricks & Glascock, P.A. MCF Investment Company, LLC M/I Homes of DC LLC Mid-Atlantic Builders, Inc. Phoenix Land Design Inc. Porten Homes Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker P.A. Slenker Communities Ward & Klein Chartered Washington Gas

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MNCBIA Membership

What Has MNCBIA Done Lately? • The Prince George’s Liaison Committee successfully modified the County’s 10-Year Draft Water & Sewer Plan draft plan that was approved by County Executive Johnson that would allow the county staff to accept approvals of subdivisions by the Planning Commission without first having to be recorded. The legislation adopting this plan will be going forward later this Fall. • The Prince George’s Liaison Committee and Association Codes Committee worked closely with the Department of Environmental Regulation to get a number of amendments into the current 2006 IRC Code that will go before the Prince George’s County Council this Fall. • Ines Vega, Vice Chair of the Environmental Committee and a member of the Green Building Committee, was appointed to Montgomery County’s Sustainability Working Group. • The Green Building Committee sponsored a tour of a high-end, energy efficient single-family home and, jointly with the Multifamily Housing Council, a tour of a LEED Silver apartment building that includes 96 affordable units out of 238.

• The Greater Washington 50+ Housing Council organized a breakfast seminar on Effective Lead Marketing: Tips & Tricks to Sell to the 50+ Buyer. • The Multifamily Housing Council sponsored a site visit to a newly renovated luxury apartment community in Silver Spring. • MNCBIA held its 3rd Annual Builder Connections event, which gave associate members the opportunity to talk one-on-one with regional and national builders. • MNCBIA recognized those builders and developers who go to great lengths to protect, preserve and enhance our environment at the 2008 Environmental Awards. • MNCBIA honored its 2008 Member of the Year award winners, including Builder of the Year, Developer of the Year, Subcontractor/Supplier of the Year and Associate of the Year. • MNCBIA, along with its partners NVBIA and NaylorCMG, held the annual Greater Washington Builders Expo, over two-days in its new home, the Gaylord national Resort. • MNCBIA held its annual Fall Golf Tournament at Woodmore Country Club in Mitchellville, MD. ■

Events Calendar NOVEMBER 4 Custom & Small Builders Council

5 DRPS (Development Review Process Subcommittee) Green Building Committee meeting Calvert County Liaison Committee meeting Environmental Committee meeting

6 NAHB CAASH Course: Trends & Research Methods to Define the Active Lifestyle DC Liaison Committee meeting Executive Committee meeting

19 Multifamily Trends Conference St. Mary’s County Liaison Committee meeting Montgomery County Liaison Committee meeting Charles County Liaison Committee meeting MWBC Quarterly Dinner

22 Help the Homeless Walkathon

25 Record Plat Committee meeting

26 P&P Ad Hoc Committee meeting

27 Office Closed for Thanksgiving

Estimating for Builders and Remodelers seminar

13 Home Builders Care Foundation Board meeting WSSC Liaison Committee meeting

18 Real Estate Finance Committee meeting Codes & Standards Committee meeting

6 MNCBIA’s Annual Winter Gala & Silent Auction

9 Codes & Standards Committee meeting

Board of Directors meeting General Membership Dinner meeting

NAHB CAASH Course: Selling to the Active Adult

Home Builders Care Foundation Board meeting DC Liaison Committee meeting

11 WSSC Liaison Committee meeting

17 St. Mary’s County Liaison Committee meeting Montgomery County Liaison Committee meeting Charles County Liaison Committee meeting

18 Joint Executive Committee/Board of Directors meeting

25 Office Closed for Christmas

28 Office Closed for Thanksgiving

DECEMBER

26 Office Closed for Christmas

2 Custom & Small Builders Council

Record Plat Committee meeting

3 DRPS (Development Review Process Subcommittee) Green Building Committee meeting Calvert County Liaison Committee meeting Environmental Committee meeting

P&P Ad Hoc Committee meeting

BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008

MNCBIA Membership

Members in the News

cCormick Paints, located in Rockville, MD, is one of the first paint manufacturers to receive the GREEN WISE paint certification from Coatings Research Group Inc. (CRGI) The GREEN WISE certification, designed by CRGI is a truly green standard by which paints

are accurately measured. The GREEN WISE certiﬁcation can be applied to paint manufacturers’ products only after CRGI tests and veriﬁes the products against environmentally determined standards. CRGI requires that paint manufacturers submit unaltered production materials along with supporting

ADVERTISER.COM ADVERTISER

WEB ADDRESS

PAGE

Amicus Green Building Center .....................................................www.amicusgreen.com ..............................................................................12 Appliance Distributors Unlimited.................................................www.adu.com..................................................................... inside back cover Arbor Landscapers, Inc. ................................................................N/A ..............................................................................................................22 BL Companies .................................................................................www.blcompanies.com ..............................................................................26 Bowman Consulting Group Ltd.....................................................www.bowmanconsulting.com ....................................................................12 Bradford Bank ................................................................................www.bradfordbank.net ...............................................................................21 Caldeira Quality ..............................................................................www.FTQ360.com......................................................................................14 Case Capitol Corp...........................................................................www.Casecapitolcorp.net................................................... inside back cover Design House Kitchens & Appliances, LLC .................................www.designhousekitchens.com...................................................................4 Flowguard Gold/FBC Building Solutions .....................................www.fbcbuildingsolutions.com.............................................................. 8, 24 GE Appliances.................................................................................www.ge.com ..................................................................... outside back cover Hutchinson & Associates, LLC......................................................www.hutchinsonassociates.net..................................................................22 Linowes & Blocher, LLP .................................................................www.linowes-law.com ...............................................................................21 Long Fence Company, Inc. ............................................................www.longfence.com .....................................................................................8 Model Home Interiors ....................................................................www.modelhomeinteriors.net ......................................................................8 ProSource Wholesale Floorcoverings..........................................N/A ..............................................................................................................14 Provident Bank ...............................................................................www.provbank.com......................................................................................6 Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, P.A. ...........................www.shulmanrogers.com...........................................................................14 Susquehanna Bank ........................................................................www.susquehanna.net ...............................................................................20 The Brick Industry Association ....................................................www.bia.org.........................................................................inside front cover The Columbia Bank ........................................................................www.thecolumbiabank.com .......................................................................18 Vintage Security .............................................................................www.vintagesecurity.com ............................................................................3

product, material safety data, and formulation information to be considered for certiﬁcation. William Kominers, a partner in Holland & Knight’s Bethesda ofﬁce, was named to the 2008 Chambers USA-America’s Leading Business Lawyers guide. ■

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS APPLIANCE SALES Appliance Distributors Unlimited...... inside back cover GE Appliances ............................... outside back cover APPLIANCES Design House Kitchens & Appliances, LLC ................4 ARCHITECTS BL Companies .........................................................26 Hutchinson & Associates, LLC .................................22 ATTORNEYS Linowes & Blocher, LLP...........................................21 Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, P.A.........14 BANKS Bradford Bank .........................................................21 Susquehanna Bank .................................................20 BRICK MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS The Brick Industry Association .........inside front cover FENCING Long Fence Co., Inc...................................................8 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Provident Bank ..........................................................6 The Columbia Bank .................................................18 FLOOR COVERING ProSource Wholesale Floorcoverings.......................14 GREEN BUILDING PRODUCTS Amicus Green Building Center .................................12 INTERIOR DESIGNERS Model Home Interiors ................................................8 LANDSCAPE-CONTRACTORS Arbor Landscapers, Inc. ..........................................22 PIPING SYSTEMS Flowguard Gold/FBC Building Solutions...............8, 24 SECURITY SYSTEMS Vintage Security ........................................................3 SOFTWARE Caldeira Quality .......................................................14 SURVEYORS Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. ...............................12 VACUUMS Case Capitol Corp. ........................... inside back cover

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BUILDING IN MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, DC 6/18/08

1:51:21 PM

CELEBRATING

ADU Showroom Locations: Washington Sales Division Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-608-2600

Baltimore Sales Division Linthicum, MD 21090 410-789-8000 Living Kitchen Display

Virginia Sales Division Chantilly, VA 20151 703-263-2300 Living Kitchen Display

YEARS

1982 - 2007

of Service to The Appliance Industry York Sales Division York, PA 17406 717-845-6500

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“Tomorrow’s Kitchen Today” www.ADU.com 3/26/08 7:19:10 PM

Vacuum Elevators: New and Unique

The elevator comes in a 2, 3 & 4 stop conﬁguration, with either inline or walk-through doors. Sleek modernistic design with a panoramic 360 degree view, low maintenance, with no lubrication required or any additional works after assembled. The Pneumatic vacuum elevator is the ﬁrst residential elevator that runs merely by the forces of gravity.

379826_casecapitol.indd 1

5/30/08 2:36:04 PM

captivating Only GE Monogram offers the breadth and depth of design options to enhance any home. To learn more, visit monogram.com.

To learn more, visit monogram.com

GE Monogram For your local Sales Representative call the GE Regional office at 410.737.7065.