I see the future...

There are a lot of people out there who don’t see solar products as a great future entity- especially in our industry. However I think solar products will have a significant effect and today 18,000 people on the floor of the Solar Power International show agreed with me. This trade show was jam packed, making me remember the days of the old Builders Shows that cramped the aisles. There is no question that a thirst for knowledge on the solar products exists and also no doubt that we as an industry are still working out the answers. Smart companies like Weaver’s Glass of Harrisburg, PA were on the floor doing research. Those folks are getting ahead of the curve. Anyway at the end of the day I believe this material will be in our world in some make or fashion, so get prepared….

Also the show was a throwback to better days too. Booth’s had giveaways and get this- SPOKESMODELS! There were professional spokesmodels everywhere (all the ones I talked to asked me if my brother was at the show…) and if anything shows that people are spending money, it’s a tradeshow stocked with spokesmodels. Something tells me in 2 weeks at GreenBuild we won’t see many professional models dressed up as sexy Royal Canadian Mounties (yes, seriously) on the floor, or else the green architects will probably have massive heart attacks.

Elsewhere…

-- Also on the floor at SPI, our pals from Solutia. What a great company but really the reason they are as good as they are is they have easily some of the best people around. They are like an all-star team over there. Also I was going to stop in at Cardinal’s booth but was afraid there might be my picture on the wall saying “Do not talk to this blogger”

-- Oh and comically, the show being held AFTER this Solar show is the “Disaster Prevention” show. Man isn’t that what we all do daily anymore? Maybe I should stay for that and I can lead a seminar.

-- URGENT! GANA is doing a free webinar on November 4th to update you on the world of code changes within ASTM and ASHRAE and so on. It’s scheduled for an hour and quite frankly it’s a must. Get up to speed from the experts and sign up for the webinar now. You can reserve your seat at the meeting by clicking HERE. If you are in this business, then you NEED to know what’s going on with these codes because it WILL affect you.

-- By the way speaking of ASHRAE, I saw a poll on line about it- and the question was something along the lines of how do you think the ASHRAE moves will affect you. 51% said negatively, 2% said positively (they need their heads examined) and the rest basically did not know anything about it. So in simple terms it’s scary when ½ the industry doesn’t know what’s going on and the other half who goes is against it… yikes.

-- Speaking of scary, I really though Brett Favre was going to lead the Vikings to win vs. the Steelers late in the game Sunday…

-- By the way folks, if you are doing your budgets for next year, please budget to be at BEC. I may have moved on (which is probably a good thing) as host, but the show will still be awesome. In fact I have every confidence that my good friend Henry Taylor of Kawneer has an incredible conference lined up. Add in the networking- which is a must during tougher times- and you have an event not to be missed.

-- Cool thing to look at… check out this link.. it’s a glass spec from 1910! Somehow I think there are still a few architects that are using it… or only updated it to add Spectrum, Interpane and Polarpane as suppliers…

-- One final note on Solar… a great blog item HERE on the differences on doing solar business in California and Texas… Shockingly (sarcasm intended) Texas is better!!! Yep, a state that is not over regulated and over wrought is better for things… stunner… I hate to bag on California but my bitterness comes from the NFRC and California and the desire to bring California over-regulation to the rest of the world… and just curious what state is healthier now economy wise? Job wise? Hmmmmmmm (disclosure, I have always been partial to Texas anyway- big fan of many people there- but wow when you do the comparisons, Texas surely does rule)

Off to the links…

The hardest working chick in the business is back with more cool links…. “Link Chick” take it away..

-- Yep, the Chinese drywall issue took another turn… now insurance companies will cover…

-- Losing a big soccer game because of a beach ball on the field?

-- If being 5’10” and 120 pounds is overweight… my gosh I can’t even think of the term they’d use for me… anyway this model got fired for somehow being “overweight”…wrong…

Video of the Week:

Last week was the awesome hockey goal… this week it’s a very cool, and VERY long soccer goal… check it out…


SMU Freshman hits 95-yard Soccer Goal @ Yahoo! Video