Technology

What began quite innocently as a pet project turned into a national movement for Anders Lewendal, the Bozeman, Mont., builder who has since gained wide acclaim for constructing a house made entirely from U.S.-made products.

Initially, Lewendal set out to build an “efficient, affordable and environmentally healthy” home for a client whose daughter has cystic fibrosis. In researching the building materials and parts required for the project, Lewendal was struck with this idea: Why not go for all-American parts and materials.

Menards is considering a new store in a Springfield, Mo., shopping mall -- as long as it isn’t included in the development’s community improvement district (CID), according to an article in the Springfield News Leader.

A MiTek veteran urges dealers to leverage technology to separate themselves from the crowd.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, officially launching the International Year of the Forests on March 30, announced the USDA's strategy to promote the use of wood as a green building material.

"Wood has a vital role to play in meeting the growing demand for green building materials. Forest Service studies show that wood compares favorably with competing materials," said Vilsack, who laid out a three-part plan to address current green building practices. These strategies will include: