Building Products News & TrendsJanuary/February 2008

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New Products

First Look: Clever Controls From Lutron

Did you know the human eye can't tell the difference between a light at 100 percent capacity and 85 percent capacity? Dimmer manufacturer Lutron is turning that factoid into pure energy savings and longer bulb life with its Skylark EcoDim dimmer. Designed to work with incandescent light bulbs, the dimmer limits light levels to a maximum of 90 percent of full capacity, reducing energy usage by 10 percent and doubling the life of the bulb, but without being noticeable to the homeowner, according to the company. The dimmer, which can dim lights down to 5 percent of full capacity, is priced at $27. 888-588-7661. www.lutron.com

Resources

Show Sessions

Heading to the International Builders' Show in February? Catch up on product and building trends with these attendee workshops:

• Greenwash vs. Green Integrity
  Pros will discuss green products and which products are helping the green movement versus hindering it.
• SIP Basics: How to Design and Build with Structural Insulated Panels
• The Formula for Success with Steel Framing
• Gen X Looking for Relaxed LivingThe time-starved younger generation is looking for bathroom sanctuaries and other living-themed rooms.
• Enthusiasm at the Curb
  An overview of the dynamics of exterior elements that draw buyers in
• Consumer Preferences 2008

What's New In

Exterior Color

The best color to paint home exteriors in 2008? Any color you like, as long as it's dark, deep, and rich.

That's the word from The Color People, a Denver-based building industry consulting firm.

"People are responding to colors that you wouldn't expect, like dark blue-gray, dark green, old dark barn red — not bright lighthouse red," says James Martin, the firm's owner and a past officer of the Color Marketing Group. "This whole beige house thing is so dead."

Shutters, shingles, and siding, Martin says, already are darkening, especially on stone and brick houses. "A dark-colored house feels so much more solid," says Martin, who advises builders to use color as a marketing tool. "Particularly now that the market has gone soft, we want a feeling that the house is built well, will last, and will nurture our family."

What's on the way out for exteriors, says Martin, are whites, beiges, and primary colors. Builders, he says, shouldn't shy away from experimenting with off-hues of traditional greens, like rich olives and blue-greens, and blackened shades of blues."The trick," says Martin, "is some subtlety."

Overheard

"These green products simply offer better quality, quality in health as well as performance and longevity. They aren't political products —they're just good products."