U.S. housing industry welcomed at NAHB international conference

More than 450 building industry professionals from the United States, China and other countries turned out to learn firsthand about state-of-the-art U.S. construction technologies and opportunities in the burgeoning Chinese housing market at the second National Association of Home Builders' International Housing Conference held recently at the Shanghai International Trade Center.

According to an NAHB news release, the conference, "World Focus on Hous-ing: China," was held in conjunction with the Building Shanghai 2001 Expo, China's major trade show for the construction industry, at which the NAHB/ USA Building Technology Pavilion was a major attraction.

"We were overwhelmed with the friendly and enthusiastic reception we received from the Chinese," said Thomas Mullen, chairman of the NAHB Inter-national Housing Committee and a multifamily builder from Indianapolis, Ind.

"There is an insatiable interest in American building products and technology now that the Chinese government is requiring strict compliance to building codes and standards for all new construction," he said.

"The conference was timed perfectly to capitalize on China's opening the door to foreign investment by joining the World Trade Organization and the rapid build-up of private mortgage money," which according to Mullen, "is fueling the demand for well-built, affordable housing."

During the conference, Joseph Honick, the conference chairman and a builder from Tucson, Ariz., along with Henry Levine, U.S. Consul General, emphasized the importance and mutual benefits of technology exchange in the housing arena and confirmed a willingness to establish ongoing cooperation between the United States and China.

Presentations during the conference focused on energy efficiency, environmentally friendly construction and wood-frame housing technology. The conference also offered a special session for U.S. attendees about how to do business in China.

There were 33 U.S. companies both large and small represented at the event, that were looking to establish and cultivate business relations with the Chinese.

NAHB had a triple booth in the pavilion, where representatives of the U.S. Department of Commerce assisted staff by disseminating information and gathering trade leads for another 12 companies that participated in a catalog display.

Visitors to the NAHB/USA Pavilion were most interested in whether companies at the show planned to open offices in China.

The most sought-after building materials were windows and doors, HVAC equipment, sealants and miscellaneous wood products.

More than 300 requests were gathered from visitors for information about Am-erican building products and possible joint ventures with U.S. companies.

Conference participants had the opportunity to tour residential building sites in Shanghai and Beijing. One of the most unusual tours was a visit to Yishanlu, a unique outdoor building supply marketplace in Shanghai.

Yishanlu is actually a long, crowded street where American products from flooring to toilets are displayed side-by-side in open-air stalls with housing pro-ducts from China, Germany, Spain and other countries.