2008 China Builder Practices Survey

Although uncertainties continue to mount about the duration of the U.S. housing market slowdown, China's residential boom is still moving ahead at full speed accounting for about 100 billion square feet per year. This represents a significant growth opportunity for North American manufacturers. To help manufacturers investigate this opportunity, the NAHB Research Center will launch its second China Builder Practices Survey this spring to gather data on the characteristics and volume of building materials used in new home construction for four representative Chinese metropolitan areas, including Beijing and Shanghai.

One of the Research Center's signature research projects — the Annual Builder Practices Survey — provides extensive data about the size, style, type, volume, and other characteristics relative to the materials used in new and existing American homes. This format serves as the basic blueprint for the China survey. The unbiased data collected in this study will allow product manufacturers to:

• Research the Chinese market’s need for new products
• Analyze trends to facilitate expansion into China
• Plan sales strategies for entering new markets
• Track quantities of building materials used in China
• Understand the purchasing trends that affect their businesses

Although the China survey is based on its American counterpart, the questions and processes are customized to the Chinese market and home builder activities. The Research Center's culturally-diverse staff, including native Chinese researchers, will conduct the study throughout 2008 working in conjunction with Chinese academics, architects, and construction engineers. The resulting data will be provided initially to project sponsors and then made available for sale to other interested building product manufacturers.

Economic growth is still very strong in China and provides a potential life raft for North American building material producers. This survey will shed light on the relatively untapped potential of China's burgeoning housing industry and may be just what manufacturers are looking for in the current market.

Don't let this opportunity pass you by. Manufacturers, suppliers, and industry groups interested in taking an active part in this survey effort should contact Ed Hudson, Director, Market Research Division, at (800) 638-8556, ext. 6305.