Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

MICHAEL FORBES

The "silver tsunami" washing over New Zealand is set to triple in size over the next four decades.

Population figures released by Statistics New Zealand yesterday revealed those aged over 80 were the fastest-growing age group, and numbers would exceed more than 500,000 by 2050, compared with 160,000 now.

The 80-plus age group is growing at about twice the rate of those aged over 65, and about four times the rate of the total population 20 years ago.

One out of every seven New Zealanders, or 605,800 of us, is now over 65. Last year, there were only 582,700 in that age group, and half a century ago, only 200,000.

Gaynor Duff, interim national director for Alzheimer's New Zealand, said age-related illnesses such as dementia were expected to increase to "epidemic" proportions as the population aged.

Today there were about 44,000 recorded cases of dementia in New Zealand. That number was set to double every 20 years to an estimated 146,699 cases in 2050, she said.

"Currently around half of all New Zealanders with dementia live with family carers, many of whom are providing around-the-clock care with little or no government support."

There was already a worrying shortage of dementia beds and a "huge" lack of funded community services of people with dementia and their carers in this country, Ms Duff said.

Grey Power national president Roy Reid said the latest population figures were yet another reminder that the Government should be thinking seriously about the sustainability of superannuation.

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80-plus age group the fastest growing

VOL. 127 | NO. 95 | Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The blue banner that hung until recently at the curved atrium at Cooper Street and Madison Avenue and read Returning in 2012 will soon ring true for Overton Square and its developer, Loeb Properties Inc.

In the coming months and years, the firm will invest about $20 million to revive the arts and entertainment districts footprint to about 115,000 square feet. Loeb is expected to close on nine acres near the Cooper-Madison intersection from its Colorado owners by mid-June.

Loebs plan, first and foremost, is to redesign seven existing buildings on the north and south sides of Madison.

This is 2012, we want to lease this stuff up and have it open by the end of the year, said Bob Loeb, CEO of Loeb Properties. The north side of the road will be leased and hopefully open, 100-percent occupied by the end of the year.

Loeb announced its first lease for the Square two weeks ago with the signing of Local Gastropub in the space that housed Yosemites Sams for nearly 40 years at 2126 Madison. Yosemite Sams was the longest-running existing business in the Square before closing its doors last August. Local will have a patio on the north side of its 6,000-square-foot, two-story building.

Moving westward from the Cooper-Madison intersection, Loeb is in discussions with Boscos Squared about an expansion and enclosure of its patio.

Boscos wants to enclose their patio so itll be year-round, and they want to increase their brewing capacity, Loeb said.

The next two adjoining spaces west and only spaces left to fill this year are the gingerbread house next to the old Paulettes restaurant, as well as the old Paulettes at 2110 Madison. Loeb hopes to fill the house with a coffee shop and breakfast provider because thats what it looks like.

Loeb said his company has a couple of prospects it's working for the actual Paulettes space, and there are plans for an eastside patio. The restaurants parking will be enhanced, as well as the addition of a grass courtyard, because we want people out on the street, Loeb said.

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Loeb Makes Progress on Square Plan

He was loyal and compassionate and tough, a teacher and counselor and promoter, one of the rare who influenced so many in a positive way.

Those words describe the late Jim Hunter, who, yes, in his younger days, walked on the wild side, too.

But more than nouns or adjectives or verbs can say, he was Darlington.

Yes, that Darlington, the race track that annually stages one of the states oldest and most captivating sports spectacles.

The timing is perfect: Another Southern 500, this one the first sponsored by Bojangles, unfolded Saturday night at Darlington Jim Hunters Darlington and 48 hours later he will be among the inductees into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in ceremonies tonight.

The two are entwined; if Jim Hunter had not come along at the pivotal point in the raceways history, stock-car racings first super-speedway which staged the first Southern 500 in 1950 would almost certainly be gone with the wind.

But like the cavalry in a John Wayne western, Hunter rode to the rescue of the track he fell in love with while listen to radio reports of races at his boyhood home in North Charleston.

Put it this way, said Mac Josey, the tracks vice-president and general manager: Jim gave this place a second chance on life. He was the key to keeping the track open. We wouldnt be here (on race weekend) without him.

His track-saving work represents only the tip of his contributions to the racing world, said NASCAR vice-president of competition Robin Pemberton, who noted, Theres not a life in the garage that he has not touched.

Those touches could be one-on-one sessions or the trickle-down result of conversations with others, but he always delivered the message in his special way to young and old alike.

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Inductee Hunter: ‘He was Darlington’

Hesters Abbey Floorcoverings installers attend training session

Hesters Abbey Floorcoverings announced that Tom Partin and Dennis Kozlowski recently returned from Karastan carpet installation training in Tampa. The training, which was open to all floor covering installers in Florida, was conducted by Karastans master trainer Jim Walker. The two-day training required Partin and Kozlowski to commit time and money toward their professional education. While each of them has significant past experience, with a combined 40 years between them, they are now Karastan certified. That distinction, from the top carpet producer in America, separates them from others since they were the only carpet installers from NE Florida to attend.

Florida Humanities Council awards $15,000 grant to Florida Living History Inc.

Florida Living History Inc. has been awarded a grant of $15,000 by the Florida Humanities Council, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The grant funding is to be used for the planning and implementation of large-scale humanities projects for the grant-award period of March 1, 2012 to Aug. 31, 2013. Aside from the living history events and lectures that is already committed to for this grant period, the funding will be used for production of a free, interactive, educational e-booklet on early colonial Florida for the states schoolchildren, ages 8 to 10, which will support the State of Floridas social studies standards for grade 4.

Florida Living History Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, educational organization. Contact info@floridalivinghistory.org or 1-877-FLA-HIST.

Mattamy Homes acquires home sites at Kelly Pointe at Nocatee in Ponte Vedra Beach

Mattamy Homes U.S. Group acquired 100 new home sites at Kelly Pointe at Nocatee in Ponte Vedra Beach. Steve Parker, president of Mattamy Homes U.S. Group, said new three, four and five-bedroom homes at Kelly Pointe at Nocatee will range in size from 1,900 square feet of living space to 2,700 square feet priced from the low $200s. Parker said Mattamy Homes is about to start construction of two model homes at Kelly Pointe at Nocatee that will open in August.

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Business Briefs: May 13, 2012

ELKO Business is booming at the City of Elko building department, with nearly all categories reporting gains in April.

Permits issued for the month totaled 153, an increase from the 95 issued during the same month a year prior. Permit valuations were also up, with $6.7 million reported for the month more than double the $2.5 million reported during April 2011.

If we keep on this pace, were going to way outdo last year, said Elko Building Official Ted Schnoor, who added the biggest category continues to be residential single-family dwellings.

The number of single-family dwellings permitted this year is more than double last years figure 29, compared with 14 year-to-date in 2011.

In April, residential construction again posted the highest figures of the various application types, with 69 permits issued for 10 new buildings. The valuation was $2.1 million, an amount largely due to the permitting of an additional building at the Rabbit Brush Run apartment complex, which amounted to $1.1 million in permit valuations.

Valuations were on the rise across the board, with a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system upgrade at Northside Elementary School amounting to nearly $2 million, and at the Elko Indian Colony the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone is in the process of building a new education center, with a valution of nearly $1 million.

Rounding out projects resulting in high permit valuations are the commercial remodels of McDonalds and Walmart, both on Mountain City Highway. Each of these projects contributed nearly half a million dollars apiece in permit valuations in April.

Theres a lot of activity, said Schnoor, who added the number of commercial permits being issued by the building department continue to grow, particularly with commercial warehouse remodeling.

He expects to see the number of commercial applicants outpace residential as the summer season approaches.

With the number of applications being seen, the building department is reporting a wait of six weeks or longer to issue permits, depending upon the complexity of the project.

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City building continues strong upward trend

ELKO Business is booming at the City of Elko building department, with nearly all categories reporting gains in April.

Permits issued for the month totaled 153, an increase from the 95 issued during the same month a year prior. Permit valuations were also up, with $6.7 million reported for the month more than double the $2.5 million reported during April 2011.

If we keep on this pace, were going to way outdo last year, said Elko Building Official Ted Schnoor, who added the biggest category continues to be residential single-family dwellings.

The number of single-family dwellings permitted this year is more than double last years figure 29, compared with 14 year-to-date in 2011.

In April, residential construction again posted the highest figures of the various application types, with 69 permits issued for 10 new buildings. The valuation was $2.1 million, an amount largely due to the permitting of an additional building at the Rabbit Brush Run apartment complex, which amounted to $1.1 million in permit valuations.

Valuations were on the rise across the board, with a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system upgrade at Northside Elementary School amounting to nearly $2 million, and at the Elko Indian Colony the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone is in the process of building a new education center, with a valution of nearly $1 million.

Rounding out projects resulting in high permit valuations are the commercial remodels of McDonalds and Walmart, both on Mountain City Highway. Each of these projects contributed nearly half a million dollars apiece in permit valuations in April.

Theres a lot of activity, said Schnoor, who added the number of commercial permits being issued by the building department continue to grow, particularly with commercial warehouse remodeling.

He expects to see the number of commercial applicants outpace residential as the summer season approaches.

With the number of applications being seen, the building department is reporting a wait of six weeks or longer to issue permits, depending upon the complexity of the project.

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Double the dollars; City building continues strong upward trend

ELKO Construction valuations in Elko County surged in April to slightly more than $8 million, or nearly double the $4.15 million in valuations for April 2011, thanks to a major project at Cactus Petes in Jackpot.

That $4.5 million project almost doubled valuations, said Thomas Ingersoll, Elko Countys director of building and safety.

He said Cactus Petes has gutted 89 rooms in the Granite Range tower for the remodeling project, so those rooms are closed to the public.

They want to get it done in June so its a big push, he said.

Building permits totaled 200 in April, up from 110 in the 2011 time period, and permit applications totaled 80, up from 56 in April 2011. Permit fees rose to $75,022, compared with $49,791 last year.

We had an almost 100 percent increase in residential for single-family dwellings, Ingersoll said.

New residential applications totaled 21, up from 11 the prior year, and residential permits totaled 98, up from 50. Residential accessory permit applications also were up, to 33 from 18 last year, and residential accessory permits totaled 57, up from 30.

Ingersoll said the jump in accessory permits really shows a strong economy.

The April list of permits issued in Elko County, including the owners name, location, description, valuation and builder:

Commercial, miscellaneous accessory structures W.H. Gibbs, Gibbs Ranch, telephone equipment, $5,656; Spring Creek Christian Center, 285 Spring Creek Parkway, detached garage, $21,841, Esprit Construction;

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Jackpot project boosts county construction

May11,2012 The German-based firm has opened a lamps and luminaires sales office in Varese, Italy, by signing a distribution agreement with the company LEDisOne At the Grand Opening event in Varese, close to Milan, LEDisOne hosted more than 100 official guests, politicians, architects, representatives of industry and universities.

Newly certified distributor LEDisOne is specialised in LED lighting and shows a broad background in the semiconductor industry.

For Optogan the expansion to Italy has been a key target, since the country is considered as the home market for architectural lighting.

Italy has always been one of the front runners in Solid State Lighting and is traditionally first in adopting new technologies and trends of the indoor lighting industry, says Ove Srensen, Senior Sales Director & Business Development at Optogan GmbH.

He adds, The potential for LED based lamps and luminaires in this country is on such a high level that we cannot afford to miss this strategic market.

Besides the architectural lighting and retrofit business LEDisOne will also focus on sportfield and flood lighting. Regional sports clubs and associations have already expressed their interest.

So far our customers are mainly designers, architects, industrialists and public authorities, but our long-term goal is to collaborate with the government since there are development projects concerning an energy efficient re-design of cities, states Gabriele Demaria, Managing Director of LEDisOne.

Within the next year we plan to set up the company structure in terms of additional locations and manpower. We strongly believe we have found in Optogan the right partner to fulfil our ambitious targets.

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LEDisOne with Optogan enter Italian lighting

SATELLITE BEACH, Fla., May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Lighting Science Group (LSCG.OB), one of the world's leading LED lighting companies, today joined Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray and officials from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Department of the Environment (DDOE) to celebrate the completion of the first phase of the relighting project that will save the city tens of thousands of dollars each year in energy costs. Part of the Mayor's larger vision for a Sustainable D.C., Lighting Science Group's energy-efficient, long-lasting street lights have replaced old, inefficient lights and will cut the District's annual carbon dioxide emissions by 719 tons.

"Already results show these new light fixtures are saving energy 57 to 60 percent compared to the old mercury vapor and high pressure sodium lights," said Mayor Gray. "Imagine how much energy we could save if we expand this program to all 70,000 street and alley lights across the District. That would be a great down payment on a truly Sustainable D.C."

Prior to the start of this project, in conjunction with Howard University Transportation Research Center, DDOT conducted a study and analysis of light emitting diode (LED) lighting products from a variety of vendors and manufacturers. The study involved the evaluation and analyses of photometric readings, fixture life, efficacy, aesthetics, color temperature, dimmability and compatibility with remote monitoring and control systems. At the conclusion of the Study, DDOT selected Lighting Science Group's PROLIFIC (LSG) LSR-2 LED street light as the preferred choice to replace the District's existing alley lights.

"When it comes to city planning, smart infrastructure saves lives and dollars," said Jim Haworth, chairman and chief executive officer of Lighting Science Group. "The Mayor's office, DDOT and DDOE are clearly united in their commitment to promoting both the safety and financial interests of District residents with their joint vision for a Sustainable D.C. Lighting Science Group is proud to play its part in bringing that vision to life. Our PROLIFIC Series roadway solutions offer notably longer-life expectancies than the District's existing lights and real reductions in maintenance and energy costs. With less glare and better illumination, uniformity, and color, the new LED street lights signal a true improvement for the District."

The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) supported and funded the LED lighting project, under the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficient and Conservation Block Grant program. Eventually DDOT plans to install energy-efficient light fixtures throughout D.C., including all of its alleys, streets, bridges, tunnels and underpasses, pedestrian walkways, bike and running trails.

Added Haworth: "TheWashington, D.C.project is another significant win forLighting Science Group in the infrastructure market, exemplifying the clear leadership and high-performance product capabilities of the Company."

About Lighting Science Group

Lighting Science Group Corporation (LSCG.OB) designs, develops, manufactures and markets LED lighting solutions that are environmentally friendlier and more energy efficient than traditional lighting products. Lighting Science Group offers retrofit LED lamps in form factors that match those of traditional lamps or bulbs and LED luminaires designed for a range of applications including public and private infrastructure for both indoor and outdoor use. Lighting Science Group's Advanced Projects Group business unit designs, develops and manufactures custom LED lighting solutions for architectural and artistic projects. Lighting Science Group is headquartered in Satellite Beach, Florida; the Company's European operations are based in Middelburg, The Netherlands; and the Company has a sales office in Sydney, Australia. Lighting Science Group employs approximately 1000 workers building lighting products from domestic and imported parts. Lighting Science Group is a Pegasus Capital Advisors portfolio company. More information about Lighting Science Group is available at http://www.lsgc.com.

Forward Looking Statement. Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the performance of Lighting Science Group and its products and/or use terminology such as "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "plan," "project," "seek," "target," "soon," "will," "first of many" and variations of such words and similar expressions. Such statements reflect the current view of Lighting Science Group with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. In evaluating these statements, you should carefully review the risk factors detailed under "Risk Factors" in our most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that may cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements.

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Lighting Science Group Lights Up Washington D.C. With Ultra-Efficient LED Street Lights

Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, whose body of work is mostly based on light installations, last week presented a small solar powered light during the World Economic Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Olafur collaborated with engineer Frederik Ottesen to create Little Sun, which they hope can help bring indoor lighting to those people who lack access in developing countries.

The flower-shaped Little Sun uses LED technology and captures sunlight through a 6 x 6 cm (2.4 x 2.4 inch) mono-crystalline solar module. After four hours of charging, the unit will provide light for five hours. The design makes it very versatile. It can be hung, used as a table lamp, or it can be taken out to be used as a lantern or bicycle accessory. It is fairly resilient and can be expected to work for three years.

Last year saw a massive growth in solar panel installations in countries such as the United and States and Germany. Centralized solar power is also striding forward with the opening of massive solar farms. Meanwhile, scientists work on increasing solar cell efficiency.

The reality, however, is that a huge chunk of the worlds population still lack access to grid electricity. It is there where the distributed solar power revolution can take place, and sustainably raise the standards of living for the more than 1.6 billion people living in this state of exclusion.

As we have seen previously, there are several initiatives such as the Solar Pebble and LuminAID that innovate both on the technological front, as well as their socially responsible applications.

Olafur said he considers his new project to be a piece of art for a large audience. It will be launched at the Tate Modern museum in London during the festival that precedes the upcoming Olympics in the English capital.

Below is a video featuring Eliasson talking about Little Sun.

Source: Little Sun

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Solar-powered light designed to provide indoor illumination in developing nations