• New MN building and energy codes were released yesterday. Codes included a mandate for indoor sprinklers in new single-family homes over 4,500 sq. ft. Scroll down to learn more about our continued fight to remove them.
   
• Enter your home into the 2014 Reggie Awards by August 15th. Get the details at batc.org.
   
• The KARE 11 Backyard is complete! See the media coverage on our Parade of Homes YouTube channel. Or, come tour the backyard for youself during select hours during the Fall Parade of Homes.
   
• Our BATC Foundation wants your stuff for the Builders' WareHouse Sale on October 11th and the Silent Auction on October 23rd. Contact Perri Graham to donate.
   
• Post your suggested fashion choices for the BIG Night on our Pinterest page.
   
• Out of 700 other NAHB associations nationwide, BATC ranks 7th largest.
   
• OSHA is increasing its enforcement actions on home building sites throughout the country. Learn more >>

Dayton Ignores Advice of Experts and Majority of Residents, Mandates Indoor Sprinklers in New Single-Family Homes

Rejecting the advice of the state-appointed Residential Code Advisory Committee and multiple bipartisan legislative efforts to block its implementation, Governor Mark Dayton included a home indoor sprinkler system mandate for many new homes as part of an otherwise relatively controversy-free update to the state’s building code that was released today. Read more in our BATC Newsroom >>

BATC University to Offer Building and Energy Code Courses
The first code update in six years will require education and updates – BATC University has you covered! With the new codes set to be enforced in January 2015, BATC U will offer code update classes on both the International Residential Code and the Energy Code. Learn more here >>

Sprinkler Fight Continues
The code is set to be effective in January 2015, BATC is not done fighting this costly and unnecessary mandate. This policy figures to be an item of interest in the November elections and legislators have already expressed a desire to re-visit this in the 2015 legislative session. BATC will continue to attempt to elevate discussion around this issue and to encourage lawmakers to repeal the unnecessary mandate.

What Can you Do to Help? 
We need Legislators to help us repeal this mandate. Contact your legislator and tell them to support the repeal of the sprinkler mandate. Your House member is running for office – ask them where they stand on this issue and direct them to nosprinklermandatemn.org to get the facts on this unnecessary government mandate.

BATC in partnership with the University of North Dakota Environmental Training Institute is offering four-hour Lead Renovator Refresher courses and eight-hour Lead Renovator Initial courses.

Lead Renovator Refresher Courses will be held October 2014 through June 2015. EPA lead renovation certifications expire every five years. Be aware of your expiration date.

Lead Renovator Initial Courses will be held on February 4th and April 8th, 2015.
These courses qualify for Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry continuing education credits (8-hours Initial and 4-hours Refresher). Class sizes are limited! Register now at BATCUniversity.org.

"NAHB's Remodeling Market Index (RMI) rose three points to 56 in the second quarter of 2014; essentially reclaiming the territory it had lost during what was likely a weather-related dip in the first three months of the year." Keep reading >>

Our BATC Foundation is excited to announce their second project with Special Spaces, a Minneapolis non-profit that specializes in bedroom makeovers for kids with life threatening illnesses.

Five-year-old “Kate the Great” was diagnosed with Type 2 Pheiffer Syndrome at birth, a genetic mutation characterized by the premature fusion of skull bones. She has undergone more than 60 procedures, eight of which were major surgeries for facial, skull and tracheal reconstruction. Kate is mostly deaf, and communicates via sign language, yet is vocal and tries to sound out words. 

Kate goes to school with help from her sign language instructor, and plays sports with classmates. She loves girly things like Disney Princesses, fairies, dress up and tutus – but also loves the things her brothers do, like monster trucks, lacrosse and hockey. Kate’s dream bedroom makeover has been made possible by Bob Michels Construction, which sponsored Kate’s room and is serving as our Build Partner.

Look for new projects coming up this fall as the Foundation partners with Homeward Bound, an organization that provides group homes for children and adults. Next spring we will begin a project with Homes for Our Troops to build a specially adaptive home for SPC Marco Solt.

You can support these projects and others by participating in the BATC Foundation Golf Open, scheduled for September 23. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, Millennials aren't so different after all. They get a lot of flack for postponing marriage, living with parents and shying away from homeownership, but in reality millennials are "just responding rationally to their local housing markets." 

This chart shows just how much the housing market conditions the choices of young adults. In 2012 nearly 10% of millennials lived alone when housing conditions were easy, compared with only 6% when housing-market conditions were tough.

As millennials begin to place more confidence in the housing market, homeownership will rise. According to BMO Harris, 74 percent of millennials plan to purchase a home in the next five years, citing an increasing confidence in the housing market.

Minnesota is a great place to live and work. We rank #6 in the nation with an average state wealth of $100,850. Minnesotans also enjoy a median income of $56,954 and a High School graduation rate of 77 percent. Child poverty rates are also low in our state. According to TIME, Minnesota makes the list of top five best states for a child's well being, too.

July 30-31
Stormwater Practices Maintenance and Certification Course [more info]
August 5
BATC Open Golf Tournament [register]
August 14
Member Orientation [Contact Deb]
September 9
Sponsorship Luncheon [register]
September 23
BATC Foundation Golf Open [Register]
October 2014-June 2015
BATC-U Lead Recertification [register]
October 7
BATC Clay Shoot [Register]
October 11
Builders' Warehouse Sale [Contact Perri]
October 23
BIG Night [more info]
November 4
Election Day - VOTE
November 13
Member Orientation
November 13
Give to the Max Day
November 18
BATC BE Fast Forward Showroom Mixer [register]
December 4
BATC Buck Auction & Holiday Food Drive [more info]

For a complete list of events, visit our website at WWW.BATC.ORG.