Trade associations: promoting business and economic development in Alaska: they educate, they work with the Legislature, and they provide important services to businesses.

AuthorMorgan, Barbara

Trade associations in Alaska play many different roles--they provide change, education and reform. Many of these organizations feel proud of their accomplishments, whether the impact has been the success of a business, the passage of legislation that makes industry safer, or the education and training of employees in many industries in Alaska. Here's a look at some of the prominent trade organizations in Alaska.

ANCHORAGE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION

More than 8,500 people are employed in the building industry in Anchorage. The Anchorage Home Builders Association includes subcontractors, laborers, bankers, real estate brokers, title companies and suppliers, an industry that represents 20 percent of the economy in Anchorage.

The association works toward offering Anchorage affordable, quality single-family and multi family homes, and condos, representing 2,600 members and 5,900 subcontractors.

Every year Anchorage builders are improving energy efficiency and building codes as well as building safety (which includes air quality and fire protection). Alaska is one of the top states in the nation in terms of fire protection, but does not have sprinkler systems in stalled in most homes, says President Jim Jackson of the Anchorage Home Builders Association.

Jackson says Alaska is on the leading edge of all codes in code enforcement. Alaska follows stringent codes for earthquakes and wind. Alaska builders concern themselves with energy efficiency and soundness of structure. "We are ahead of development in the earthquake industry in home building, ahead of California," says Jackson. "We take the technology of California for earthquakes. We take the technology of Florida for winds."

Anchorage follows the international residential code for structure, adopted nationwide.

Committees for the Anchorage Home Builders Association market new construction, skills and people, raise money for charities, lobby and work with government affairs, and work with the municipality and assembly in developing new land.

One of the committees of the Anchorage Home Builders Association is responsible for organizing the annual home show at the Sullivan Arena, the second largest trade show in Anchorage with an attendance of 11,000 last year.

Anchorage Home Builders Association offers endowment scholarships each year, giving $4,000 to the most qualified high school student who will do something in the future in building, architecture, engineering, contracting, real estate or banking.

As part of its community service, the association bought two $10,000 thermal image cameras for the fire department, raised $20,000 for Habitat for Humanity, and $6,000 for Abused Women Aide in Crisis. A committee also organizes a monthly cleanup for Jade Park in Anchorage.

Builders must have 16 credit hours of continuing education every two years to maintain their residential license, so Alaska Craftsmen, an educational arm of Anchorage Home Builders Association, offers a variety of courses to meet the need covering topics of climate control, insulation and project management to name a few.

Anchorage Home Builders Association lobbies for liability insurance for workers in the industry, a major issue at the local, state and federal level. Liability insurance has risen from $7,000 to $30,000 a year in the last two years. Only three companies write this type of insurance in Alaska. Some big building companies have had quotes ranging from $400,000 to $1 million a year.

Builders pushed for House Bill 151 Right to Repair for the housing industry. This bill, which past the House and Senate last session and is awaiting the governor's signature, will provide construction contractors and homeowners with a dispute resolution process to solve...

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