Showcasing New Home Design, Building Trends

For the past 20 years, Graham Builders, Hawaii’s premier design + build firm, has taken the lead in identifying new trends in home design and construction, and applying them to new homes. The company once again establishes itself as a leader in home design and construction by displaying two emerging trends at the upcoming 2012 Building Industry Association Home Building and Remodeling Show, Jan. 27 to 29 at Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall.

Securespace for peace of mind Graham Builders offers Hawaii’s homeowners peace of mind with securespace, a reinforced fire-resistant closet with a high-strength steel door and commercial-grade locking mechanisms.

Financial records, medical information, birth certificates and other valuable personal property can be safely stored for easy access on a daily basis. Heavy-grade structural materials make it extremely difficult for intruders to gain access to personal information and property. Securespace provides homeowners a specific location to safely store at-risk records that are typically left unattended on desks, bookshelves or in unsecured closets.

“The great thing about securespace is that it can be built anywhere in your home and in any size so homeowners can conveniently retrieve and store records or personal items,” said Evan Fujimoto, Graham Builders’ president.

Rain-screens cool home, enhance aesthetics Graham Builders also takes the lead among home construction companies by applying sidings using a rain-screen system to new homes in Hawaii.

Used for decades in Europe, rain-screens create an air gap between the siding material and structural wall surface, which is protected by a waterproof house wrap. This prevents moisture build-up common in most direct-applied siding applications. The crisp, contemporary look of rain-screen siding provides Graham Builders designers with a fresh approach to enliven the exterior elevations of homes — a way of achieving a modern aesthetic as an alternative to sidings installed the traditional way.

“Whether we are using traditional wood sidings, products such as Hardiplank, Hardipanel, or other phenolic or aluminum wall cladding systems, this installation liberates our designers to create innovative patterns and shapes,” said Fujimoto. “You can see such a system at the Honolulu Design Center building. Its metallic orange-and-silver panels are actually a rain screen which provides protection from the rain and sun in a strikingly modern grid pattern.”

“Rain-screen siding can also be considered sustainable as it lowers energy consumption by cooling the home,” added Mark Slivka, AIA, Graham Builders’ architect.

Homeowners interested in learning more about securespace and rain-screen siding can visit Graham Builders’ booth at the 2012 BIA Home Building and Remodeling Show, where models of both trends will be on display.

For those who cannot make it to the show, they may attend Graham Builders’ free upcoming “Building Your Home for Life” seminar Feb. 25 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Honolulu Country Club. Seminars are free, but reservations are required. For a full schedule of 2012 monthly seminars or to register, visit www.grahambuilders.com or call 593-2808.

CONTACT: 593-2808
WEBSITE: www.grahambuilders.com