Researchers Develop House That Takes Just Hours to Build

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RESEARCHERS DEVELOP HOUSE THAT TAKES JUST HOURS TO BUILD

Simple Solution for Emergency or Permanent Dwellings
Clif Builder's Supports Public Unveiling of House3 Technology

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, MN, February 28, 2006 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- Researchers at the University of Minnesota Duluth's Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) have developed a unique new concept in ready-to-assemble housing that could provide a quick, affordable option for everything from disaster relief dwellings to starter houses and lakeside homes and cabins.

The House3 (House-cubed) Technology, which incorporates renewable wood resources and "green" building principles, will be presented to the general public for the first time at the 72nd Home & Garden Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center, March 1-5. A media demonstration of House3 will take place at the Clif Builder's booth (#757) at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 1.

Clif Builder's, an entirely natural protein bar, is made by Clif Bar & Co., a company dedicated to environmental and social issues that is making the public debut of House3 possible through its sponsorship.

"NRRI's mission is to find new ways for Minnesota's natural resources-based industries to be competitive, and the key is innovation," said Pat Donahue, director of NRRI's Market Oriented Wood Technology Program, who developed House3 with his staff. "If we can move our project forward with the help of the vibrant Twin Cities construction industry, there's nothing I'd like better than to see our ready-to assemble structures on a barge heading down the Mississippi to New Orleans to help address that region's ongoing housing crisis."

Donahue and his NRRI colleagues, along with representatives from several Twin Cities businesses, plan a fact-finding mission to New Orleans in April to explore applications for the House3 concept in the Gulf Coast region. Other potential applications include starter homes, vacation houses and cabins, and temporary or semi-permanent housing for seasonal and construction workers.

"Clif Bar is constantly searching for new ways to help sustain the environment and the communities we serve," said Steve Grossman, vice president of Clif Brands. "We're very pleased that we can help NRRI advance its innovative new technology."

House3 relies on computer-driven programs to streamline homebuilding. The result is a container-like structure that can be unloaded at a site and assembled-in a matter of hours, not days-into a two- three- or four-bedroom finished shell. When House3 comes off a truck, train or barge, a few container walls are removed to reveal wall and roof panels that are slipped into place and secured with a mallet. Everything from the floor to roof is shipped in the container, which itself becomes part of the house. Electrical and plumbing systems can be built-in according to local building codes. House3 can be configured in many ways at many price points and adapts to a wide array of building materials.

House3 is mobile, but unlike traditional mobile homes can be transformed into a permanent structure that increases in value on the site. While the concept of containerized and mobile housing isn't new, House3 is wood-based, can be easily disassembled and stored away, or can be converted into a permanent structure. Donahue describes this form of housing as the best of panelized and modular component construction systems.

The House3 concept is receiving enthusiastic attention from state government agencies, disaster relief organizations, large government contractors and private investors. The model on display at the Home & Garden Show is a scaled-down, 12-by-16-feet demonstration model. The House3 project is currently seeking interested licensing, manufacturing and distribution partners (patent is pending through the University of Minnesota).

Clif Bar & Co. is the nation's leading maker of all-natural and organic energy and nutrition foods, including Clif Builder's, the entirely natural protein bar for people who want more protein in their diets, especially When Work Feels Like a Workout^tm. As a company, Clif Bar is committed to sustainability from the field to the final product.

CONTACT:
Angela Traver
For Clif Bar & Co
413.582.7079 office
303.817.3625 mobile
angie@freshideasgroup.com
and
Dean Mayer
925.286.0815 mobile

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