PEX, (or cross-linked polyethylene tubing) is `legal’ for installation in homes and businesses in 49 States of the Union — but not in California. This despite the fact that the 2001 California Plumbing Code (CPC) listed PEX “as an acceptable material for domestic water piping,” (but didn’t approve it for installation). So do the International […]

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting the lovely Anna Lee today at Humboldt County’s new Alternative Building Center on 4th Street in Eureka.
She and Hector have done a grand job of making available a broad spectrum of green building products. From Ice Stone counter tops (a product with which I’m familiar) and Ultratouch Cotton […]

One of the inevitable consequences of our legal system is a reluctance to adopt technologies and building systems that are perceived as “new”. Most of the new technologies being deployed today are perceived as new not because they are, but because it has taken decades for them to begin to be accepted by builders. […]

Things in the glass world, they are a’changin’, according to Reed Construction Data!
Down in Florida the building codes are changing to require high impact-resistant   glass to be installed in both commercial   and residential buildings. Meanwhile, high energy efficient   glass is becoming a more common choice for both commercial and residential   builders.
Energy […]