Home Innovation Insights

Insider insights on what's going on in the home building industry.

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Chris Crowell
August 27, 2018

Shadow Costs: How Outdated Local Processes Stifle the True Solar Market

While PV technology has made considerable gains in terms of cost reduction and increased efficiency over the last decade, often the bureaucracy surrounding it has not. Government often gets credit for growing the solar market through subsidies, but this ignores regulatory hurdles in the way of project completion such as old timey zoning laws, overly burdensome permitting practices, and time-consuming interconnection policies. All of that sticky red tape can stifle PV growth. Check out this guest post from Solar Builder magazine to find out what's being done to overcome these obstacles.

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J. Michael Luzier
June 25, 2014

A 50-Year Legacy of Innovation

Having just marked our 50th year in business last week, it seems like a perfect time to look back on some of the key home building innovations our team has helped to gain acceptance in the mainstream by eliminating barriers to market penetration. While there's probably no one builder who uses all these innovations, I bet most builders use at least one on a regular basis. We're proud of that legacy.

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Michelle Foster
June 20, 2013

What is an NGBS Green Certified Product?

One of the barriers to green certified housing is the ability for architects, builders, and remodelers to find products that help their project attain certification. That's why Home Innovation Labs created our NGBS Green Certified Products Program. 

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Bob Hill, PE
June 13, 2013

Now's the Time to XYQ (Examine Your Quality)

The impending growth of the housing market will likely require builders and contractors to do some hiring. New staff means training and quality management challenges (and opportunities) ahead. Before the market shifts into full gear, now may be the best time to XYQ - examine your quality - to position yourself for the rebound.

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Thomas Kenney, PE
August 23, 2012

An Open Invitation to the Home Building Industry

Many know Home Innovation Research Labs for our product testing and certification marks, but here are some examples why we’re much more than just a pretty certification label. The invitation is open – get to know us!

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J. Michael Luzier
June 28, 2012

It Takes a Research Center

Moving new technologies into the marketplace is a difficult and daunting task. Usually, the risks are perceived by the private sector to be too excessive given the potential rewards, and opportunities to advance technologies aren’t pursued. That's where we come in.

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