JLC · AUGUST 1988 Miscellany by Gopal Ahluwalia There has been enormous technological improvement in the past 40 years in the construction industry. The improvement has come, for the most part, in little bits and pieces. The following analysis reflects builders' responses to the 1987 Builders Profile Survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), as well as observations at the NAHB Research Foundation. Foundation Since 1969 over 300,000 homes have been built with permanent wood foundations, but that represents a small market share. Permanent wood foundations are being used mostly in colder climates, where concrete cannot be easily poured in the winter. Nine percent of the builders responding to the survey are currently using permanent wood foundations and another 13 percent are considering using them. Framing and Sheathing Since the early 1970s,