After two years of surplus, the solar industry is facing a looming shortage of photovoltaic panels. With installations expected to swell as much as 29 percent this year, the industry faces its first shortfall since 2006. When panels become scarce, customers placing the biggest orders are likely to be supplied, while smaller residential installations may have to wait, according to a solar industry financial analyst.
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Researchers recommend new homes have safe rooms for tornado survival
Researchers recommend that tornado-prone areas adopt more robust design standards similar to those used by coastal regions to help homes survive hurricanes.
Data & Research
New-home sales rise 6.4 percent in April
Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 6.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 433,000 units in April, according to data from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Data & Research
Builder confidence remains in holding pattern
Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes in May fell one point to 45 from a downwardly revised April reading of 46 on the Housing Market Index.
Data & Research
Buyers of National Green Building Standard homes satisfied with purchase
A new study conducted by GuildQuality shows that homeowners who purchased a National Green Building Standard-certified home in the past three years are happy they did.
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The rise of Pinterest
Given its strong emphasis on visuals, Pinterest might seem like a perfect fit for marketing new homes, but builders should be mindful of their larger marketing strategy before jumping on the Pinterest bandwagon.
Data & Research
Remodeling Market Index recedes slightly in second quarter
The second quarter results of the Remodeling Market Index (RMI) slipped under pressure from a softening labor market, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), dropping two points to 45.
Data & Research
Lexington homebuilders association first in U.S. to support energy rating index
The Home Builders Association of Lexington, KY., is the first U.S. builders association to support the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index.
Data & Research
Seattle leads top 10 high-tech U.S. metros
A new study from Richard Florida, co-founder and editor of The Atlantic Cities, examines the top high-tech metropolitan areas in the U.S.
Data & Research
10 cities with the fastest growth in wages
PayScale, a company that compiles information on employee salary data, released an index of how many times private-sector wages have changed since 2006.