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The Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is pleased to announce that its inaugural day of service, IBTS L.O.V.E. (Locally Organized Volunteer Event) will take place tomorrow, May 17, 2017.

A coalition of Nevadans will be at the state legislature Tuesday afternoon to voice their opposition to proposed state water-law revisions that would make it easier to siphon groundwater away from rural Nevada, which could devastate local ecosystems and economies

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 55+ Housing Industry Council is now accepting applications for the 2018 Best of 55+ Housing Awards, which honor excellence in building design, marketing and lifestyle of housing for the mature adult. The awards also honor individual success by highlighting two 55+ Housing Industry Council members—one as Builder of the Year and one as Associate of the Year.

Pressured by the high cost of housing and other living expenses, 31 percent of American adults living in urban areas are "not too confident" or "not confident at all" of their ability to withstand a sudden financial emergency, according to the fourth annual NeighborWorks America consumer finance survey. In contrast, just 28 percent of rural adults and 25 percent of suburban residents reported a similar lack of confidence.

The strongest quarterly sales pace in exactly a decade put significant downward pressure on inventory levels and caused price growth to further accelerate during the first three months of 2017, according to the latest quarterly report by the National Association of Realtors®. Metro home prices have now accelerated for three consecutive quarters.

In a further sign that the housing market continues to strengthen, builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes rose two points in May to a level of 70 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This is the second highest HMI reading since the downturn.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Builder Applications Survey (BAS) data for April 2017 shows mortgage applications for new home purchases decreased 4.3 percent compared to April 2016. Compared to March 2017, applications decreased by 20 percent relative to the previous month. This change does not include any adjustment for typical seasonal patterns.

As Drinking Water Week concludes, the American Water Works Association and water professionals across North America are advocating for investment in the repair and replacement of local water infrastructure.

In response to Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Mel Watt’s testimony before Congress warning of a possible bailout of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) from the U.S. Department of Treasury and supporting retention of the GSEs' profits rather than turning them over to the U.S. Treasury, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s (NCRC) President and CEO John Taylor made the following statement.

When inventory is low, home prices tend to go up. Attempting to purchase a house in this type of market can make the already complex process of buying a home even more overwhelming. To help buyers successfully get through the buying process in a tight inventory market with as little stress and difficulty as possible, the National Association of Realtors® has these five suggestions and an infographic: https://www.nar.realtor/infographics/5-tips-for-buying-in-a-tight-market.

After a slip in business in 2015, the National Association of Realtors® Member Profile found that the income and sales volume of Realtor® members increased in 2016. The median gross income of Realtors® increased 8 percent in 2016 as the typical member had the highest number of transactions in recent years.

With a $2 trillion water and wastewater infrastructure challenge facing America, the American Water Works Association today applauded Congress for appropriating an additional $10 million

Mortgage applications increased 2.4 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 5, 2017.

Rising wages and moderating home prices offset a rise in mortgage interest rates to give housing affordability a slight boost in the first quarter of 2017, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI) released today.

The National Institute of Building Sciences Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) will host the fourth webinar in its 2017 series sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The free webinar, “Seismic Design of Composite Steel and Concrete Structures,” will be held Friday, June 2, 2017, from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET (11:00 am to 12:00 pm PT).

As Drinking Water Week continues, the American Water Works Association and water professionals across North America are encouraging households to identify and replace lead-based water pipes and plumbing.

The American Water Works Association and water professionals across North America are kicking off Drinking Water Week today with the theme “Your Water – To Know It Is To Love It”.

The Alliance to Save Energy honored King Mohammed VI of Morocco and U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, with EE Visionary Awards recognizing pioneering leadership in energy efficiency.

As an authoritative source of innovative solutions for the built environment, the Institute offers many continuing education opportunities for code officials and other members of the building industry to expand their awareness