West Vancouver Roofing Issues

Vancouver Roofing

Within Vancouver special care is needed when obtaining a estimate for any house. A roofing company within Vancouver must know precisely what they're coping with whenever getting your roof off. Unforeseen costs really are a common scenario within Vancouver and every proprietor ought to be prepared

Heritage- becoming among the oldest places in the GVRD you are able to realize that there are several pretty aged houses. Having a high pitch roof, probably near 12/12 message that basically means Forty five diploma position roof. The initial roofing was cedar tremble sitting on strapping. I don't know if it had been lazy or even the tradition, if people were attempting to cut costs but if you've this particular roof you probably got more than one layer on the top. The original continues to be on and a pair of additional layers sit down above the actual cedar tremble. I've come across home exactly where five levels sitting on top of the house. Based on creating code nowadays a Vancouver Roofing company should eliminate just about all levels if a brand new roof will be placed above. A person people tend to spend more because of the steepness, the actual few levels associated with roofing, the plyboard deck and the difficulty. You are probably two feet out of your neighbors

Roofing Vancouver

Reduced Downward slope -- Vancouver unique houses run throughout East Vancouver. The actual slight problem with these types of houses when it comes to roof covering is that dwindling roof covering companies available perform tar residue and gravel. The option you've is torch on or steel. Asphalt tiles cannot go on these types of houses. Your own pitch would be to low and asphalt probably would not final ten years. Vancouver Roofing contractors which have been in the business of flashlight on in excess of 10 years are most likely dependable. Ice and snow build up on these types of roofs trigger small pools to build up in your roofing and trigger main seeping, always keep the rain gutters and downpipes clear.

Low Downward slope or Steep Downward slope cedar tremble - In Vancouver this really is common on the Western aspect. There is not a lot to say about Cedar in Vancouver. There is a long time period through the 60's, 1970's and Eighties whenever Vancouver Roofing companies weren't installing cedar. Most Cedar roofs are new construction. cedar is the 1 creation that the majority of problems can be determined prior to the work begins

Low Slope or High Slope Asphalt roofing - For those who have asphalt roofing and it was not transformed within the last ten years then you've a solid deck. Since the 1970's asphalt came into the market. With brand new construction shiplap or also called tongue as well as dance was the only real option of a solid deck. Shiplap moves a great deal during the cold months as well as in summer time so plyboard ought to be split lower by the roofing contractor

 

Roofing within Burnaby

Roofing within Burnaby might have it's challenges and also the best way to undergo all of them is to work through North in order to Southern starting towards the top associated with Burnaby. In North Burnaby the actual hills start to incline and decline to some pretty powerful angles. The big problems I find here are front yard steepness and use of the home, although this may not seem like a problem for you it's a really major problem for a roofing company that has at hand have your own aged roof up a hill as well as hands carry your brand-new roofing lower the hill.

The hard, the slope region in this region kept building companies away and as a result you've homes that were just about all built through separately hired construction companies. There are several servings associated with North Burnaby that have little groups houses just about all constructed collectively but as far as that Main Burnaby offers. North Burnaby offers more fascinating built styles and rooftops creating a golf ball park determine estimation in this area pretty difficult.

Burnaby Roofing

Central Burnaby is how big construction businesses having a regular new way of building the house was pretty hectic during the 70`s as well as earlier 80`s. With a shiplap outdoor patio becoming the only option as well as asphalt tiles becoming the option and placed on a home. Today shiplap may be the roofing contractors enemy because of the fact the shingles nowadays are not designed to use shiplap. Trying to persuade main Burnaby they have to re-deck the rooftop along with plyboard has frequently already been ignored and for good reason.

The caliber of shiplap is high in this particular area with most from it that I have come across being in between Six as well as 8 in . which is ideal. Apart from that this part of Burnaby is pretty easy to roofing in with entry not a problem everything often along with a clear style in steep roofing that's easy to understand. Lots of Vancouver specials focused right here to with torch on becoming the main option in the unique tar as well as tiny rocks choice. Cedar rooftops often spread the actual eastern aspect of the region with many converting to asphalt

Southern Burnaby tends to have bigger roofs that are sprinkled along with asphalt as well as cedar tremble. Cedar tremble rooftops in this area are usually from houses around Two decades old. This home has a tendency to transform right into a asphalt roofing and most possess okay entry however, many do not and the rooftops are not all that in order to steep. Some asphalt rooftops lower right here have plyboard decks which is usually a big saving idea for any property owner

 

Roofing West Vancouver

West Vancouver is really a area of valley's as well as ridges, high drive-ways as well as concealed roofs. This is often a roofers headache but there are roof covering businesses who are employed in the region and understand what these people most likely could be coping with. Unlike additional cities within the Metro Vancouver region, large building businesses did not buy large tracks associated with property and build patterned suburban cul-de-sacs. They are doing can be found but to some much smaller degree than other cities. As a result you can find in a single street Twenty houses just about all constructed differently. I suppose because of the land scenery this was the only way to get houses built-in a few areas.

There was definitely the boom during the 70's through the shear quantity of shiplap patio's out there. The majority of roofs in West Vancouver that require a replacement are asphalt rooftops which take a seat on a shiplap deck. These people shingle is generally a interlock shingle that was designed for shiplap but no longer obtainable in the Greater Vancouver area. The majority of home owners within West Vancouver are learning they right now require a plyboard deck to pay for the shiplap.

A few Cedar rooftops appear in West Vancouver although not a lot that requires changing. Most 20 years old cedar tremble roofs in West Vancouver happen to be changed so you look for a cedar roof in some places. Replacing cedar with cedar is not a just about all to common practice and many Cedar roofs have been in new building.

West Vancouver Roofing

Vancouver special offers are not just about all in order to typical in West Vancouver. Flashlight upon and tar residue as well as gravel is available but not suggested. The actual rainfall and blowing wind tends to be a bit more severe within West Vancouver, using the high amount of trees and shrubs and also the chance of huge snow fall steel is really a high suggestion.

Obtaining a roofing estimate in West Vancouver can be quite different than the person residing right on the doorstep. if you have a high driveway, possess a roofing that's higher compared to 30 levels and also over 2000 sq ft compared to you are able to spend a lot more than $ 3000 compared to your neighbor. The type of roof and amount of flashing can produce a big difference. In West Vancouver it is very tough to ball park a price with this very reason. I guess you can state based on the small property you live on and the style of the roofing can make a big difference from a high estimation along with a reduced estimate. Roofing access is a huge issue with some roofers needing to hands have the old roof over hundred ft compared to hand transporting the brand new roofing a hundred ft towards the house.

Get 3 estimations to compare apples along with apples and for the same item, provides you with the ability to become knowledgeable and get the best questions. The majority of roofs within West Vancouver is actually under ventilated so make certain when you get your homes roof estimation you can observe in the event that every estimation you receive will upgrade your air flow or even your brand-new roof won't final. The additional ventilation isn't a add-on cost so the much more the actual better, you can't have a limit on ventilation. Tree debris is a problem so maintain your roofing without damaging the roof product. drip motorized inflator has become the greatest type of upkeep.

 

Victoria roofing Contractors -- Altering Multiple rooftops

Victoria roofing Contractors can help to save a little bit of money when caring for your roof in addition to some of your neighbors. There are lots of cul-de-sac's out there within Victoria where the homes had been built simultaneously and all sorts of with a cedar or even asphalt roof with the same warranty as well as environment conditions. The house are usually constructed with the same design and also have the exact same ventilation issues then when it's time to replace your neighbors then its time for you to substitute yours..

Brand new construction roofing Victoria two decades ago came with in regards to a twenty 12 months guarantee. Most rooftops begin to leak shortly after the 20 year tag as well as suddenly the entire street gets their own rooftops replaced. When A Victoria roofing estimator involves your home and you are on great terms together with your neighbors maybe you could persuade your own neighbours to get a roofing estimate too. Most Victoria roofing companies can offer two estimates. One is the estimate if only you were to change you home alone on the street. Another estimation is for you and also the actual neighbors that have chosen a estimation too, if you have convinced your neighbors to do this.

Victoria roofing Contractors can save profit 2 main places when several roof covering. One in the actual shipping price of the types of materials is actually greatly reduced whenever a roofing company can get three homes in one delivery. The second is the waste, movement associated with wastage is exactly what costs money and making sure that the actual waste is moved collectively allows the Victoria Roofing Company to lessen the price of your brand-new roof. When neighbours get a new roof covering project done together this gives future home owners to complete the same in 30 many years whenever your brand new roofs get aged.

Find the Best Victoria Roofing Company

My home is Victoria and know how hard it is to find a good service provider to work in your home. All of them seem real very first plus they all promise the globe. Unfortunately there are a few that actually provide on these guarantees.

Roofing contractors aren't any exclusion and need to complete your own research in order to weed out the great types in the poor types.

The rooftop is an important component of any kind of home. Here's your main hurdle of numerous of the components discovered outside. If you have the leaking roof you could find your self putting plenty of pans and pots all through your house to catch the water. If your roof will get really bad additionally you danger it caving in from one point.

Luckily if your roof is actually built the right way it will are a number of years. There are even some rooftops that are each so good they are able to last for fifty years.

Finding a dependable roof covering organization in Victoria and you need this type of function done is actually of the utmost importance. You would like somebody who is likely to give you a fair bid, get the job done on time, and employ regular or over typical materials.

This is the objective you just have to fine the roof to have an region who's willing and able to get it done.

Here are some things that I personally might look for and can make an application for not just Victoria, however every area in the united kingdom:

When i first like to begin with recommendations. I know I'm not the only one who has a home and I wish to ask other people their viewpoint but had roof covering function done before me. Friends, members of the family, colleagues, associates, and other people you realize will often not really drive you wrong. They are able to make use of a direct you to definitely an individual who has been doing a great job on their behalf. Unless of course an individual does not like a person they were not often recommend a roofing organization in Victoria that has done substandard function.

Next, you need to get at minimum 3 estimates. Roof covering jobs are expensive naturally and you want a contractor who is going to provide you with a fair and reasonable cost. Bear in mind a reasonable and sensible quotation is going to be higher. Comprehend too that roof covering companies spend a few of the greatest insurance rates from any kind of industry in the nation. Because the function carried out roof covering Contractors workers compensation prices tend to be regarding 5 times higher than other like companies. It's not unusual for this kind of organization to pay $30 within workers comp premiums for each 100 dollars they shell out in payroll. These types of expenses have to be passed on to the customer. So, when you get a bid from a roofing company understand that at least Thirty to 40% of exactly what he's charging a person is just to pay for admin and insurance charges. An individual who submits for you and very reduced bid is most likely without insurance were not covered whatsoever.

Everything ought to be created on the contract. Including the materials to be used in your house and also the time that it will require to install all of them. Don't depart something like a verbal agreement. You need to be in a position to accurately evaluate that which you had been obtaining for that cost you are having to pay making an informed decision. Once the estimators arrive they'll attempt to bait you into signing something immediately. Avoid them. You'll need three estimations, alongside in your desk, and also you have to take the time to see them each carefully including the small print.

Finally, check up on the Victoria's roofing companies encounter and status. You would like them to have enough encounter in order to get the job done. Optimally, you want a company that has been around the block and absolutely nothing can shock them. If they have been around not less than 5 years they will have the trustworthiness of possibly doing excellent function are being people. Some of the best individuals to request the local companies. Even if it's their own rival a business proprietor were not often talk poor about another company unless of course he or she truly seems he does treatment terrible function. You can also ask roof covering suppliers that believe that is the best. These people work with hundreds the roofer's each month and are in a great position to give you within information.

These are the 3 products I'd look for when choosing my roofer. I am fussy concerning the individuals I choose to do business with and you should end up being picky as well. You cannot depend on a companies yellow-colored page advert to tell a person what they are regarding. Each and every organization says of the the very best. Roofing companies are no exclusion and sometimes go with what are the biggest phone book advert of the most popular criminals.

Do your homework and you should be able to find a good Victoria roofing business. Spend some time and don't let anyone rush a person. Go with your stomach and do not spend your money along with anyone you are feeling unpleasant along with

The best roofer Victoria is appropriate at the doorway step should you choose your own research as well as thoroughly check the company's background and reputation. Doing this will be sure you don't get sold on some thing you don't need or even doing business with the con artist.

Please click here for more info about Victoria roofing contractors.

 

Roofing Vancouver evaluation, cost estimations and pricing

Roofing can be described as probably the most important phase of building while creating any kind of creating or even house. In the past a long time different roof covering methods and materials happen to be used based on the climatic problems and requirements of the dwellers. Using the remarkable development as well as enlargement in neuro-scientific construction there are various roofing vancouver choices accessible today. There are different roofing contractors Vancouver and roof covering businesses Vancouver, which offer Vancouver roofing services. Roofing Vancouver options offered right now fulfill the demands from the occupant, serve nicely with regards to roof covering and appear attractive additionally.

The very first part of direction of replacing of roofing vancouver should incorporate a considerable search produced on the web or even by visiting numerous roofing vancouver providers. With this 1 may acquire information on distinct facets of changing the roof and obtain one of the most affordable estimations. Roofing Vancouver service providers offer crucial capabilities and architectural strategies for the replacement of an existing roofing. For that replacing roof pick a service provider or perhaps a company that is nicely most respected in Vancouver and is licensed to provide providers. Acquire various estimations to compare the expense supplied because there may be a distinction in roofing vancouver costs as well as estimates of numerous companies. You will discover a number of components which determine the particular cost of replacing the roof, therefore having some details on hands might be truly useful.
When the roofing of the framework has been done appropriately bearing in mind the latest techniques as well as elements a roof works well for handling:


Air flow

Water ingress

Water fumes diffusion

Surface area safety

Warmth blood circulation


Roofing insulation basically helps in developing a barrier, which doesn't allow the external environment to combine with the environment associated with inside. For this purpose there are lots of types of thermal insulations being utilized these days during the process of roofing.

To obtain one of the most appropriate as well as useful roofing vancouver materials, you have to execute an extensive research and gaze after in your mind your requirements as well as financial price range.

Roofing Vancouver designs accessible

There are many roofing vancouver designs available within the marketplace these days, a few becoming pricey and even though some being typical or inexpensive. One of the most well-known roofing vancouver shapes contain:

Gabled- This specific form is given through creating a triangular about the front side and giving inclines upon both sides of the form.

Aspect Gabled- In this make up the no gabled attributes encounter the leading generally and retain the entrance doorway.

Front Gabled- In this condition the actual gabled sides usually face the leading and can include the leading doorway.

Cross Gabled- In this specific situation the perpendicular wings are usually added to the main portion that types 2 person components having their own gabled façade.


Best covers tend to be essentially installed for that defense associated with below roof materials through numerous Ultra violet rays as well as physical harm. Top addresses are available in different forms such as: liquid coating, factory mineral, steel surface area, pavers and gravels.

Learn more about Vancouver roofing on roofing companies Vancouver website

It’s an odd name for a nasty condition: shingles. It has nothing to do with roofing. The Latin name, cingulum, meaning “belt,” became “shingles” in early English. The Latin name is a reference to the strips of rash on one side of the body.

Shingles is a painful skin condition that can develop in anyone who has had chickenpox. The virus that causes chickenpox, Varicella zoster virus (VZV), is a member of the herpes family. It goes into hiding when a person recovers from chickenpox, but many years later if age, illness or stress weakens the immune system, VZV can reappear. It causes extreme tenderness along the path of the affected nerve. Within a few days, a blistering rash appears.

Shingles usually attacks older people, but even individuals in their 40s may suffer. Prescription antiviral drugs such as acyclovir (Zovirax), famciclovir (Famvir) and valacyclovir (Valtrex) can shorten the duration and intensity of the attack. These drugs are most effective if taken within a few days of the initial symptoms.

There is now a shingles vaccine, Zostavax, that halves the chance of coming down with shingles. It also seems to reduce the severity of the attacks that occur.

Some people have wondered if they should get vaccinated after they have had shingles. One reader wrote: “I had shingles many years ago. So did my friend. Her doctor gave her a shingles shot so she won’t get it again. My doctor said by having shingles I built antibodies to it and don’t need the shot. Which doctor is correct?”

Data just published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings (February 2011) show that people can get shingles more than once. As a result, it makes sense to get vaccinated even after having shingles. People are urged to get the shot after they turn 60 and not to wait until they are debilitated. The shot is considered much less reliable if the immune system is weakened.

People with shingles are often desperate, like this reader: “I have recently had an outbreak of shingles, even though I had the vaccine last year. This is the sixth week of constant burning pain, with the rash gradually fading. It covers the right side of my chest, shoulder and back of neck.

“The doctor gave me Vicodin and lidocaine patches for the pain. Is there anything natural that I could take for this nerve pain?”

Readers of this column have offered several suggestions. One person took L-lysine twice a day, on the theory that it helps heal cold sores (caused by a different herpes virus). She reported: “I didn’t have all the after-pain and the rash disappeared fast.” Another reader reported success from adenosine monophosphate injections, based on decades-old preliminary research (Journal of the American Medical Association, March 8, 1985).

One popular home remedy is Listerine: “An unemployed friend without health insurance had an outbreak of shingles on the right side of his face. It made his ear and jaw ache, and the rash was becoming raw. I found a brief mention of using Listerine on shingles, and he tried it. After 72 hours of thrice-daily application of Listerine, the sores have dried up and are scabbing over, his pain is almost gone and he is healing nicely.”

Home remedies remain untested, so preventing an outbreak is best. The vaccine offers that possibility.

Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Their syndicated radio show can be heard on public radio. In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Public release date: 7-Mar-2011


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Contact: Melissa Mixon

melissa.mixon@austin.utexas.edu

512-471-2129

University of Texas at Austin

Rainwater harvest study finds roofing material affects water quality

For the past few years, one of the most common questions facing the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) hasn't been over contentious water rights or proposed water projects; it's been from homeowners wanting to know what type of roofing material is most suitable for collecting rainwater for indoor domestic use.

"Rainwater harvesting is becoming fairly widespread, at least in Central Texas. There's interest born out of necessity because people are simply running out of water in rural areas or they're interested in conserving water supplies and it's good for the environment," said Dr. Sanjeev Kalaswad, the TWDB's rainwater harvesting coordinator.

But when it came to responding to residents' questions about which roof collection surfaces are best suited for rainwater harvesting, TWDB didn't have a good, science-based answer to give, Kalaswad said. That's when the Cockrell School of Engineering came in to help.

With funding from TWDB, Cockrell School faculty and students conducted an in-depth study - recently published in the academic journal Water Research - examining the effects of conventional and alternative roofing materials on the quality of harvested rainwater. The study, led by civil, architectural and environmental engineering Assistant Professor Mary Jo Kirisits, showed that, of the five roofing materials tested, metal (specifically Galvalume�), concrete tile and cool roofs produce the highest harvested rainwater quality for indoor domestic use. The study also showed that rainwater from asphalt fiberglass shingle roofs and increasingly popular "green" roofs contain high levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Although other potential pollutants can be significantly lower on green roofs (turbidity and aluminum), the high DOCs are significant where these roofs would be used for potable rainwater collection.

Water with DOC is not necessarily dangerous on its own, but Kirisits said when it's mixed with chlorine � a common product used to disinfect water � the two substances react to form byproducts that potentially cause cancer and other negative human health effects.

"Someone who already has a rainwater system is probably not going to change their roofing material based on this study, but this information is useful for anyone who's trying to make an informed decision about what material to use," Kirisits said.

Over the course of a year, Kirisits, her co-Principal Investigators Professor Kerry Kinney and Research Associate Professor Michael Barrett and their engineering students examined water collected from five roofing materials: asphalt fiberglass shingle, Galvalume�, concrete tile, cool and green roofs.

The test sites included both pilot-scale and full-scale residential roofs � one of which was the roof on the home of Kirisits and her husband. The other roofs were located at or near the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, where her team had the expertise of the center's director of research and consulting, Dr. Mark Simmons, who helped them interpret some of their findings.

"We had a phenomenal graduate and undergraduate student team. I think the research topic captured their imagination because it's tangible; it's something they could do in their own home. They can talk to their parents about it and they get it," Kirisits said. "Our generation of students is sustainable and green-minded, so it was a great project for them to be involved in and lead."

Rainwater harvesting has been practiced in some form or another for centuries, but its popularity declined in the United States after the advent of large centralized water supply systems that provide cheap, reliable and abundant water.

The practice has experienced a rebirth in the United States in recent years, however, thanks largely to growing environmental concerns and dwindling water supplies in parts of the country.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency doesn't regulate the quality of residential rainwater collected through harvesting, but some local agencies and states, like Texas and Hawaii � which are among the most proactive � offer voluntary water quality guidelines.

While some roofing materials performed better than others in the study, Kirisits said rainwater harvested from each of the roofs would still have to be treated if the consumer wanted to meet EPA's drinking water standards or reuse guidelines.

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Editor’s Note: Jim Dalrymple has been writing about Apple for more than 15 years. You can follow him on Twitter @jdalrymple and on his Web site at The Loop.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs on Wednesday introduced the iPad 2 at a special event in San Francisco, taking even more momentum away from its competitors.

I’ve had a lot of people in the last 24 hours tell me that the iPad 2 isn’t as revolutionary as the first generation device. Yes, that’s true. But not every device a company releases has to be or can be revolutionary.

Apple has released three revolutionary products in the last decade alone: iPod, iPhone and iPad. I really can’t think of any products from Apple’s competitors that fit in the revolutionary category in that same time period.

People also said that Apple wasn’t very forthcoming with the specs of the iPad 2. Again, that’s true, but there’s a good reason for that—nobody cares.

Well, some people care. Those of us who are geeks care about specs. However, have you ever noticed that when you sit with your non-geek friends and start listing off specs their eyes glaze over and they rest their chin in their hand.

That’s because they couldn’t care less.

The iPad 2 is no slouch either. It lost one-third of the thickness of the previous generation, and therefore it is one-third less than the size of the iPad competitors too. It also has new technologies like a gyro built-in that will launch another round of cool apps.

Yesterday’s iPad 2 announcement wasn’t about the geeks—it was about all the other people who will buy an iPad. What those people want to know is “what can I do with it?”

If it fits into their lifestyle, most people are good with that. Apple showed many ways how the iPad 2 can fit into your lifestyle.

From the very beginning, Apple was very smart with how it marketed the iPad. The first thing it did was get the device into businesses and promote the fact that it could be used to get work done. And it was quite successful with that.

In an analyst call in October 2010, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer said the iPad was already being used in 65 percent of Fortune 100 companies. That was four months ago and the iPad has grown since then, so we can only imagine where that number is now.

This strategy allowed Apple to do two things. If it came out with the iPad and pushed the gaming capabilities of the device, the business world would have looked at it as a toy. That would have certainly meant slower adoption. It also allowed them to work on some consumer software, two of which we saw yesterday.

In addition to the iPad 2, Jobs also unveiled iMovie and GarageBand for the iPad. This is what people want to know about—what can I do with the iPad that’s exciting and new.

Obviously, creating movies and being able to edit and share them with friends and family is a very popular thing to do these days. iMovie makes that easy.

Creating music, whether a novice or pro is also a cool thing to do. GarageBand is a great app to get that done and you can move your projects to your Mac and continue working on them.

It’s not just about the hardware. Apple delivers the whole experience that nobody else can. Jobs said yesterday that there are 65,000 apps on its App Store specifically designed for the iPad. That’s a lot of things you can do.

If you think Apple’s competitors are jumping for joy because the iPad 2 isn’t revolutionary, I believe you are wrong. I think they’re scared. Yesterday, they figured out Apple’s strategy too, but a little too late.

Editor’s Note: Jim Dalrymple has been writing about Apple for more than 15 years. You can follow him on Twitter @jdalrymple and on his Web site at The Loop.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs on Wednesday introduced the iPad 2 at a special event in San Francisco, taking even more momentum away from its competitors.

I’ve had a lot of people in the last 24 hours tell me that the iPad 2 isn’t as revolutionary as the first generation device. Yes, that’s true. But not every device a company releases has to be or can be revolutionary.

Apple has released three revolutionary products in the last decade alone: iPod, iPhone and iPad. I really can’t think of any products from Apple’s competitors that fit in the revolutionary category in that same time period.

People also said that Apple wasn’t very forthcoming with the specs of the iPad 2. Again, that’s true, but there’s a good reason for that—nobody cares.

Well, some people care. Those of us who are geeks care about specs. However, have you ever noticed that when you sit with your non-geek friends and start listing off specs their eyes glaze over and they rest their chin in their hand.

That’s because they couldn’t care less.

The iPad 2 is no slouch either. It lost one-third of the thickness of the previous generation, and therefore it is one-third less than the size of the iPad competitors too. It also has new technologies like a gyro built-in that will launch another round of cool apps.

Yesterday’s iPad 2 announcement wasn’t about the geeks—it was about all the other people who will buy an iPad. What those people want to know is “what can I do with it?”

If it fits into their lifestyle, most people are good with that. Apple showed many ways how the iPad 2 can fit into your lifestyle.

From the very beginning, Apple was very smart with how it marketed the iPad. The first thing it did was get the device into businesses and promote the fact that it could be used to get work done. And it was quite successful with that.

In an analyst call in October 2010, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer said the iPad was already being used in 65 percent of Fortune 100 companies. That was four months ago and the iPad has grown since then, so we can only imagine where that number is now.

This strategy allowed Apple to do two things. If it came out with the iPad and pushed the gaming capabilities of the device, the business world would have looked at it as a toy. That would have certainly meant slower adoption. It also allowed them to work on some consumer software, two of which we saw yesterday.

In addition to the iPad 2, Jobs also unveiled iMovie and GarageBand for the iPad. This is what people want to know about—what can I do with the iPad that’s exciting and new.

Obviously, creating movies and being able to edit and share them with friends and family is a very popular thing to do these days. iMovie makes that easy.

Creating music, whether a novice or pro is also a cool thing to do. GarageBand is a great app to get that done and you can move your projects to your Mac and continue working on them.

It’s not just about the hardware. Apple delivers the whole experience that nobody else can. Jobs said yesterday that there are 65,000 apps on its App Store specifically designed for the iPad. That’s a lot of things you can do.

If you think Apple’s competitors are jumping for joy because the iPad 2 isn’t revolutionary, I believe you are wrong. I think they’re scared. Yesterday, they figured out Apple’s strategy too, but a little too late.

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The Found Animals Foundation is an LA-based non-profit devoted to saving the lives of animals and solving the problem of animal overpopulation. Founded by Dr. Gary Michelson, a billionaire entrepreneur with a lifelong love of animals, Found Animals blends compassion with innovation and business sense. The organization does everything from working with local shelters to finding homes for strays to offering multi-million dollar incentives for research on animal sterilization.

The foundation will be opening its first ever "Adopt and Shop" retail space next month, so we caught up with Aimee Gilbreath, Executive Director of Found Animals, to find out a little bit more about the foundation, its goals, and LA's newest "pet shop."

HP: What is Found Animals most committed to?

AG: Our mission at Found Animals is to minimize the number of pets killed in animal shelters. We believe that our society, in the 21st century, can do far better than killing 4 million animals each year at a cost to taxpayers of over $2 billion annually. We look for innovative, entrepreneurial approaches to solving this problem. Over the past three years we have built a world class team of business and science professionals and launched programs that include sterilization, microchipping, owner support, adoption and more. Found Animals considers Los Angeles our test market for programs with plans to export successful ideas.

HP: What is the one thing you are most proud of that Found Animals has been able to accomplish?

AG: I’m most proud of our accomplishments with the Michelson Prize and Grant program. It’s our own version of the X-Prize and offers $25 million in prize money for creating a low cost non-surgical sterilant for use in cats and dogs. In addition, we are offering up to $50 million in grant funding to help researchers develop a prize winning technology. Sterilization is one of the best tools we have in our arsenal to reduce the number of unwanted pets that crowd the shelter system and overwhelm available resources. Unfortunately, current surgical spay/neuter approaches are expensive and often difficult to access for the pets and people who need them most. A “doggie Depo Provera” or “Kitty Norplant” type of product would revolutionize how we manage the pet population.

We created the program from scratch and its world class. Our Director of Scientific Research, Dr. Shirley Johnston, is world renowned in small animal reproduction and our Scientific Advisory Board is comprised of experts in many fields. Our program staff has created a fantastic grant process and we do outreach to scientists worldwide. So far we’ve received over 140 grant applications and a dozen projects have been approved for funding totaling over $5 million.

Surface Encounters

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Surface Encounters

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Smart grid and smart meters are an inevitable part of America’s energy future, but at least when it comes to consumers, it has gotten off to a bumpy start.

Consumers have sued PG&E and Oncor over smart meters that they felt overcharged them (both suits were found to be without merit). Consumers in Illinois have claimed smart meters cause headaches and impotency. Recently, protesters in California’s West Marin County tried to block smart meter installers in an incident that resulted in two arrests. While there are plenty of industry watchers and executives who will say media reports of these snafus have blown the issue out of proportion, the incidents show there’s sometimes tension between consumers and utilities when it comes to the smart grid.

With all that in mind, it’s interesting to see that one pilot happening in the U.S. is coming at the game with a new approach: Focus on the making the consumer happy about the smart grid. In particular, it wants to demonstrate that the smart grid can improve the quality of consumers’ lives, much in the same way apps add value to the lives of iPhone and smart phone users.

Brewster McCracken, director of the Pecan Street Project in Austin, Tex., says its smart grid demonstration project is unlike any others in that is most concerned with the value to the customer, and not the utility. Part of the project’s goal will be to study how — and whether — the smart grid can provide value to the customer.

“The customer will have final say about whether the smart grid is a smart idea,” said McCracken in a recent statement. “The truth is that we – those working on and advocating for the smart grid – need to learn a lot more from customers than they need to learn from us. Before anyone starts prescribing solutions, we must develop a much better understanding of what customers value and how they’re using energy now.”

In smart grid rollouts so far, there’s “not much of  case made for what the value to customers will be,” McCracken told me when we met at the project’s offices in Austin recently. Of course, a smart grid-enabled home could save you money on your energy bill, but he doesn’t think there’s been enough of a value proposition made yet. A smart grid-enabled home isn’t as buzzy or hotly in demand as the latest iPad.

So Pecan Street wants to focus on “the great applications that people want,” McCracken said. What’s more, the applications aren’t likely to come from the utility, but third-party providers, he argues. (“Do you get your apps from Apple or Verizon?” he asks.) McCracken sees the energy industry as comparable to the telecom industry, noting that it has transformed from a highly regulated, conservative industry into a competitive market filled with innovative, cutting-edge approaches. And in the same way that cell phone service providers offer free or discounted phones for subscribers, McCracken thinks utilities could one day offer free or discounted smart grid devices to ratepayers.

Point is, there is no killer application yet for the smart grid, a refrain I heard over and over again at the Smart Energy Summit in January in Austin. It’s true. There is no energy efficiency equivalent of Evernote or Instagram, Angry Birds or Twitter, though developers and entrepreneurs are trying to create them. And comparing the smart grid to the smartphone market makes sense for what smart grid hopefuls are trying to do.

Control4, for example, last year offered a developer’s kit so that third parties could design Flash-based apps for its home energy display. Intel’s recently debuted home energy management dashboard (pictured, above) that is sleek and colorful, with iPad-like touchscreen traits. In addition to thermostat and energy efficiency offerings, the dashboard has non-energy applications like video memos, package tracking, home security, weather and traffic monitoring  tracking packages, home security, and yellow page searches.

Pecan Street’s  first 100-home phase of the project went live last month, with an installed cost per home of  $341. It’ll be interesting to see whether Pecan Street’s app-store approach yields creative apps for smart grid users.The project takes place in Austin’s Mueller community, is a recipient of the Department of Energy’s stimulus funding and has attracted partnerships and collaboration from local utility Austin Energy, GE Energy, Oracle, GridPoint, Cisco, Dell and IBM. It will eventually expand to include 1,000 homes.

Smart grid investment will total $200 billion worldwide by 2015, according to a forecast by Pike Research. This represents billion-dollar opportunities for startups and major companies in everything from home energy management to building controls to lighting systems to demand response. Companies like Siemens, GE, Schneider Electric, LG and Intel are expanding their business to include  offerings in home energy management and electric car charging. As the smart, tech-savvy home becomes an increasingly important part of energy and technology companies’ products, Pecan Street is right on one thing: Getting homeowners to like the smart grid will be key.

[Top image via Flickr/Kevin Saff]

Next Story: iPad 2: Apple’s missed business opportunity Previous Story: Don’t expect a real Microsoft iPad competitor until late 2012

Smart grid and smart meters are an inevitable part of America’s energy future, but at least when it comes to consumers, it has gotten off to a bumpy start.

Consumers have sued PG&E and Oncor over smart meters that they felt overcharged them (both suits were found to be without merit). Consumers in Illinois have claimed smart meters cause headaches and impotency. Recently, protesters in California’s West Marin County tried to block smart meter installers in an incident that resulted in two arrests. While there are plenty of industry watchers and executives who will say media reports of these snafus have blown the issue out of proportion, the incidents show there’s sometimes tension between consumers and utilities when it comes to the smart grid.

With all that in mind, it’s interesting to see that one pilot happening in the U.S. is coming at the game with a new approach: Focus on the making the consumer happy about the smart grid. In particular, it wants to demonstrate that the smart grid can improve the quality of consumers’ lives, much in the same way apps add value to the lives of iPhone and smart phone users.

Brewster McCracken, director of the Pecan Street Project in Austin, Tex., says its smart grid demonstration project is unlike any others in that is most concerned with the value to the customer, and not the utility. Part of the project’s goal will be to study how — and whether — the smart grid can provide value to the customer.

“The customer will have final say about whether the smart grid is a smart idea,” said McCracken in a recent statement. “The truth is that we – those working on and advocating for the smart grid – need to learn a lot more from customers than they need to learn from us. Before anyone starts prescribing solutions, we must develop a much better understanding of what customers value and how they’re using energy now.”

In smart grid rollouts so far, there’s “not much of  case made for what the value to customers will be,” McCracken told me when we met at the project’s offices in Austin recently. Of course, a smart grid-enabled home could save you money on your energy bill, but he doesn’t think there’s been enough of a value proposition made yet. A smart grid-enabled home isn’t as buzzy or hotly in demand as the latest iPad.

So Pecan Street wants to focus on “the great applications that people want,” McCracken said. What’s more, the applications aren’t likely to come from the utility, but third-party providers, he argues. (“Do you get your apps from Apple or Verizon?” he asks.) McCracken sees the energy industry as comparable to the telecom industry, noting that it has transformed from a highly regulated, conservative industry into a competitive market filled with innovative, cutting-edge approaches. And in the same way that cell phone service providers offer free or discounted phones for subscribers, McCracken thinks utilities could one day offer free or discounted smart grid devices to ratepayers.

Point is, there is no killer application yet for the smart grid, a refrain I heard over and over again at the Smart Energy Summit in January in Austin. It’s true. There is no energy efficiency equivalent of Evernote or Instagram, Angry Birds or Twitter, though developers and entrepreneurs are trying to create them. And comparing the smart grid to the smartphone market makes sense for what smart grid hopefuls are trying to do.

Control4, for example, last year offered a developer’s kit so that third parties could design Flash-based apps for its home energy display. Intel’s recently debuted home energy management dashboard (pictured, above) that is sleek and colorful, with iPad-like touchscreen traits. In addition to thermostat and energy efficiency offerings, the dashboard has non-energy applications like video memos, package tracking, home security, weather and traffic monitoring  tracking packages, home security, and yellow page searches.

Pecan Street’s  first 100-home phase of the project went live last month, with an installed cost per home of  $341. It’ll be interesting to see whether Pecan Street’s app-store approach yields creative apps for smart grid users.The project takes place in Austin’s Mueller community, is a recipient of the Department of Energy’s stimulus funding and has attracted partnerships and collaboration from local utility Austin Energy, GE Energy, Oracle, GridPoint, Cisco, Dell and IBM. It will eventually expand to include 1,000 homes.

Smart grid investment will total $200 billion worldwide by 2015, according to a forecast by Pike Research. This represents billion-dollar opportunities for startups and major companies in everything from home energy management to building controls to lighting systems to demand response. Companies like Siemens, GE, Schneider Electric, LG and Intel are expanding their business to include  offerings in home energy management and electric car charging. As the smart, tech-savvy home becomes an increasingly important part of energy and technology companies’ products, Pecan Street is right on one thing: Getting homeowners to like the smart grid will be key.

[Top image via Flickr/Kevin Saff]

Next Story: iPad 2: Apple’s missed business opportunity Previous Story: Don’t expect a real Microsoft iPad competitor until late 2012

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