Member News
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AEP Ohio and Columbia Gas of Ohio: Free Seminar on September 21
AEP Ohio and Columbia Gas of Ohio jointly invite BIA members to attend the launch of a major new program initiative to promote advanced levels of energy efficient home construction for their customers. This seminar will be held on Tuesday, September 21 from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm at Quest Conference Center in Columbus. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. There is no cost to attend, but seating is limited.
There has never been a more important time for builders to differentiate their product in the marketplace. Come prepared for one of the most interesting, challenging and motivating discussions of high performance home construction you will ever have the opportunity to hear. Learn how the program will benefit your business, including financial incentives, technical training and marketing support.
The keynote speaker is John Tooley, a Senior Building Science Consultant with the Applied Building Science Team of Advanced Energy based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Widely regarded as a pioneer and a visionary in the world of residential energy efficiency, Mr. Tooley trains builders, contractors and retrofitters across the US. He will introduce an innovative training program that AEP Ohio and Columbia Gas will be making available to program participants.
This seminar is intended for builders, developers, site supervisors, HVAC contractors, framing contractors, insulation contractors, design professionals, salespeople, Realtors, equipment suppliers, energy raters and others serving the new home construction industry.
Please click HERE for more information. RSVP to JuliaHall@magrann.com.
Posted: September 1, 2010
P&D Builders Receives American Residential Design Award
P&D Builders Ltd. recently received an American Residential Design Award (ARDA) under the category of "Sustainable Design" for a 2008 home built in Powell. The designer of the project was Ron Danne, Assoc AIA/CPBD AIBD of P&D.
In the last three years, P&D has been honored twice for "green" homebuilding (the company won first place in 2008 for a house in Liberty Township) and has received a total of three ARDA awards. Their latest award was a second place win for a 4,178 square foot custom home, built in the Woodland Glen subdivision in Powell and featuring multiple energy-saving features. The home was certified by NAHB Green Building Council with a "bronze" rating by New Avenue Architects/Engineers.
The question posed to the designer by the client was simply "Can a custom luxury home be 'green?'" The clients were environmentally focused but had a large family and a large wish list of desires for their new home. The design incorporates an open plan around the kitchen/great room/breakfast/hearth room areas that are the "heart" of the home. A generous owner’s suite has its own wing on the first floor, and the three-car garage connects to the home through a "drop zone" mud room and laundry room. There are four bedrooms and a loft upstairs with three full baths. The French Country styling of the exterior is enhanced with “board and batten” shutters, cultured stone, boxed-end soffits with "French" styling and brick accents.
A partial list of "green building" features includes:
- NAHB Green Building certified "bronze" rating (score = 300)
- North-south building orientation to maximize solar resource
- Lighting utilizing compact fluorescent bulbs and timers
- Advanced framing techniques to minimize lumber waste and engineer most efficient use of materials
- EnergyStar rated appliances and water saving fixtures
- 94%+ high efficiency furnace and improved ventilation filtration
- Sealed ductwork, openings and blower-door testing
- Tankless instant-on hot water systems
- Programmable thermostat
- Sealed/insulated HVAC ductwork
- Blown cellulose insulation in walls and ceiling (R-15 walls and R-38 ceilings)
- Low E argon-filled windows
- Dedicated on-site recycle/re-use bins for construction debris
The American Residential Design Awards is a national design competition held annually in association with the American Institute of Building Design, a national association of professional home designers and associate members located in 48 states, throughout Canada and in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Bahamas. Its chartered state societies are active in their respective legislative arenas and work to promote public awareness of the building design profession.
Posted: September 1, 2010
Message from Robin Hand at AEP
It has been a pleasure to work with the developers and builders in central Ohio over the last 25 years. I have also enjoyed the many friends and associates I have met through the BIA over the last quarter century. And lastly, a “Thank You” to Jim Hilz and the BIA Staff. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a member and serving on the Board of Trustees, committees and councils for all those years. I am excited about my new position with American Electric Power in Chillicothe but will miss all of you dearly. I can still be reached at rphand@aep.com. Thanks again. - Robin Hand
Posted: August 25, 2010
News from Intuitive Concepts
Intuitive Concepts will present "Wellness and Freedom From Stress" on Wednesday, September 1 at 6:00 pm. The internet radio show "Living in the Now Age" is hosted by Franklin University and can be accessed at www.talktainmentradio.com. Please join radio personality, Tammi Rager, as she interviews Diana Garber.
On Wednesday, September 8 at 2:00 pm, Intuitive Concepts presents "I'm Over Here! 8 Secrets to Getting Noticed." This event is hosted by Meredith Liepelt and RLM Studio. The event is free but registration is required. To learn more about the 8 secrets or to register, click HERE.
Intuitive Concepts' "Alphabet Series" webinars continue in September with Feng Shui topics I, J and K. The fee is only $26. The webinars are held the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm and count as one credit hour. For attending, participants will receive the eBook "8 Simple Steps to a More Balanced You." To register for the event, click HERE.
For more information regarding Diana Garber or Intuitive Concepts, visit www.intuitiveconcepts.com.
Posted: August 17, 2010
New Energy Training Center Opens in Ohio
Adena Energy and Environmental Consulting announced it is partnering with Edwards/Mooney and Moses Insulation and Cornerstone Energy Conservation Services to offer training at a new facility in central Ohio.
Adena has recently become a BPI Affiliate and will start by providing Shell Specialist and Building Analyst training. This will compliment the RESNET Rater training Adena currently offers. Edwards/ Mooney and Moses is constructing a full size training prop in their warehouse in Columbus that will accommodate blower door, duct leakage and worst-case draft testing. The prop will also be used to demonstrate insulation, air-sealing, and duct sealing techniques and will allow trainees hands-on experience in these fields. The facility should be operational by early summer and will be marketed to private sector insulation, HVAC, and air-sealing, contractors as well as home inspectors, builders and remodelers.
Posted: July 20, 2010
Intuitive Concepts' Feng Shui Webinar is a Hit
Intuitive Concepts, a company known for results through Feng Shui, is offering webinars that cover tips and techniques on topics covering everything from A to Z called "The Alphabet Series." The practice of Feng Shui seeks to balance the forces of nature within our living and working environments in order to lead a happier, healthier existence.
Diana Garber, President & CEO of Intuitive Concepts says, "Participants can learn tips to apply immediately that may help to bring a sense of harmony to their lives. Often just small changes in your environment can be life altering."
For more information or to register, click HERE. The cost is $18 and will increase to $26 beginning in August. All remaining monthly webinars are scheduled for the third Wednesday of each month.
Posted: July 13, 2010
GreenTech Construction Turns 1860s Farmhouse into Energy-Efficient Home
Dan Troth of GreenTech Construction built a home in Lewis Center around an 1862 timber frame, which received a national award for energy efficiency. After the home was built, Troth commissioned an energy audit of the home from Certified Energy Raters of Dayton. The company gave the home a Home Energy Rating Service score of 40, which means it uses 40 percent of the energy consumed by a conventionally built new home. To read the entire article, click HERE.
Posted: June 23, 2010
Intuitive Concepts: First "Green" Feng Shui Company
Intuitive Concepts continues to raise the bar as one of the first Feng Shui companies to claim a "green" status. Though always practicing green principles, Intuitive Concepts has been a member of Green America since 2003. Green America is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.
Garber said, "We strive to set standards in our industry. Our goal is to be one of the best. Many organizations and professional affiliations now embrace Feng Shui as a viable concept to manage their environment and people."
For more information regarding Diana Garber or Intuitive Concepts, click HERE.
Posted: May 12, 2010
Intuitive Concepts Nominated for 2010 BBB Torch Award
The Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award (formerly known as Business Integrity Award) honors local businesses who demonstrate the highest standards to create trust. Intuitive Concepts, as a BBB member for more than a decade and maintaining an "A+" rating, was nominated for the award by Shari Bates, Executive Director of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
President, Diana Garber, says "It is an honor to be nominated for this prestigious award. The application process was quite rigorous, and well worth the effort. More than 20 of our clients and business associates provided letters of recommendation." Garber elaborated, "On a daily basis, we’re so ingratiated in serving our clients that all the processes and procedures we’ve developed to provide quality and consistency became second nature. The award process created the opportunity to see the flow from a different perspective. It’s our clients that we have to thank for their generous feedback!"
Finalists will receive awards at a Hyatt luncheon on Tuesday, May 18. For more information about the Torch Award, click HERE. For more information regarding Diana Garber or Intuitive Concepts, click HERE. Reference letters can be found on the commercial projects tab, residential projects tab, and also visit client testimonies.
Posted: April 27, 2010
In Memoriam: Gene Harbage
Eugene F. Harbage passed away on April 13, 2010. Gene was the BIA president in 1978, and he retired after 50+ years in the construction industry. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association in Gene’s memory. Online condolences may be submitted HERE. Gene's obituary can be viewed HERE. Sympathy is extended to the Harbage family.
Posted: April 21, 2010
In Memoriam: W. Eric Stone
W. Eric Stone, Vice President and Sales Manager at First Place Bank, passed away recently after his battle with cancer. Stone was an active part of the central Ohio real estate community for many years and was a long-time BIA member. Sympathy is extended to the Stone family.
Posted: March 10, 2010
Garry Brown Earns SPHR Designation
Garry E. Brown, Vice President of Oberfield’s Inc., recently earned certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). To receive this certification, awarded by the HR Certification Institute, an applicant must pass a comprehensive examination and demonstrate a strong background of professional human resource experience.
"Certification as a human resource professional clearly demonstrates a commitment to personal excellence and to the human resource profession," said Mary Power, CAE, Executive Director of the HR Certification Institute.
Posted: March 10, 2010
Intuitive Concepts Releases DVD Regarding 2010 Energy
Diana Garber, President and Creative Environment Officer of Intuitive Concepts, has been referred to as a psychic, one with clear predictions. However she is not, nor does she claim that title.
Her interpretation of environmental energy is based on fact, formulas and trends. “There is no silver bullet for what is happening globally,” Garber states. Her intent is to identify risk factors and offer suggestions that encourage people to be proactive.
Last October, Garber gave a lecture on the energy for 2010. She discussed the economy, real estate trends for the year, political challenges and earthquakes.
In light of recent events in Haiti, Japan and Chili, this is one DVD you must see. Garber encourages everyone to consider earthquake insurance riders this year and provides a few specific tips for home and offices. Garber says, “It’s better to plan and not use the plan...than not to plan at all.”
The DVD is available for purchase on Intuitive Concepts' website.
Posted: March 3, 2010