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2006 Media Releases & Alerts
NAHB Research Center Breaks Ground on State-of-the-Art Laboratory Testing and
Market Research Facility
Leading Product Testing and Certification Facility for the Residential
Construction Industry Expands; Promoting Innovation and Improved Services for
Builders and Building Product Manufacturers
September 06, 2006, Upper Marlboro, Md. - Construction of the NAHB
Research Center's new, state-of-the-art product testing laboratory and market
research facility kicked-off today with a groundbreaking ceremony held at its
Upper Marlboro, Md. campus. The event marks the beginning of a new era for the
firm which, as a wholly-owned subsidiary and independent research arm of the
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), has promoted housing technology
innovation to improve the quality, affordability, and durability of homes and
home building products for over 40 years. Completion of the new facility will
greatly enhance the services the Research Center provides for its public- and
private-sector clients, including its ability to conduct vital market research
for product manufacturers and builders, perform code conformity and quality
assurance testing, and explore innovative ways to improve the quality and
affordability of homes.
Participating in today's groundbreaking ceremony were David Pressly, NAHB
president, Don Pratt, chairman of the NAHB Research Center Board of Directors,
and Michael Luzier, NAHB Research Center president and CEO. NAHB leadership
addressed the importance of the Research Center and its work as a critical
component of the federation's overall housing mission; touting its strong
research capabilities as essential to developing new products, producing higher
quality homes, and ultimately improving quality of life for homebuyers.
The NAHB Research Center was founded in 1964 to integrate theory and practice in
home building. Over the years, the company has been the home building
industry's leading source for objective research, analysis, and information on
housing construction and development issues. And now, the Research Center has
made a significant investment in its future with this major expansion to keep
pace with the changing needs of the industry and support its growth as a
full-service building product commercialization consulting firm. The expansion
project includes the purchase of advanced testing equipment to broaden the
company's capabilities as an accredited test laboratory, quality assurance and
certified product listing agency. The two-story, 42,000 square-foot facility,
will triple the size of the existing laboratory and house the Research Center's
product testing and certification activities, as well as the majority of its
market research work.
New capabilities supported by the lab will include large-scale thermal testing,
acoustic performance testing, and two-story shear wall testing. Its increased
size will also facilitate testing and simulation of real-world conditions such
as wind-driven rain and wind-blown debris on whole-house models, which has not
been possible in the existing facility. In addition, nearly 1,000 square feet
of space will be dedicated to a sophisticated market research facility to
include an observation gallery overlooking the testing area; allowing real-time
observation of products in use for focus group sessions.
NAHB Research Center president Michael Luzier said constructing the new facility
is an essential part of the company's business strategy that will help to
leverage its unique position as an authority in the residential construction
industry, and result in greater offerings for the residential industry at
large. "The Research Center is a world-class organization recognized
internationally for its market research, product testing, and certification
services. The completion of our new facility will enable us to further
integrate our engineering and market research expertise and provide our clients
comprehensive product commercialization services to help them overcome the many
barriers to innovation in the home building industry," said Luzier.
The building contract for the new facility, designed by Rockville, Md. based
NSArchitects, was awarded to Gardiner and Gardiner General Contractors of
Crofton, Md. The Research Center's existing laboratory will continue to operate
during construction, which is scheduled for completion in May 2007. Ongoing
market research, product testing and certification programs include:
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Services for Manufacturers and Industry. The Research Center provides
proprietary and customized market research services, including roundtables,
focus groups and interviews to help building product manufacturers and other
industry professionals understand customer preferences. Annual Builder and
Consumer Practices surveys provide unparalleled data analysis for building
materials usage in new construction and remodeling. The Research Center also
performs independent third-party testing and quality assurance verification
services for building product manufacturers, assists with the development of
product performance criteria with model code groups, and is an ANSI-recognized
standards-writing agency. As a leading developer of prescriptive construction
methods for new building technologies, the Research Center also assesses the
durability of building products; investigating the entire spectrum of
influences from disasters to maintenance issues.
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Products and Systems Testing. The Research Center works with builders and
manufacturers to test the performance of products and subsystems used in homes
today, with both controlled laboratory tests and evaluation in the field. An
abbreviated list of testing capabilities includes assembly and component tests
such as axial load, shear wall testing, thermal R-value, 1.6 GPF toilets, and
water penetration and air leakage testing. The Research Center also conducts
standard material physical property tests of wood, steel, concrete, and
plastic.
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Product Certification. The Research Center laboratory certifies products to
nationally recognized standards. The NAHB Research Center certified seal
assures builders, code officials, and consumers that products meet or exceed
the applicable industry standards. Current product certification includes:
accessible products, light-gauge steel, plastic plumbing fixtures, OSB, solid
surface materials, and thermal insulation.
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Builder and Trade Contractor Certification. Through its National Housing Quality
Program, the NAHB Research Center has established quality assurance
requirements for builders and trade contractors to help these professionals
tightly control the construction process and improve customer satisfaction. NHQ
Certified companies have implemented a Research Center approved quality system
which is evaluated and audited annually.
The NAHB Research Center is recognized as a test laboratory, quality assurance
agency, and certified product listing agency by many building and plumbing code
agencies, and by national, state, and local code enforcement authorities. These
include: NIST; National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP);
International Accreditation Service (IAS); International Code Council (ICC);
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; International Association of
Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO); and the Recreation Vehicle Industry
Association among others. For more information on the NAHB Research Center's
full range of market research capabilities, laboratory testing, and
certification programs, visit www.nahbrc.org.
09/06
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