After Successful Connected Home Pilot, Resideo Solutions now Available to all USAA Members Through its PERKS Program Resideo Technologies Inc. (NYSE: REZI), a leading global manufacturer and developer of technology-driven products and components that provide critical home comfort, energy management, and safety and security solutions, has been added to USAA’s PERKS program to help its Read more
Industry News
After Successful Connected Home Pilot, Resideo Solutions now Available to all USAA Members Through its PERKS Program
Resideo Technologies Inc. (NYSE: REZI), a leading global manufacturer and developer of technology-driven products and components that provide critical home comfort, energy management, and safety and security solutions, has been added to USAA’s PERKS program to help its members protect against water damage and optimize home efficiency. USAA members can purchase Resideo’s Honeywell Home smart thermostat and its First Alert® WiFi Water Leak & Freeze Detector at a discounted price through the PERKS program and eligible Homeowner policy holders can enroll those devices for a connected home discount.
“Resideo has been honored to help USAA Homeowner Policy Holders protect what matters most since 2018,” said Linsey Miller, Senior Vice President Business Development & Services at Resideo. “With our inclusion now in the PERKS program, we can provide all of USAA’s 13 million members with access to a safer, more comfortable and efficient home that can optimize resources. Our connected insights can help inform USAA’s ongoing analysis of property claim concerns, and together we can help pioneer the future of the insurance and connected home industries.”
In the U.S., water-damage claims are among the most filed residential property insurance claims and represent an estimated $26 Billion1 in damages for single-family homeowners. Previously, USAA offered Resideo’s WiFi Water Leak and Freeze Detectors to its Homeowners policy holders in select markets through its Connected Home Platform, a technology-enabled loss prevention program. The Water Leak and Freeze Detector is installed near appliances and if a leak is detected, the user is alerted. After the success of the initial program, USAA has extended the offerings to all USAA members, who can then control the comfort of their home and be informed of water leaks through the Resideo app.
“USAA is committed to providing industry-leading connected home devices to help our members in their everyday lives,” said Ryan Rist, USAA Assistant Vice President Innovation. “We have worked closely with Resideo Technologies to help launch USAA’s Connected Home Program so our members can adopt new protective technologies, like the First Alert WiFi Water Leak & Freeze Detector, to help secure their homes against water damage.”
Resideo’s Honeywell Home smart thermostat and First Alert WiFi Water Leak & Freeze Detector are now available to USAA PERKS members. USAA members can view additional products and discounts here.
1 Based on occupied housing, claim frequency and claim severity.
Interplay Learning, the leading provider of immersive skilled trades training, announced today a strategic training partnership with PipeDreams, an innovative, tech-forward home services provider. The collaboration with Interplay will accelerate PipeDreams’ ability to acquire, integrate, and grow new partnerships by offering tech-forward training, including hands-on 3D simulations. With a focus on building meaningful trade careers, this Read more
Interplay Learning, the leading provider of immersive skilled trades training, announced today a strategic training partnership with PipeDreams, an innovative, tech-forward home services provider. The collaboration with Interplay will accelerate PipeDreams’ ability to acquire, integrate, and grow new partnerships by offering tech-forward training, including hands-on 3D simulations. With a focus on building meaningful trade careers, this partnership will empower 100+ valued technicians of all levels with the tools to rapidly hone their technical skills, elevate safety standards, and reliably serve customers across partner companies.
One of the pivotal aspects of this collaboration is PipeDreams’ vision to establish an apprenticeship program through PipeDreams University, with Interplay’s online courses at its core. The training approach will encompass 3D simulations, videos, quizzes, and hands-on learning, providing PipeDreams’ technicians with a well-rounded and engaging educational experience with pathways to industry certifications like EPA 608 and NATE.
“Our commitment to developing our service team has been a driving force throughout my journey with the company,” said Grace Underdahl, Training Program Lead at PipeDreams. “We’re creating a holistic training platform that supports development in every role, from general managers to HVAC service technicians. Interplay Learning’s technology perfectly matches our vision to be technology-forward and empower our technicians in a safe and scalable format.”
Given the growing skills shortage, PipeDreams also sees Interplay’s training as a powerful recruitment tool. By making trade careers more accessible, they can attract more technicians eager to embark on a journey of learning and growth within their local markets.
Isabel Sopoglian, Head of Business Operations at PipeDreams, underlined the significance of training on company growth, stating, “Training is a key component of attracting and retaining our employees and increasing the quality of work we deliver. We want our employees to feel our investment in them. It’s a very important aspect of our growth, and our collaboration with Interplay Learning is crucial to this strategy.”
In addition to supporting recruitment and retention efforts, Underdahl and Sopoglian anticipate Interplay’s training to enhance existing operations, equipping technicians with more effective troubleshooting skills and improving ramp time and callbacks for new technicians.
“Interplay is proud to partner with PipeDreams, a mission-aligned company leading with technological innovation and transforming how training is done in the home services industry,” said Doug Donovan, CEO of Interplay Learning. “Our shared mission is to foster successful business partnerships and empower PipeDreams’ workforce with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in their careers.”
PipeDreams offers a range of residential HVAC and plumbing services through a growing partner network, including Albert Nahman Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling, Wighton’s Plumbing, Heating, & Air Conditioning, Perry Heating, Cooling, & Plumbing, TNT Home Services, Clout Home Services, Ace Pelizon Plumbing, Paso Robles Heating and Air and Plumbing the Bay.
Successware, a field service management software company for the home service industry, has introduced new eBook resources for plumbing, HVAC and electrical business owners. Available now at Successware.com under “Resources,” these eBooks contain valuable insights that educate business owners on getting the most out of their business software. From case studies to questions to ask and features to consider Read more
Successware, a field service management software company for the home service industry, has introduced new eBook resources for plumbing, HVAC and electrical business owners. Available now at Successware.com under “Resources,” these eBooks contain valuable insights that educate business owners on getting the most out of their business software. From case studies to questions to ask and features to consider, they provide actionable steps that will help business owners manage and grow their business.
“Today’s leaders in the home service contractor industry have many helpful tools to assist in making day-to-day operations more streamlined and efficient, but the choices involved in running a business can become overwhelming,” said Paul Carmody, President of Successware. “By sharing these eBook resources, Successware has distilled the most common questions and concerns into roadmaps that guide these business owners in their decision-making process. Our goal is to help them improve productivity, save time and increase revenue.”
Three eBooks currently available from Successware include:
- Benefits of Running Your Business in the Cloud – more and more of today’s business owners are ditching traditional self-hosting in favor of a cloud-based platform software. This eBook shares the benefits cloud-hosted software can provide such as efficiency, productivity and security, that can lead to increased revenue.
- Increase Top-Line Revenue by Digitizing Your Business – the world of technology is constantly evolving, and it’s easy to feel left behind. This eBook helps to explain making the jump from running your business on paper to running your business in a digital environment, so businesses can grow and scale like never before. It also features a case study from one of Successware’s largest customers in California and the steps they took to digitize their business.
- How to Choose the Right Field Service Management Software – many business owners are evaluating the different solutions available to them and trying to make the best decision for their business. This eBook covers the need for field service management software, initial steps to take before reaching out to software providers and what to consider when making that all-important selection.
Successware continues to post helpful articles on these topics and more on the company’s blog and will be publishing additional eBooks in the future geared to assist HVAC, electrical and plumbing business owners with their growth and success.
The 180,000-sq.-ft. plant in Shalersville, Ohio, will break ground in November 2023 and is expected to be operational in early 2025. Broomfield, Colo. — Viega recently announced that it will build a new manufacturing facility for its ProPress® and MegaPress® products in Shalersville, Ohio, about 40 miles southeast of Cleveland. Viega LLC President and CEO Read more
The 180,000-sq.-ft. plant in Shalersville, Ohio, will break ground in November 2023 and is expected to be operational in early 2025.
Broomfield, Colo. — Viega recently announced that it will build a new manufacturing facility for its ProPress® and MegaPress® products in Shalersville, Ohio, about 40 miles southeast of Cleveland. Viega LLC President and CEO Markus Brettschneider made the announcement.
“This is an exciting time at Viega, as our growth continues to prompt the expansion of our North American footprint,” said Markus Brettschneider, CEO and President of Viega LLC. “This new facility in Ohio, along with recent investments in our existing Kansas facility, further supports our growing demand and is part of Viega’s plan to increase North American production. We look forward to expanding our presence in this part of the country to further support our customers.”
The 80-acre parcel in Shalersville and the construction of the new plant represent an investment of approximately $200 million in Ohio. Viega’s business continues to grow in the U.S., and the additional plant will help support the increased demand for Viega products. It also aligns with the company’s sustainability goals, which include reducing the carbon emissions associated with importing products by manufacturing more items in the U.S. The new facility will be completely carbon neutral from the start, supporting the company’s long-term goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions for all their plants by 2035.
“The expansion of our operations into Ohio shows our commitment to creating highly skilled jobs in the U.S.,” said Marki Huston, Head of Manufacturing for Viega LLC. “Our goal is to build more sustainable manufacturing processes and continue developing tomorrow’s workforce. With production scheduled to begin in early 2025, we expect to start hiring for positions as soon as January 2024, bringing more than 68 new jobs to the area over the next few years.”
Viega recently announced investments in new equipment for its McPherson, Kansas, manufacturing and distribution facility. In addition, Viega supports its customers and partners through distribution centers in Reno, Nev. and Carlisle, Penn., with more North American expansion planned for 2024 and 2025.
Viega worked with local, regional, and state organizations, including Team NEO, JobsOhio, Portage Development Board and the Shalersville-Streetsboro Joint Economic Development District on tax credit assistance and to select the 80-acre site. “We have a great manufacturing legacy, dedicated talent pool, and future-oriented industry resources to support Viega’s new operations,” said Team NEO Chief Executive Bill Koehler. “Along with JobsOhio and our local partners, we welcome Viega to the Northeast Ohio Region. We are confident they will thrive here.”
Manufacturing and transportation projects drive gains Total construction starts rose 6% in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.3 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential starts rose 40% thanks to a large pickup in manufacturing and transportation buildings. Residential and nonbuilding starts fell 1% and 14%, respectively. Year-to-date through August 2023, total Read more
Manufacturing and transportation projects drive gains
Total construction starts rose 6% in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.3 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential starts rose 40% thanks to a large pickup in manufacturing and transportation buildings. Residential and nonbuilding starts fell 1% and 14%, respectively.
Year-to-date through August 2023, total construction starts were 5% below that of 2022. Residential and nonresidential starts were down 18% and 9%, respectively; however, nonbuilding starts were up 22%. For the 12 months ending August 2023, total construction starts were unchanged. Nonbuilding starts were 20% higher, and nonresidential building starts gained 6%. Conversely, on a 12-month rolling basis, residential starts posted a 17% decline overall.
“Despite the August gain, the construction sector is running uphill,” said Richard Branch, chief economist for Dodge Construction Network. “Fear of an imminent recession seems to have abated, which should provide a boost of confidence to the sector. However, higher interest rates, labor shortages and significantly tighter lending standards will weigh down starts in the final quarter of the year. This will persist for the foreseeable future, lasting until interest rates start to move lower.”
Nonbuilding
Nonbuilding construction starts lost ground in August, falling 14% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $380 billion. The decline follows a strong July which saw the start of a $12 billion LNG project. Nonbuilding starts increased 12% in August when excluding the utility/gas plant category, which fell 45% during the month. Miscellaneous nonbuilding starts shot 39% higher, and highway and bridge starts gained 19%. However, environmental public works starts shed 1%.
Year-to-date through August, nonbuilding starts gained 22%. Utility/gas plants rose 40%, and miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up 33%. Highway and bridge starts gained 13%, and environmental public works rose 17%.
For the 12 months ending August 2023, total nonbuilding starts were 20% higher than that of August 2022. Utility/gas plant and miscellaneous nonbuilding starts rose 23% and 30%, respectively. Highway and bridge starts were up 17%, and environmental public works rose 18% on a 12-month rolling sum basis.
The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in August were the $3.5 billion TransWest Transmission Project spanning Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and Nevada, the $2.9 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion projects in Port Sulphur, Louisiana, and the $1.5 billion New England Clean Energy Connect Power Line in Maine.
Nonresidential
Nonresidential building starts gained 40% in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $475 billion, largely due to a surge in manufacturing activity. Nonresidential building starts would have gained 24% when excluding these large manufacturing projects. Commercial starts rose 8% in August led by gains in parking structures and hotels, and institutional starts rose 35% with all sectors but dormitories increasing. Manufacturing starts rose 285% from July to August, fueled by two large projects. On a year-to-date basis through August, total nonresidential starts were 9% lower than that of 2022. Institutional starts gained 3%, while commercial and manufacturing starts fell 8% and 32%, respectively.
For the 12 months ending August 2023, total nonresidential building starts were 6% higher than that ending August 2022. Manufacturing starts were 2% higher. Institutional starts improved 8%, and commercial starts gained 6%.
The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in August were the $2.5 billion John Palmour Manufacturing Center for Silicon Carbide in Siler City, North Carolina, the $2 billion VinFast electrical vehicle plant in New Hill, North Carolina, and the $1.4 billion Midfield Satellite Concourse at Los Angeles International Airport in California.
Residential
Residential building starts fell 1% in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $418 billion. Single family starts gained 2%, while multifamily starts lost 5%. On a year-to-date basis through August 2023, total residential starts were down 18%. Single family starts were 21% lower, and multifamily starts were down 12%.
For the 12 months ending in August 2023, residential starts were 17% lower than in 2022. Single family starts were 23% lower, while multifamily starts were down 3% on a rolling 12-month basis.
The largest multifamily structures to break ground in August were the $530 million Hub on Campus mixed-use building in Knoxville, Tennessee, the $425 million 250 Water Street mixed-use tower in New York, New York, and the $340 million Ritz Carlton residences in North Palm Beach, Florida.
Regionally, total construction starts in August rose in the Midwest, South Atlantic and West regions, but fell in the South Central.
Watch Chief Economist Richard Branch discuss August Construction Starts here.