Builders Site Protection chosen as premiere distributor for EZ Cover concrete protection

With the increase in decorative concrete used for flooring in both commercial and residential construction, the demand for a new concrete protection has never been higher.  Now the option recommended by the concrete industry is available from Builders Site Protection.

Here's a recent press release that discusses the benefits of EZ Cover:
Builders Site Protection chosen as premiere distributor of EZ Cover concrete protection

Lowe's to Pay Record $500K Penalty Over Subs' Lead-Paint Rule Violations

EPA cites job practice and recordkeeping infractions by contractors that Lowe's uses

Lowe's Home Centers will pay a record $500,000 civil penalty to settle allegations that contractors it hired for home projects violated the federal Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting ( RRP) rule, the Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today.

The penalty--by far the largest ever imposed for an RRP violation--stems from investigations at 13 of Lowe's 1,700 stories nationwide in which EPA reviewed records from projects performed by companies working under contract to Lowe's. ( See details.)

"The government complaint alleged that Lowe’s failed to provide documentation showing that specific contractors had been certified by EPA, had been properly trained, had used lead-safe work practices, or had correctly used EPA-approved lead test kits at renovation sites," EPA said in a news release. "Additionally, EPA’s investigation found that Lowe’s had also failed to ensure that work areas had been properly contained and cleaned during renovations at three homes."   (see article for more)  http://www.remodeling.hw.net/business/regulations/lowes-to-pay-record-500k-penalty-over-subs-lead-paint-rule-violations

By Craig Webb, editor-in-chief of REMODELING

New Long-Term Protective Window Film Now Available from Builders Site Protection!

Builders Site Protection is now offering long-term Superior 1 Year protective window film. Superior Window Film can be left on for up to 365 days without risking adhesive transfer. It protects glass during painting, stucco application, construction, remodeling, demolition, and tenant improvement. It can be applied before or after window installation and allows windows to be open and closed to maximize worker comfort and provide adequate airflow. Superior Window Film is designed to save time and money! For more information about Superior Window Film visit www.buildsitepro.com.

EPA is cracking down on RRP violators

EPA Settles with, Fines 4 N.E. Firms for Lead-Paint Rule Violations

Fines ranged from $2,200 to $30,000

Four New England firms will pay penalties ranging from $2,200 to $30,000 to settle allegations they violated Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules for doing renovations that could disturb lead paint, the agency said in a news release April 15.

The news follows another recent settlement in which two firms paid fines totaling $14,455 to settle allegations involving a project in Maine, as well as EPA's announcement that it was sending letters to 200 home renovation and painting contractors in Connecticut about a planned "compliance assistance and enforcement initiative."

All these developments involving the EPA's four-year-old Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule, in which penalties of up $37,500 per day can be imposed on contractors who fail to take required measures designed to limit the disturbance and dissemination of lead paint. Such paint, which hasn't been allowed for home use since 1978, has been found to cause severe health hazards, particularly to infants, small children, and the elderly. 

Read more:

Complying with the RRP rules is easy using Builders Site Protection's popular Lead Ready Kit

This Tree-Inspired Skyscraper Sits On Top Of Streets And Sucks Up Pollution

When the L.A. freeway system was built in the 1940s and 1950s, the city saw the massive new roads as a magical solution for bad traffic. That clearly didn’t end up being the case, and the freeways also had the unintended consequences of splitting up neighborhoods and creating more poverty. In some other cities, aging freeways are being torn up and turned into surface streets or even parks. But what happens when a place like L.A. isn’t quite ready to give up existing infrastructure?

One somewhat improbable idea: Build another layer of the city over the roads, reconnecting neighborhoods by making it easier to walk. The Skyvillage design concept, proposed by a student at USC School of Architecture, is a skyscraper that would bridge over the 101-110 interchange near downtown L.A.

“It’s a really common problem for freeways to segregate communities instead of bringing people together,” says Ziwei Song, who developed the design as part of a studio class and recently won an honorable mention in the 2014 eVolo Skyscraper Competition. “Around the interchange, we found that there are four distinct cultures. If the freeway wasn’t there, it would be more united. That’s why we wanted to build something that could bring people from one side to the other.”

As the freeways stack up at the interchange, they also create a lot of wasted space--about 27 acres of land that can’t easily be used. This skyscraper, inspired by the shape of trees, would build on that space with several towers connected by branching floors. People could enter at the base of one tower, go upstairs, and cross to another neighborhood--from downtown to Chinatown, for example, or Echo Park to Temple Beaudry.

It’s not intended only to act as a bridge; the building itself is designed as a walkable neighborhood, so people living inside or nearby wouldn’t have to get in a car for everyday errands. Along with housing, offices, and a school, Song envisions restaurants, gyms, music clubs, shopping, and a park inside the skyscraper. “It’s a place for people from different social groups to interact,” she says.

The vertical towers supporting the building would be filled with air-filtering plants that are intended--at least in theory--to absorb some of the pollution from the nearby freeways.

More information: Author:  Adele Peters  http://www.fastcoexist.com/3028284/this-tree-inspired-skyscraper-sits-on-top-of-streets-and-sucks-up-pollution

"Walkability" Increasingly Important to New Home Buyers

According to a new article published in Builder Magazine, "walkability" is becoming more and more of an important factor for first-time home buyers.  "Walkability" refers to a home's proximity to grocery stores, schools, restaurants, shops, etc.  Millennials are a major driving force behind the new push for walkable neighborhoods both urban and suburban.  City planner Jeff Speck says in his latest book, Walkable City, "The biggest population bubble in the last fifty years want to live in places with excitement and buzz. ..if we're talking about new communities, the only answer is mixed-use and walkability."

Its not just millennials who appreciate walkable communities, however.  Their parents, the Baby Boomers, are also more interested in the concept.  As baby boomers get older, many are opting to live in places where they don't have to drive as much and can age in place.  For more information, check out the following article: Why Smart Builders Care About Walkability

Builders Site Protection Now Accepting 2014 Scholarship Applications

Builders Site Protection is now accepting applications for the 2014 Young Business Entrepreneur Scholarship.  The $1,000.00 scholarship is open to current high school seniors intent on pursuing degrees in business with the goal of starting their own business upon graduation.  The scholarship targets students seeking to start companies in the construction or remodeling industries.

To apply, visit Builders Site Protection's website and download the scholarship application form.  Applications may be submitted to: sales@buildsitepro.com or mailed to: PO Box 322, Bend, OR 97709.  Applications submitted after May 1, 2014 will not be considered.

For more information about the 2014 Young Business Entrepreneur Scholarship, check out Builders Site Protection's latest press release:

Surface Protection Provider, Builders Site Protection Now Accepting Applications for 2014 Young Business Entrepeneur Scholarship