According to the 2006 New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study, Centex was the highest-rated home builder among San Antonio buyers and Pulte Homes ranks highest in customer satisfaction in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Ferrovial makes M25 shortlist

Ferrovial, the Spanish construction group, is understood to have made the shortlist for the £5 billion widening of the M25. The group, which recently acquired Britain’s biggest airports, is believed to have teamed up with Amey, one of its UK subsidiaries, and the construction group Laing O’Rourke, to table a bid.

.

Hubbles Sees Galaxies Under Construction

October 14, 2006 -The latest image released from the Hubble Space Telescope shows a beautiful view of a large galaxy being assembled from a collection of small galaxies. The large galaxy, officially known as MRC 1138-262, but nicknamed the Spider Galaxy, contains dozens of smaller star-forming galaxies.

Its incredibly far away, 10.6 billion years, so we see it as it looked only 3 billion years after the Big Bang. These observations match commonly held theories about how small irregular galaxies merge together to form the larger structures we see today.

Images from NASAs Hubble Space Telescope have provided a dramatic glimpse of a large and massive galaxy under assembly by the merging of smaller, lighter galaxies.

Astrophysicists believe that this is the way galaxies grew in the young universe.

Demolition derby ebbs

The clank and growl of bulldozers may be slowing in America's teardown suburb of Hinsdale, but it isn't grinding to a halt.

After hitting a record last year, when 118 houses were torn down in the community, only 51 permits for demolition were issued in 2006 through the end of September, said Daniel Schoenberg, Hinsdale's director of community development.

"Clearly, teardowns this year have been slower," he said.

While construction of McMansions continues in the wealthy western suburb, buyers' appetites for megahouses have waned dramatically, said housing consultant Tracy Cross.

"Once the price of a house gets above $1.5 million, the number of buyers is getting very, very thin," said Cross, of Tracy Cross & Associates in Schaumburg.

DOE grant to help teach about energy efficient construction

Kentucky is receiving a grant from the United States' Department of Energy (DOE) to help teach builders and the public about the benefits of energy efficient buildings.The commonwealth will partner with the University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture to develop a program curriculum and the Cooperative Extension Service to help spread awareness of energy efficient buildings to the public, specifically homeowners. The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) will also help curriculum development and training.The application was for $485,731. A final award amount will be determined after the DOE negotiates and signs a final project agreement with the state. The University of Kentucky will also add an additional $140,933. The grand total of the project could be as high as $626,664 pending final contract negotiations with DOE.“This grant will help make Kentucky a leader in providing our citizens with better homes and buildings through education and technology," said Governor Ernie Fletcher.