JOHN COLLINS JOINS COMMERCIAL ROOFING & WATERPROOFING HAWAII

(Honolulu, HI) – Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing Hawaii, Inc. (CRW) has hired John Collins as a Project Managing Estimator.   In this position, he will be responsible for estimating the scope and cost for their client’s public, military and private roofing projects.   He brings with him over 40 years of large-scale commercial roofing experience, 90% of which were spent working for the top 15 RSI roofing contractors.  Prior to joining CRW, Collins was the Hawaiian Operations Manager for WEBCO Construction.

Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing Hawaii, Inc. is a full-service roofing and waterproofing contractor with 75 employees and operations in Hawaii, Guam and the

Philippines.  They cover the full spectrum of roofing and waterproofing, having installed nearly every kind of system from the purely functional to assemblies that are highly visible and aesthetically pleasing.  CRW is highly involved with ‘Sustainability Initiatives,’ and through their partnerships with a strategic alliance of a family of companies, provides a multitude of technologically advanced clean energy systems and efficient products to reduce carbon footprints, including solar reflective specialty coatings, and a new generation of technologically advanced PV energy systems.

When an O’ahu family lost their home to an electrical fire last March, the last thing they were thinking about was going green. But when the dust settled and the smoke cleared, the family (unnamed to the press) decided to take this negative and turn it into a positive. With an undisclosed insurance payout, the family decided to rebuild to National Green Building Standards, installing cutting-edge green innovations throughout the new home. The finished product, unveiled in January, shows how Hawaii contractors are going green. And they are shouting it from the rooftops.

The builders responsible are Kailua-based Bossert Builders, Hawaii contractors dedicated to building green and keeping costs low. The new 3,600-square-foot house features a solar hot water system (mandated by the state), rainwater reclamation for lawn and garden watering, and Energy Star-rated CertainTeed Landmark Solaris reflective shingles. The solar hot water system combines the power of the sun with a strategic Hawaii roofing system to heat the home’s water without the use of a bulky, wasteful water heater. The cool roof reduces temperature by as much as 20% compared to traditional Hawaii roofing.

Of course, green home-building goes beyond the roof. With massive walls of windows, ceiling fans in every room and an open floor plan, the house is designed to take optimum advantage of the natural beauty of the island–its hot sun and soft breezes–negating the need for heating, cooling, or other HVAC equipment.

But while building a house starts with a strong foundation, powering a house with the power of green energy starts one place: the roof. A strong roof, complete with solar panel systems, green roof accents and, of course, regularly-scheduled Hawaii roof repair, you can build a beautiful home to respect a beautiful island.

For more information on this revolutionary green-certified dwelling, click here.

New Study Proves That PV Installations Contribute ‘Sizable’ Value To Home

in News Departments > New & Noteworthy

by SI Staff on Tuesday 26 April 2011

Homes with solar PV systems sell for a premium over homes without solar installations, according to new research by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Although the premise that installing PV will add valueto a home has long been promoted by installers and others in the industry, the new study – titled “An Analysis of the Effects of Residential Photovoltaic Energy Systems on Home Sales Prices in California” – confirms and quantifies this effect. According to the lab, this research is the first to empirically explore the existence and magnitude ofresidential PV sales price impacts across a large number of homes and over a wide geographic area. Over the past few years, an increasing number of homes with PV systems have sold, particularly in California, but relatively little research has been performed to estimate the impacts of those PV systems on home sales prices. Overall, the researchers found that homes with PV in California have sold for a premium, expressed in dollars per watt of installed PV, of approximately $3.9/W to $6.4/W. “These average sales price premiums appear to be comparable with the average investment that homeowners have made to install PV systems in California, and of course, homeowners also benefit from energy bill savings after PV system installation and prior to home sale,” says the report’s lead author, Ben Hoen, a researcher at Berkeley Lab. The $3.9/W-to-$6.4/W increase corresponds to an average home sales price premium of approximately $17,000 for a relatively new 3.1 kW PV system (the average size of PV systems in the Berkeley Lab data set), and compares to an average investment that homeowners have made to install PV systems in California of approximately $5/W over the 2001-2009 period. “This is a sizable effect,” says Ryan Wiser, a Berkeley Lab scientist and co-author. “This research might influence the decisions of homeowners considering installing a PV system and of home buyers considering buying a home with PV already installed. Even new-home builders that are contemplating PV as a component of their homes can benefit from this research.” The lab analyzed a dataset of more than 72,000 California homes that were sold between 2000 and mid-2009, approximately 2,000 of which had a PV system at the time of sale. The research controlled for a large number of factors that might influence results, such as housing market fluctuations, neighborhood effects, the age of the home, and the size of the home and the parcel on which it was located, the researchers note. The resulting premiums associated with PV systems were consistent across a large number of model specifications and robustness tests. The research also showed that, as PV systems age, the premium enjoyed at the time of home sale decreases. Additionally, existing homes with PV systems were found to have commanded a larger sales price premium than new homes with similarly sized PV systems. “One reason for the disparity between existing and new homes with PV might be that new-home builders also gain value from PV as a market differentiator that speeds the home sales process, a factor not analyzed in the Berkeley Lab study,” says Berkeley Lab researcher and co-author Peter Cappers. “More research is warranted to better understand these and related impacts.” The full report can be downloaded here. Photo credit: SolarCity

COMMERCIAL ROOFING & WATERPROOFING HAWAII HIRES CHIEF CORPORATE MARKETING DIRECTOR, EXPANDS TO FAMILY OPERATION

(Honolulu, HI) – Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing Hawaii, Inc. (CRW) has hired Dana Akasaki as the company’s Chief Corporate Marketing Director.   In this new position, Dana Akasaki will be responsible for overseeing the planning and development of the company’s marketing research, initiatives, materials, corporate imaging, and advertising activities.  She will also oversee the new business development and marketing communications staff, trade show product development, and marketing budget process.   She holds an MBA in marketing and entrepreneurship from Loyola Marymount and recently worked for a national fitness equipment manufacturer with sole distributorship across the U.S. mainland and international territories where she coordinated the firm’s various marketing functions including corporate and social media communication campaigns, and launched national online sales for clients, vendors, affiliates, dealers, and sales team staff.

Dana Akasaki now joins her sister, Candace Akasaki, who recently was named Assistant Comptroller and who is responsible for assisting all accounting functions, supervision of staff, and human resources for CRW.

Both Dana and Candace Akasaki will work alongside CRW’s Company President / CEO, Guy Akasaki.  Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing Hawaii, Inc. is a full-service roofing and waterproofing contractor with 75 employees and operations in Hawaii, Guam and the Philippines.  They cover the full spectrum of roofing and waterproofing, having installed nearly every kind of system from the purely functional to assemblies that are highly visible and aesthetically pleasing.  They are highly involved with ‘Sustainability Initiatives,’ and through their partnerships with other companies, provide a multitude of technologically advanced clean energy systems and efficient products to reduce carbon footprints, including solar reflective specialty coatings, and a new generation of technologically advanced PV energy systems.

NEW HIGHLY EFFICIENT AND AFFORDABLE STRATA BUILDING
BEING INTRODUCED TO GUAM.

(Honolulu, HI) – A building and design development group, Sustainable Energy Resource Solutions, LLC (SESR) will introduce a revolutionary composite building system called ‘Strata’ to Guam during the upcoming week of March 27 through April 2, 2011.  This system will be used to develop a new Strata home in Sagan Bonita, Guam and promises to be more affordable and environmentally sustainable compared to traditional constructed homes.

The new Strata composite building system home is made of expanded polystyrene, borax, sand, and a structural proprietary polymeric cementitious fibered coating.  It is earthquake resistant and capable of 3x’s the strength of the Northridge earthquake in California.  The Strata home will be fire, hurricane, and termite resistant, and is waterproof, soundproof, and has an insulation R-Value (R40 walls and R65 roof) which will provide a cooler interior.  According to SESR, Strata provides a turnkey solution for Guam’s harsh environment and will ultimately benefit Guam’s owner occupants with a lower monthly operating cost due to its energy efficient components.  The Strata composite building system is sustainable and can be used for residential or commercial use projects.

The SESR organization is comprised of Guy Akasaki, chairman, Felix Camacho, president/CEO and former Governor of Guam, Nassar Saebi, Inventor of Strata International, George Noguchi, regional technical vice president, and Francis Oda, the chairman/CEO of Group 70 International, an award-winning design firm of architects, planners, interior designers and asset managers.

SESR will move forward and develop an affordable 3-bedroom, 2-bath Strata model home with construction expected to begin in the second quarter of this year.  The computer-designed, analyzed and manufactured home with an all-composite material system will include the floor, roof and walls, and incorporate a design that is in unison with the Guam community.  Since a Strata home avoids traditional building methods and materials, completed construction will be faster.

According to SESR chairman Guy Akasaki, “We are very pleased and excited to bring the Strata development to Guam.  It is environmentally sensible and we feel privileged to provide a practical solution to ‘green’ construction.  Strata does not destroy the world’s forests and trees.  Instead, Strata is a highly-developed system that is 100% recyclable and non-toxic, and will provide the people of Guam energy efficient, sustainable green homes that they can afford.”   Strata also avoids deteriorating framing systems that come naturally with traditional wood-framed homes or rust that often accompanies steel-framed homes and buildings.   Since there are no traditional nuts, bolts, and beams, the building materials are light and can be renovated easily for future structural expansion or remodeling.

He went on to say, “Strata’s building material is advanced and designed to withstand Guam’s humid and tropical weather system.  Its insulation value is so high that it can provide homeowners the benefits of cooling their home naturally, thereby avoiding high air conditioning energy consumption.  Due to the nature of our composite system, a Strata structure has superior strength and also avoids water, mold, mildew, rodent, insect, and dust intrusion.”

The Strata home utilizes the Saebi Alternative Building System ™ (SABS), a multi-patented composite building system that utilizes Expanded Polystyrene as the core material for all structural components including the roof, walls, and floor.  The material is sprayed with a composite coating to create a building shell that meets or exceeds all testing protocols and load requirements.   Because of its patented analysis program, the composite accurately predicts the performance capability of a building shell utilizing any architectural design under any set of climatic conditions.  Because of its sustainable composite system, other benefits include lower operating and maintenance costs for architects, builders, and homeowners and allow faster construction building time and less expense.  Installation of SABS is easy to learn and construction is already underway in the United States and several developing countries.

To learn more about the benefits of Strata and the model home, please email us.

Section 179 Deduction

NEWS ALERT: Feb 25, 2011 Two congressional acts affecting Section 179 in a positive way for this 2011 tax year passed in late 2010 (The Tax Relief Act of 2010 and The Jobs Act of 2010). The newest changes are as follows:

The Section 179 Deduction limit was increased to $500,000. The total amount of equipment that can be purchased was increased to $2 million. This includes most new and used capital equipment, and also includes software.

The “Bonus Depreciation” was increased to 100% on qualified assets. However, this can be taken on new equipment only.

When applying these provisions, Section 179 is generally taken first, followed by Bonus Depreciation – unless the business has no taxable profit in 2011.

Also, many businesses find Section 179 Qualified Financing to be an attractive option in 2011.

Explanation

Section 179 for 2011 at a glance:

• 2011 Deduction Limit – $500,000 (up from $250k previously). Good on new and used equipment, including new software.
• 2011 Limit on equipment purchases – $2 Million Dollars (up from $800k previously).
• “Bonus” Depreciation – 100% (taken after the $500k deduction limit is reached). Note, bonus depreciation is only for new equipment. This can also be taken by businesses that exceed $2 million in capital equipment purchases.

The above is an overall, “simplified” view of the Section 179 Deduction for 2011. For more details on limits and qualifying equipment, as well as Section 179 Qualified Financing, please peruse this entire website.

An example of Section 179 at work:

(information from http://www.section179.org/section_179_deduction.html)

Questions on how you can take advantage of this? Contact us at 808.841.7246 or submit an inquiry online.

Sika Sarnafil selected Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing (CRW) of Hawaii in January as an elite level roofing contractor for the installation of its roofing systems. CRW is one of just 177 Sika Sarnafil elite roofing contractors in the United States.

Every Sika Sarnafil-approved contractor goes through a rigorous training and evaluation program to ensure that they meet Sika Sarnafil’s high standards. In addition, each contractor is evaluated and rated annually on a variety of technical and business criteria and classified into one of three categories – elite, alliance and general – with elite being the highest level of achievement.

“We are pleased to recognize Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing of Hawaii as a Sika Sarnafil elite roofing contractor,” says Brian Whelan, senior vice president of Sika Sarnafil. “Elite level roofing contractors are the best in the business, having demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to quality and the roofing industry.”
Sika Sarnafil provides thermoplastic, single-ply membranes for a wide range of roofing and plaza deck waterproofing applications. The company also is known for its membranes and systems that help building owners achieve a sustainable roofing solution.

(Honolulu, HI) – Candace Akasaki recently joined Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing Hawaii, Inc. (CRW) as their new Assistant Controller.  In this new position, she will be responsible for assisting all accounting functions and supervision of staff, including financial statement reporting, accounts payables and receivables, execution of audits, human resources, and payroll.  She will also manage the Company’s budget process, develop and maintain forecasts, safeguard the financial position of the organization, and provide accurate and timely financial reporting.

Prior to joining CRW, Akasaki was a senior accountant and licensed certified public accountant with Ernst & Young LLP, in the assurance practice for primarily technology clients in San Jose, California.

Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing Hawaii, Inc. is a full-service roofing and waterproofing contractor with 75 employees and operations in Hawaii, Guam and the Philippines.  They cover the full spectrum of roofing and waterproofing, having installed nearly every kind of system from the purely functional to assemblies that are highly visible and aesthetically pleasing.  They are highly involved with ‘Sustainability Initiatives,’ and through their partnerships with other companies, provide a multitude of technologically advanced clean energy systems and efficient products to reduce carbon footprints, including solar reflective specialty coatings, and a new generation of technologically advanced PV energy systems.

midweek mention

Japanese Cultural Center Of Hawaii Installs PV System

Guy Akasaki was recently interviewed by Jeff Bow, Executive Coach in a recent series of visionary leaders in the business realm sharing their experience and insight.

Part 1 (of 3)

Part 2 (of 3)

Part 3 (of 3)

Visit his website here.