Register today for the Fall General Membership Dinner on Thursday, Sept. 16, at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. Kick off the evening with a cocktail reception, tabletop tradeshow and time for networking before moving on to dinner, which will feature two panels of builders and bankers discussing strategies on partnerships for industry success. Be sure not to miss out!

Do you know what's new in Washington state? Do you know about the incentives to help offset the costs of using solar energy? All members are invited to attend the solar educational class hosted by the Design Professionals Council prior to the General Membership Dinner on Thursday, Sept. 16. Solar energy can be incorporated into homes using technologies such as photovoltaics, solar thermal, passive design techniques, daylighting and others.

Builder captain John Day Homes recently completed Master Builders Care Foundation's (MBCF) latest HomeAid project for Compassion House, a nonprofit provider of housing to homeless. The Julia L. Pritt House was dedicated in Issaquah on July 29. John Day, his staff and more than 40 trades from the homebuilding industry combined to contribute $244,000 in-kind to build the duplex, which will be home for two families as they journey from homelessness and dependence to independence.

The Rental Housing Association (RHA), Business Office Managers Association (BOMA) and your association met with the Seattle Fire Department last week to discuss future building code changes to residential, commercial and industrial construction. Beginning next year, the Seattle Fire Department will pursue requiring fire sprinklers in all new single-family construction and retrofits for all multifamily, commercial and industrial buildings in the city.

The NW Builders Credit Union is now open and is located right inside the MBA Housing Center. A division of NW Plus Credit Union, your new credit union offers a full range of services including savings, checking, online services, Q-cash, CDs, IRAs, mortgages, consumer loans and the convenience of being able to do your banking right at the member center. There's even an ATM in the lobby. Stop by and put your new credit union to work for you. The Master Builders will help out by depositing $5 to open your account.