Home size declines; buyers opt for single story

WASHINGTON – June 15, 2010 – The size of new single-family homes declined again in 2009, dropping to a nationwide average of 2,438 square feet, according to information about new home characteristics released recently by the U.S. Census Bureau (http://www.census.gov/const/www/charindex.html). For nearly 30 years, the average size of new U.S. homes increased, peaking at 2,521…

DOE Rule Change Could Ban Multiple Outlet Shower Systems

A newly issued draft interpretive rule from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that changes the definition of “shower heads” to “shower valves” has sparked significant concern among NAHB members, members of the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute and other groups. The problem is that this change in definition, which was published in the Federal Register on May 19, may conflict…