Work is under way on a project replacing blight with 3 houses for people of modest means. They’ve got the land and permits to build the homes and have already started digging. Officials recently began work on three affordable yet stylish houses on Patrick Street. Now they just need to find the homeowners……
Read the full article from the Orlando Sentinel (on February 28, 2008) by Amy C. Rippel
At the 2008 International Builders Show (IBS) in Orlando, Florida, Palm Harbor Homes received the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) first Energy Smart label. The label was placed on the electrical panel box of the Bimini on February 14. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Secretary Samuel W. Bodman placed the Energy Smart label on the box while attending the IBS show to launch the Department’s Builders Challenge. This challenge calls for builders to construct 220,000 high-performance, energy efficient homes by 2012.
The Bimini is rated at 57 HERS based on the Home Energy Rating System index developed by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). This 57 rating means that the home is 43% more energy efficient than the typical new home built today and, at 3,644 square feet, the home has an expected average bill of less than $150 per month for electricity and gas of less than $150 per month. In contrast an ENERGY STAR rated home has to only be 15% more efficient The home itself qualifies for National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Award at the Gold Level and is expected to receive its gold certificate once the home is secured on its permanent foundation and the lot is inspected.
The Bimini was built in the company’s Plant City, Florida, building center. It was one of three homes displayed in the 2008 IBS show by Palm Harbor Homes and Nationwide Custom Homes, a division of Palm Harbor Homes, Inc. Featured as the Green Home, the Bimini is a 3,644 square foot single-family home with three bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms demonstrating the latest in green design and products.
“As an ENERGY STAR partner since 1997 and a 2007 Partner of the Year, Palm Harbor Homes was honored to provide the Green Home for the Professional Builder’s Show Village. As a participant in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Builders Challenge, it meant a great deal to have U.S. Department of Energy’s Secretary Samuel W. Bodman tour our Nationwide home before launching the Builders Challenge and apply its first ever E-Scale sticker to the Bimini,” said Ron Powell, President of Manufacturing for Palm Harbor Homes, Inc. “Energy efficiency has always been an important part of the value proposition we provide to our Palm Harbor customers and our efforts to protect the environment.”
For information on the Department of Energy’s Builders Challenge for homeowners, homebuilders and prospective partners, visit: http://www.energy.gov
Click Here to send us a question about modular construction or tell us about your next project.
First day in the Show Village…
A walk around the Village
The Palazzo: Kitchen
The Palazzo: Master Bedroom
The Palazzo: Master Bathroom
The Palazzo: Great Room
The Palazzo: Media Room
The Palazzo: Wet Bar
See the IBS Show Homes video the day before the show opens. (Homes shown in the clip: Nationwide Custom Homes’ Palazzo, and Palm Harbor Homes’ Bimini and Glenn Cairn)
View our slideshow with more up-to-date IBS pictures
The 2008 International Builders’ Show will be in sunny Orlando, Florida from February 13 to 16. Come see us at the Professional Builder® Show Village!
Read the full article on Market Wire (Dec. 17, 2007).
[SOURCE: Michigan Manufactured Housing Association]
Michigan Manufactured Housing Association member Palm Harbor Homes has made strides to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the construction…
Strategy helps Hannibal Square keep its affordability…
Read the full article on Orlando Sentinel (Sep. 23, 2007) by Christopher Sherman.
Read the full article on Herald Tribune (Sep. 5, 2007) by Cathy Zollo about the success of Sarasota Signature Properties, one of Palm Harbor‘s building partners in Florida, in delivering custom, hurricane-resistant homes to customers in need.
DALLAS (March 5, 2007) – Palm Harbor Homes, Inc. (NASDAQ: PHHM) today announced that the Company has been named by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a 2007 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for its outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by building energy-efficient homes. The Company’s accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on March 21, 2007.
An ENERGY STAR partner since 1997, Palm Harbor is being honored for building homes that meet EPA’s strict guidelines for energy-efficiency. In January 2006, the Company was awarded the “Gold Energy Value Housing Award” from the National Association of Home Builders. ENERGY STAR qualified new homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling and water heating – homeowners can expect to save about $200-$400 annually on their utility bills. More than 500,000 families now live in ENERGY STAR qualified homes.
“We know that building energy efficient homes is a win for consumers and the environment.” said Larry Keener, Chairman and CEO. “Our homes offer comfort and reliability, all while saving our customers money and protecting the environment. Our partnership with ENERGY STAR is an important part of our value proposition to our customers.”
The 2007 Partner of the Year Awards are given to a variety of organizations to recognize their contribution to the creation of energy-efficient homes. Homes that have earned the ENERGY STAR benefit the environment by providing homeowners with quiet and comfortable homes that save money on utility bills. Winners are selected from over 9,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.
Last year alone, Americans with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved $14 billion on their energy bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 25 million vehicles.
“Partners like Palm Harbor Homes are building a new generation of homes that reduce our impact on the environment,” said Bill Wehrum, acting assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “Each ENERGY STAR qualified new home prevents 4,500 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each year, while giving homeowners greater comfort and lower energy bills.”
Read full press release on palmharbor.com.
Building Habitats for Humanity
by Colin Carmichael, VCG Editor
Palm Harbor Homes works with a number of charities to better the lives of families in need. As a homebuilder, we are particularly proud of our associates’ work with Habitat for Humanity. This non-profit organization helps low-income families across the country to attain the dream of home ownership. By providing zero-interest mortgages and energy efficient dwellings, Habitat for Humanity has changed the lives of thousands of families forever.
Palm Harbor’s recent projects with Habitat for Humanity include “Home Builders Blitz 2006” and “DESIGNHabitat2.”
Habitat for Humanity and over 1,000 building professionals joined together June 5th-8th, 2006, to build more than 400 houses in 130 communities across the United States. 
Dubbed “Home Builders Blitz 2006,” the nationwide effort was the largest Home Builders Blitz ever sponsored by the nonprofit organization.
Palm Harbor participated in Home Builders Blitz 2006 in the northwest community of Salem, Oregon, alongside two site-built homebuilders: JDC Homes and Weiland Homes. Local organization The Faith Foundation donated land for the project. Habitat built three homes on the donated property. Millersburg, Oregon’s Regional Sales Manager, Curtis Richards, led efforts in donating a Palm Harbor home to Habitat for Humanity for use in the project.
This was the first time a manufactured home builder participated in this event in the Salem area. The local chapter of the NAHB and the two site-built homebuilders involved in the project initially voiced concern regarding a manufactured home builder being involved.
According to Curtis Richards, “Early on, the other site builders involved in the project seemed amused at our involvement. The attitude seemed to be that Palm Harbor was being humored by being included in the event. After visiting our building center, one of the builders commented that he was ‘blown away.’ Because they were building a tightly scripted Habitat plan and I had convinced Habitat to let us design and assemble a home of our choice and standards, the other two builders began to voice concerns that I might show them up. From that point, we worked together as equals with a lot of shared humor about how we were going to show up and plop our home on a foundation while they spend 5 hot days in the sun with a cast of thousands building their donated structures.”
Palm Harbor Millersburg has worked on with Habitat. In every instance, the subcontractors and suppliers have proved more than generous. Many area suppliers donated labor and materials to the Salem project. Over 100 volunteers donated their time and craftsmanship to build these beautiful homes in just five days. Cornerstone Building Company laid the foundation for all three homes. Pinnacle Transport donated transport of the Palm Harbor home. J&J Affordable Homes donated use of a crawler and transporter. Habitat for Humanity offers participating families “a hand-up, not a handout.” The homes are not giveaways. The Palm Harbor home appraised at about $150,000 and has been sold to a family in the Habitat program for $100,000. The new homeowners are responsible for monthly payments of about $500, which includes principle, taxes and insurance. Principle payments go into a revolving “Fund for Humanity” used to help additional families realize their dream of owning a home.
This year’s owner of the Palm Harbor-Millersburg home is a single-parent family of eight. In early July 2006, they moved out of their inadequate housing and into a 1230 square foot, 4 bedroom, 1.75 bathroom Palm Harbor home featuring excellent energy efficiency and a fully landscaped yard with cedar fencing. The home is a 49-foot custom model with a 6/12 roof pitch and 9-foot sidewalls.
Salem city officials joined the homebuilders and future homeowners at the pre-build kickoff celebration on May 31. Northwest Natural Gas sponsored a post-build celebration picnic on June 10 for all involved in the Salem project. All three homes were featured in the Home Builders Association of Marion and Polk Counties Salem Tour of Homes. It was the first time Habitat for Humanity homes were included in the tour.
The public reaction to the Palm Harbor home was outstanding. Curtis stated, “I worked the tour on two evenings and without exception, visitors were impressed with our product and how far our industry has come. We are entertaining conversations with both participating builders to play a role with them as a “mega subcontractor” for future projects in the area.”
As for his feelings about the project, Curtis added, “I believe all businesses involved with community projects should give back to the community. Partnering with the Home Builders Association of Marion and Polk Counties has been a wonderful experience. We’re all in the same business and they have such great enthusiasm for the project. For all of us, this has been a labor of joy.”
