Home Builders Association in St. Louis with Celeste Rueter and Diana Forbes

A Everyday Green Home Podcast – Recorded Live at the St. Louis Home & Garden Show

Celeste Rueter, Executive Vice President and Diana Forbes, Director of Membership and Business Development of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of St. Louis join us in two separate interviews on the Green Gab.

Celeste heads the Home Builders Association by leading the staff to help their member’s businesses succeed. Their mission is: “The Home Builders Association of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri helps create a region that promotes and protects the viability of the building industry by serving its members, who strive to meet the housing needs of our neighbors.” There are many activities and events that go into meeting this mission and the objectives of the local and national HBA program.

In St. Louis, there are around 610 member companies of the HBA of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri, employing 43,000 people. A wide variety of types of businesses are in the home building industry and the HBA, from builders and remodelers to financial services, insurance, real estate and more. The HBA can also help home owners find builders, remodelers, and more – just visit the HBA web site. The HBA is “the place to be in the home building industry.”

St. Louis Home & Garden Show Produced by the HBA of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri

The St. Louis Home & Garden Show is one of the biggest achievements of our HBA and the show this year is a proud celebration of our 40^th Anniversary of the show. The quality of the exhibitors is outstanding and the show itself is beautiful.

The New Construction Zone is a great example of how our builder members work together even though they compete. The spirit of “co-opetition” (cooperation and competition) is alive and well in St. Louis. Many of our member companies will partner on different business opportunities, as well as work together in the HBA in a variety of ways. It truly is rewarding to see everyone come together to help showcase and grow the home building industry at the show and across the St. Louis area.

A big thank you to Tammy Ridgely and her team at the HBA on an outstanding show. To see a bit on the 2017 show and a taste of what’s to come in the 2018 show, be sure to visit the show website, found in the Resources at the end of this article.

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Green Homes in St. Louis

The HBA of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri is also a part of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) working with and in the home building industry across the country. One of the volunteer groups in NAHB is working on Sustainability and Green Building and released an online Sustainability Toolkit for HBAs and the public. One of the infographics in the Toolkit illustrates the commitment to Green Homes in Missouri as one of the top states certifying new construction and remodeled single-family and multi-family homes. The National Green Building Standard is a voluntary green home certification program supported by NAHB and HBAs across the country.

Home Builders Association Members are the Key to it All

Diana works with members and recruiting new members. Helping current and new members to know about the many benefits of their membership in the HBA is key. Just a few of the benefits of membership include industry news, advocacy, education and networking. There are five councils, or interest areas, in the HBA to help members work on issues and interest areas with others with the same interests. Diana says that the HBA is “the place to be in the home building industry.”

The HBA invites the St. Louis community to use its resources to find and do business with an HBA member. The HBA of St. Louis web site includes links to find a new home, builder, remodeler, or a supplier. It’s great to do business with an HBA member. Not in the St. Louis area? There are hundreds of local and state HBAs across the country. Search the internet for one in your neighborhood or search the NAHB directory.

Resources

HBA of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri

St. Louis Home & Garden Show

Find a New Home

Find a Home Builder

Find a Remodeler

Find a Vendor/Supplier

NAHB Sustainability Toolkit

NAHB Green Homes by State Infographic

National Green Building Standard green home certification

National Association of Home Builders

Every week on iTunes and on the Everyday Green Home Podcast, get the gab with us as we share what we’ve done, as well as tips for greening up your home, your job, your family and your life! Get in on the gab for why green matters – to you, your family and friends and your community.

Get Marla’s book Living Green Effortlessly: Simple Choices to a Better Home. For more information about the show, Marla at marla@greenhomecoach.com or Tony at tpratte@thesoundroom.com. I’d love to speak at your next event – for ideas check out my speaking information. Thank you and have a blessed day.