The Green X-Ray Hous€r acommunity affair

fN PAST columns. we talked about importance of communitY involvement, networking with green building leaders, and making sure the local municipal green building folks know who you are. This strategy costs virtually nothing and can only lead to good things-sometimes even spectacular things.

Nothing exemplifies this better than Beronio Lumber's involvement in an exciting little project that put an otherwise unremarkable little town in Northern California on the green building map.

South San Francisco is an industrial suburb of San Francisco, whose fortunes waned with the outflow of manufacturing and airline jobs over the years. Recently, city leaders had a vision to promote green building, community development, and the city's attractiveness to potential new residents, and it all came together around a single project. The city owns several rental properties and decided to transform one of them, a modest three-bedroom bungalow, into a showcase called the Green X-RaY House (see their website at www.greenxrayhouse.com.)

While the focal point of the project is the house, the real story is about the community that came together to make it happen. The action started this past summer, when South San Francisco's Economic & CommunitY Development Department started the Sustainability Center, a multi-use facility housing several green businesses. The city then convinced the Green Building Exchange-which provides a central location for green building education for builders, architects and homeowners-to ioin the new center.

Beronio Lumber has a Permanent display at the exchange, which it installed when it started building relationships with green building-related organizations a couple of years ago. When conversations began about what to do with the vacant property, the city consulted with the Green Building Exchangewhich immediatelY brought Beronio Lumber into the process. Thus, the Green X-RaY House was born.

The concept was simple: remodel the house with lots of green features to demonstrate how easy a modest green makeover could be. Beronio Lumber provided decking materials, FSC-certified flooring, moulding, and window and door casings, as well as the windows and doors. Meanwhile, the folks at Green Building Exchange talked up

By Jay Tompt

the project with other local firms-it seemed everyone wanted to be involved. The modest green makeover quickly became a vibrant community project. More than 19local firms participated, nearly all directly involved in the green building industry.

Local builder W.L. Taylor Construction managed the project. Local plastering company Get Plasteredl (yes, that's their name!) aPPlied American Clay, an interior Plaster product. The most surprising partner was Pepsico/Frito-Lay, whose business has nothing to do with green building. But as a local member of the community, the companY donated cash and more than 25 volunteers to work on the house over a weekend.

The Green X-Ray House is now a symbol for the neighborhood, not just as another green show house, but of what can happen when a communitY comes together to try to make a difference. Beronio Lumber created enormous community goodwill, as did other participants. Neighbors of the Green X-Ray House are thrilled because their property values went up a tick and their communitY got some positive recognition. Suddenly, South San Francisco is a green leader, with cities from around the country sending representatives to learn how this successful collaboration can be replicated in their communities.

- Jay Tompt is vice president of Sreen product development at Plan-It Hardware, San Francisco, Ca., which distributes green products for hardware and home improvement stores throughout California, and a leading expert in sustainable business and supply chain issues. He can be reached at info@plan-ithardware.com or (415) 359-9914.

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Grand Lumber Ca. held a Nov. 28 grand opening for its new lumberyard and home center in Belchertown, Ma., and selected Emery-Waterhous e, Portland, Me., as its primary supplier

James Lumber Co., Strongsville, Oh., unable to secure financing for the new year, closed after 56 years and auctioned off its remaining inventory and equipment Dec. 5 ...

_ Budget Build Lumber & Supply Co., Ferriday, Ms., has acqulied the town's vacant 41,000-iq. ft. former Walmart,to relocate into in February or March ...

- Begley Lumber, London, Ky., has temporarily shuttered its Hyden, Ky., yard until market conditions improve

Home Hardware Center has acquired the 10-acre Vidalia Shopping Center and will remodel one 23,000-sq. ft. building into a fqrger new home for its 20-yearold Vidalia, La., location ...

Central Michigan Lumber has closed its 123-year-old yard in Pinckney, Mi., and will serve the market from yards in Holly and Lansing, Mi. ...

Lowe's Cos. opened new stores Dec.29 in Tarboro, N.C.; Dec. 26 in Derby, Ct.; Pineville, La., and League City, Tx.; Dec. 19 in E. Kansas City, Mo.; Manchester Township, N.J.; Bastrop, Tx., and Emporia, Va., and Nov. 28 in Avon, Oh., and Ruckersville, Va. (Kevin Eggert, store mgr.)

Lowe's applied to build a home center on 50 acres in Monitor Township, Mi., and a 720,944-sq. ft. store with 31,383-sq. ft. gardeir center in S. Lubbock. Tx.

Menards has put on hold plans to build stores in Urbana.Il.. and at the Westland Mall in Columbus. oh....

Aubuchon Hardware shuttered its Au Sable Forks, N.Y., store Dec.8...

Green Depot, Brooklyn, N.Y., is qtglging with Greenmaker Supply, Chicago,Il.

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Tri-State Forest Products, Springfield, Oh., this month will open its 4th DC, on 30 acres in Edwardsburg, Mi., ...

West Fraser Timber has temporarily shuttered its sawmills in Citronelle, Al., and McDavid. Fl.. and cut the second shift at its Huttig, Ar., mill until market conditions improve

Levis Creek Forest Products. Black River Falls, Wi., endured heavy heat damage to one building in a Dec. 13 fire ].

, Ply Gem Industries is closing its door and window plants- in Hammonton, N.J., and Phoenix. 42....

. National Gypsum Co. is closing iE _wallboard plant in Wilmington-, N.C.,Jan. 19...

Temple - Inland ceased production of hardboard siding products at its _Diboll, Tx., fiberboard plant Dec. 5, but the facility will continue making soft board products ...

Reid & Wright Inc., Broomfield, C_o., is now distributing Fiber Composites' Fiberon decliing and railing in 10 central Midwest states, including northwest Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, western Nebraska, Oklahoma, western South Dakota, and Texas ...

TimberTecft , Wilmington, Oh., is now distributing DeckLite products ...

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Co.oper Supply Co'Lake City, Tn., lost its lumberyard in a Nov. 30 fire, but hoped'to reopen its retail store by late Decembei

Bailey's True Value Hardware, Sanibel, Fl., has completed a l0week remodeling ...

Harvey Building Products, Waltham, Ma., opened a 50,000sq. ft. DC in King of Prussia, pa., and is preparing to open a second warehouse and showroom in Southampton, Pa.

_ lllyqris Corp, is expanding its OSBMarket.com seivice into Florida

New websites: Lumber Timber Group Inc.,Winter Haven, Fl., www.lbrtimber.com .,.

J&S Hardware, Pretty Prairie, Ks., has closed after 108 years ...

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Home Depol opened a 146O00sq. ft. store Dec. I I in Hadley, Ma. (Steven D. Poulin, store mgr.), and scrapped plans for a new location in Waynesville, N.C.

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Listings are often submitted months in advance. Always vertfy dates aid locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.

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True Value Co. - Jan. 7-9, rental market, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, fl.; (773) 695-5000.

Mid-America Lumbermens Association - Jan. 8-9, Missouri state committee meeting, Columbia' Mo.; (800) 747-6529'

McCoy's Building Supply Centers - Jan.8'11' market, Galveston Island Convention Center, Galveston, Tx.; (512) 395-6644'

Material Handling Industry of America - Jan. 12-15, annual expo, McCormick Place South, Chicago' I1.; (70a) 676-1190'

Michigan Lumber & Building Materials Association - Jan. 14-15, Great Lakes Building Products Expo, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Mount Pleasant, Mi.; (517) 394-5225.

American Fence Association - Jan. 14-16, FenceTech & DeckTech, New Orleans, La.; (800) 822-4342.

Mid-America Lumbermens Association - Jan. 15-16, Kansas winter meeting, Lawrence, Ks.; (800) 747-6529.

Build, Remodel & Landscape Expos - Jan. 16'18' Atlanta' Ga.; Baltimore, Md.; Charleston, S'C.; Columbia, S.C.; Columbus' Oh.; (800) 314-&63.

Emery-Waterhouse Co. - Jan. 16-18, market, Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, R.I.; (2O7 ) 7 7 5 -23'l I'

Buttery Co. - Jan. 17-18, market, Belton, Tx.; (325) 24'l -4141 '

Monroe Hardware Co. - Jan. 17-18, dealer market, Cabamrs Events Center, Concord, N.C.; (704) 289-3121 '

Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association - Jan. 17'21, annual meeting, Dana Point, Ca.; (301) 230-25OL.

Do It Best Corp. - Jan. 18-20' winter market' Shingle Creek Resort Golf Club, Orlando, F1.; (260) 748-5300.

Northwestern Lumber Association - Jan. 18'20, building products expo, Sheraton Hotel, Bloomington, Mn.; (612) 544-6822'

International Builders Show - Jan- 2O-23, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 368-5242.

Florida Building Material Association - Jan. 21'23, winter education conference, St. Augustine, Fl.; (352) 383-0366.

Handy Ilardware Wholesale - Jan.22'A, market, George R' Brown Convention Center, Houston, Tx.; (800) 654-1480'

House-Hasson Hardware Co. - Jan. 22'24, market, Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville, Tn.; (865) 525-04'11.

Home & Garden Shows - Jan.23'25, Robstown, Tx.; Charlotte, N.C.: Savannah, Ga.; Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; (877) 663-6186.

Guardian Building Products - Jan.25'27, show, Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nv.; (8fl) 297-3498'

Northeast Window & Door Assn. - Jan.26'27, winter meeting & show, Trump Plaza, Atlantic City, N.J.; (609) 799-4900'

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National Associaiion of Wholesalers'Distributors - Jan. 27 -29' executive summit, Washington, D 'C.: (2O2) 872-0885.

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Surfaces - Feb.2.5, Las Vegas, Nv.; (972) 536-6358.

Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen's Association - Feb.4'5' convention & expo, Indianapolis, In.; (800) &0-4452.

Southern Building Material Assn. - Feb. 4'5, show, Showplace Convention Center, High Point, N.C.; (704) 376-1503.

Northeastern Retail Lumber Assn. - Feb. 4'6, annual expo' Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, Ma.; (800) 292-6752'

Mid S6uth Buitding Material Dealers Assn. - Feb.5'7, annual meeting & show, Sheraton, Baton Rouge, La.; (877) 828-3315'

Florida Hardware Co. - Feb.7'8, market, Ramada Celebration Resort, Kissimmee, Fl.; (800)'793-0926.

Illinois Lumber & Material Dealers Assn. - Feb. 9'11' expo' Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, I1.; (800) 252-8641.

Wisconsin Retail Lumber Association - Feb. 11'L2, convention, Wisconsin Dells, Wi; (262) 250-1835.