By Jeanna Smialek
June 17, 2013 10:15 AM EDT

Builders started work on 780,000 homes last year, a 28 percent increase from 2011 and the most in four years.

Confidence among U.S. homebuilders surged in June to the highest level in seven years, reflecting gains in sales as Americans rushed to take advantage of low mortgage rates.

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo index of builder sentiment rose 8 points, the biggest monthly increase since September 2002, to 52 during the month, the Washington-based group reported today. The reading, the highest since March 2006, exceeded all 50 forecasts in a Bloomberg survey in which the median was 45. Readings above 50 mean more respondents said conditions were good.

“Builders are experiencing some relief in the headwinds that are holding back a more robust recovery,” David Crowe, the group’s chief economist, said in a statement. “Today’s report is consistent with our forecast for a 29 percent increase in total housing starts this year.”

Low mortgage rates, a strengthening job market and limited inventories are benefiting builders including PulteGroup Inc. and Lennar Corp. as the housing market contributes to growth this year after emerging as a bright spot in 2012. Gains in housing will help the world’s largest economy move through a global slowdown that is hurting manufacturing.

A report today showed manufacturers in the New York region felt more optimistic in June even as orders, sales and employment dropped, indicating the area’s factories are looking beyond the current slowdown in growth.

Empire State

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s general economic gauge, known as the Empire State index, climbed to 7.8 this month, the highest reading since March, from minus 1.4 in May. Readings of greater than zero signal expansion in New York, northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut. The median projection in a Bloomberg survey of 51 economists called for a reading of zero.

Estimates in the Bloomberg survey for the homebuilder index ranged from 42 to 47. The index, first published in January 1985, averaged 54 in the five years leading to the recession that began in December 2007. It reached a record low of 8 in January 2009.

Builder shares rallied after the report. The Standard & Poor’s Supercomposite Homebuilding Index of 11 companies gained 2.4 percent. The S&P 500 index climbed 1 percent to 1,643.12 at 10:10 a.m. in New York.

The confidence survey asks builders to characterize sales as good, fair or poor and to gauge prospective buyers’ traffic. It also asks participants to assess the six-month outlook.

Sales Outlook

All three components of the homebuilder survey climbed to their highest levels since March 2006. The group’s gauge of the sales outlook for the next six months rose to 61 in June from 52.

Prospective-buyer traffic advanced to 40 this month from 33. An index of current single-family home sales increased to 56 in June from 48.

Builder confidence improved in three of the four U.S. regions. A gauge of sentiment in the Midwest increased to 57 in June, the highest in records dating back to 2004, from 44. In the South, it rose to 53 from 44, and climbed to 50 from 41 in the West. Confidence eased in the Northeast.

The recovery in housing is spreading beyond builders and benefiting companies such as Richardson, Texas-based Lennox International inc., a maker of furnaces and air conditioners.

“Over the last few years, it’s been tough to say that being in a business or an industry that’s tied closely to housing is a good thing,” Joseph W. Reitmeier, chief financial officer of Lennox International, said in a June 12 presentation. “We can actually say that now.”

Mortgage Rates

Inexpensive borrowing costs are helping to attract would-be homebuyers, while a recent pickup in mortgage rates could be spurring buyers to enter the market to avoid even higher costs. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage climbed to 3.98 percent, a 14-month high, in the second week of June, McLean, Virginia-based Freddie Mac said in a statement last week. Mortgage rates have risen for six straight weeks.

Builders started work on 780,000 homes last year, a 28 percent increase from 2011 and the most in four years. Figures tomorrow may show housing starts increased to a 950,000 annual pace in May from an 853,000 rate a month earlier, economists forecast the Commerce Department to report.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jeanna Smialek in Washington lwoellert@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net.

at the Virginia Housing Center in Glen Allen, VA.

Click here to register.

(This training is designed for both single family builders and multifamily developers – however, anyone is welcome to attend)

High performance builder and EarthCraft Board Member, Mark Waring of Bain-Waring Builders, shares with us his letter.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                     

Contact:  Stuart Raper, Director of External Affairs

EarthCraft Virginia

804-212-1943

Stuart.raper@earthcraftvirginia.org

10,000 Dwelling Units Certified in Virginia through the EarthCraft Multifamily Program

EarthCraft Virginia Reaches Milestone in Providing Residents with Energy Efficient, Affordable Homes

Richmond, VA – June 4, 2013 – More than 10,000 multifamily dwelling units representing 147 projects across the state of Virginia have earned EarthCraft certification through the Multifamily program, according to EarthCraft Virginia, the Richmond-based non-profit that administers the EarthCraft family of green building programs in the state. In reaching this milestone, Virginia leads the Southeast as the state with the highest number of EarthCraft certified multifamily units.

EarthCraft Multifamily is the country’s first multifamily-specific green building certification program. It addresses both new construction and renovation and serves market-rate and affordable developments. The result of an EarthCraft Multifamily certification is housing that is healthy and operationally cost effective, as well as energy, water and resource efficient. Since its launch in Virginia in 2006, 10,010 dwelling units have certified, 3,299 new construction, 6,711 renovation. Throughout the Southeast, there are more than 18,750 EarthCraft Multifamily certified units.

This achievement is the result of support from a variety of stakeholders, most importantly the builders, developers and investment partners who believe in the program and bring it to life. The success of the EarthCraft Multifamily program is also closely tied to the Virginia Housing Development Authority’s (VHDA) commitment to sustainable, affordable housing by incentivizing the use of the EarthCraft Multifamily Green Building Certification program as part of their Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program.

“VHDA chose EarthCraft as one of our QAP green building options because of the comprehensive guidance it makes available for developers of both single and multifamily affordable housing,” said Jim Chandler, VHDA Director of LIHTC Programs. “The certification process follows a checklist designed to verify that each EarthCraft development addresses site planning, energy efficient techniques and equipment, waste management, and indoor air quality. Any size or style of unit can achieve EarthCraft certification by meeting the flexible guidelines.”

“As a result of this program, 100% of VHDA’s competitive tax credit projects chose to certify under EarthCraft for the fourth year in a row,” Chandler adds. “Because 100% of developments are receiving competitive tax credits each year, that means approximately 2,000 additional EarthCraft-certified units are added to Virginia’s affordable housing stock each year.”

Today, EarthCraft Virginia celebrates the dedication of Virginia Supportive Housing’s Heron’s Landing, a 60-unit development in Chesapeake, VA that earned EarthCraft Virginia its 10,000^th certified multifamily dwelling unit. Designed by Community Design Studio and built by The Breeden Company, units in this permanent supportive housing development will use approximately 44% less energy than a standard, code-built home, significantly lowering energy bills.

“Virginia Supportive Housing and EarthCraft Virginia share common goals for energy, water and resource efficiency, durability, and enhanced indoor air quality, all key factors in achieving a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle for our formerly homeless clients,” said Alice Tousignant, Virginia Supportive Housing’s Executive Director. “We congratulate EarthCraft Virginia on certifying over 10,000 multifamily units in Virginia and thank EarthCraft for guidance and support on our most recent collaboration. We look forward to developing more EarthCraft-certified permanent supportive housing for the homeless.”

“Reaching the 10,000 multifamily unit milestone would never have been possible without the hard work of all of our building partners,” says KC McGurren, Executive Director of EarthCraft Virginia. “Together, we have delivered multifamily projects with an average of 33% energy savings over code for new construction and 42% energy savings from pre-existing conditions. Not only do these projects consistently generate higher tenant demand and greater return on investment for the developer, but residents experience reduced utility bills and greater comfort. We are pleased that so many families are already enjoying these healthy, affordable, high performing homes, and we look forward to introducing many more to the ‘EarthCraft Home’ experience.”

About EarthCraft Virginia

EarthCraft Virginia, a 501c3 non-profit, was established in 2006 in partnership with the Home Builders Association of Virginia and Southface Energy Institute with assistance from the Virginia Community Development Corporation. The organization strives to advance sustainable, affordable, resource and energy efficient construction through education and technical support. EarthCraft Virginia’s partners include Southface Energy Institute, the Home Builders Association of Virginia, Habitat for Humanity of Virginia, and Virginia Housing Development Authority.

About EarthCraft

EarthCraft, originally founded in 1999 by non-profit Southface and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, is a green building certification program designed to address climate, energy and water issues unique to the southeastern United States.  Administered by EarthCraft Virginia within the state, EarthCraft serves as a blueprint for energy and resource efficient single family homes, multifamily structures, renovation projects, community developments and light-commercial buildings. Throughout the Southeast, the program has certified over 8,250 homes and 18,750 multifamily dwelling units.

For more information on EarthCraft Virginia or EarthCraft, please visit www.earthcraftvirginia.org and www.earthcraft.org.

#              #              #

Click here for this short video.

BY HOLLY PRESTIDGE
Richmond Times-Dispatch | Posted: Sunday, April 21, 2013 12:00 am

Julian and Alex Moya eagerly grabbed handfuls of dirt and began filling their hand-painted plant boxes.

When asked what sorts of plants they’d like to grow in them, Julian, 5, asked for a tomato plant, while his brother, 6, chose a pepper plant.

The dirt and plants were courtesy of Backyard Farmers, a Richmond-based eco-friendly services company.

The boys’ mother, Wendy Moya, said her family lives in an apartment at the moment but soon will be moving to a home in Richmond’s North Side — where her sons can plant all the vegetables they can eat.

The Moyas were among thousands of folks who spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Earth Day festivals in the city.

The RVA Earth Day Festival, now in its fourth year, took place in the Manchester area of the city, from Plant Zero to Fourth Street.

More than 6,000 people visited last year, and organizers estimated at least that many Saturday.

Food vendors sold locally sourced fresh food on compostable dinnerware. A variety of others offered advice on everything from compost and rain barrels to making homes more energy-efficient.

Ethan Seltzer, founder and executive director of locally based Energy Cycle, ran a booth Saturday featuring pedal-powered phone-charging stations.

Anyone needing to recharge a cellphone was able to do it — if they were willing to hop on a bicycle.

His company, he said, educates the public about energy conservation.

“We want people to get on bikes and understand how much energy it takes to produce electricity,” he said. For example, adults pedal about 100 watts per hour and that intensity produces about 21/2 minutes of electricity for your standard electric oven.  In other words, “that wouldn’t even heat it up.”

Across the river at the 17th Street Farmers’ Market, the Richmond Earth Day Festival featured more vendors, food and entertainment.

EarthCraft Virgnia Executive Director KC McGurren spent the day talking with folks about the nonprofit’s services.

This Saturday, April 20th 2013, EarthCraft Virginia will be at Earth Day in Richmond, Virginia.  Check out our featured commercial for more information.  Come by our booth to find out about everything we have going on and to enter in our raffle.  It’s a great prize; you won’t want to pass it up!