The Southern Building Show, the South's premier event for building and remodeling professionals, will be held in early June at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. While the event is specifically for professional contractors, The Southern Building Show is also encouraging participation by consumers who are interested in the purchase of a new home or the renovation of a current home.

Consumers are invited to attend the show on Saturday, June 10, which is known as Consumer Day. That day, they can visit the showroom floor to learn about current building products and services on the market and talk to numerous manufacturer and industry association representatives who can answer questions and provide product information.

Consumers can also take tours of two Atlanta homes during the 2006 New and Renew Showcase part of the building show. These homes, a new custom home and a remodeling project, will be open to consumers from June 10 through June 17. The homes feature a host of new products, and were constructed with methods designed to increase the energy efficiency of the homes and preserve the health of residents. The homes are not only beautiful, they function efficiently and economically. On Consumer Day, June 10, free bus tours of the showcased homes will be running from the Cobb Galleria Centre during the Southern Building Show.

Free tickets for the New and Renew Showcase tour are available only at www.prosofatlanta.com, as well as Free tickets for Consumer Day on the showroom floor. This is the only place where consumers can get free tickets. PJ Kanline, show director, added that the tickets will be emailed or mailed to those requesting them prior to June 1.

The new home featured in the New and Renew Showcase is a 7,000 sq. ft. custom home built in Atlanta's Virginia Highlands neighborhood by Dennis McConnell of McConnell Homes, Inc. This was designed by Bill Harrison of Harrison Design, and this traditional plan has an open floor plan and features a loft play room with a hidden door, a hobby room work space, a kitchen garden, a ballroom, a media room, and home offices There are many custom features such as a wrapping center in the laundry room, stained glass windows, screened porches, appliance garages, and other elements designed to pique the interest of the public. McConnell has been honored as EarthCraft Home Builder of the Year and has included many elements in the house to best feature the advantages of the program. It is believed to be the highest rated EarthCraft home built thus far and is also the first American Lung Association Health House constructed in the South. These designations will appeal to a very large group of the home buying market who have health or allergy issues.

The remodeling showcase home is what was originally a one-story home in Peachtree Park near the Buckhead community of Atlanta. The home is owned by Maddox Management Group, LLC., which specializes in buying and renovating homes in Peachtree Park. Maddox Management, headed by Joe Maddox, expanded the first floor out the rear to enlarge the kitchen and create a new family room.

A screened porch and rear entry hall were constructed to attach the house to the existing garage. The walls on the main floor were raised one foot, and a new second floor was constructed over the entire house and garage. Also, a new covered front porch was built to give the house an inviting front facade. The new upper level contains a large master suite with two walk-in closets, two additional bedrooms and bathrooms, and a private office/playroom This home was designed to meet the standards of the EarthCraft House Renovation program by creating an efficient, healthy, durable, and sustainable home.

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