Spending by consumers on home improvement projects is expected to accelerate as the year progresses, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

Global insulation consumption is forecast to rise more than 5 percent annually to approximately 29 billion square meters of R-1 value in 2016, a substantial acceleration from the 2006-2011 rate, according to “World Insulation to 2016” from ReportsnReports.com.

September and October are always busy traveling months for those of us in the HVAC trade press. It makes sense as most associations hold their meetings during these months to get the highest attendance since this is typically one of HVAC’s shoulder seasons.

An improving housing market and record low interest rates are driving projections of strong gains in home improvement activity through the end of the year and into the first half of 2013, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

Housing starts in the United States rose by 6.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 760,000 units in June, according to newly released figures from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Census Bureau. This is the fastest pace of new home construction since October 2008.

Single-family housing production increased for a third consecutive month and builders pulled more permits for both single- and multifamily construction in May, according to the latest figures released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® released its 10th Annual State of the Builder Technology Market Study, which found installed home technology is strongly solidified in builders’ portfolios of services and offerings.

The 2012 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show (IBS), though downsized considerably from the glory days of new home construction, can still make a local home and garden spring show look like really small potatoes.

The list of housing markets showing measurable improvement expanded by 29 metro areas in February to include a total of 98 entries on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI). Thirty-six states are now represented by at least one metropolitan market on the list.