THE BEST OF THE BEST! vironmentally-friendly eyesores has come about in the past five years from architects, city en- gineers, and local zoning coun- cils, rather than the Ministry of the Environment. In fact, no- one there is dealing with this is- sue for fear that regulating asthetics will discourage the use of solar energy. "The Ministry views positively any moves to integrate solar water heaters into building architecture, but hasn't taken any steps to coerce people to do so," stresses Vallery Brachia, head of the ministry's Regional Planning Section. Neither has any positive ac- tion been taken to encourage architects to find solutions, ad- mits Ms. Brachia ruefully. "Some architects wishing to preserve the beauty of their cre- ations, have added clauses in their building license requests that would prevent the instal- lation of solar heaters on the roof," she says. "We have op- posed such clauses. We believe a way must be found too make the solar heaters more attrac- tive rather than forbidding their use. "What has been missing," says Mr. Graber, "is fore- thought. If solar water heaters and panels were planned as part of the structure, they would also be more functional, accessible for maintenance, and possibly cost less than conven- tional installation." Some city engineers and lo- cal building and zoning coun- cils have been less hesitant to take affirmative action. In Ashkelon, for example, the mu- nicipality now requires that all new buildings integrate the so- lar heaters into the structure. In the case of villas that has meant leaving the storage tanks off the roof and installing the solar panels flush with the roof tiles. "To have the blueprints approved, apartment houses must come equipped with the solar panels integrated into the structure prior to occupancy," says Ashkelon's city engineer, Eli Yahalom. Unfortunately, no one seems to have a fair or economically feasible solution for old apart- ment buildings, where the ubiq- uitous and universally ugly storage drums on stilts contin- ue to stand mutely, like a washed-out flock of stranded storks. Li "The Team from left: Dan Majewski, Lindsay Gross, Mark Bachaiov, Diane Lokar, Eric D. King, Jeff Eisenshtadt Top Guns! The Cream of the Crop! The Best there is! That's what this mortgage banking team is all about. They live and breathe to provide top-notch performance and unsurpassed customer service for their clients and Realtors. Why? Because it's in their blood and they have a passion for what they do. And what "they do" is with the best customer service and at the best interest rates in town. So if you are purchasing a new home or refinancing contact any one of "the Best of the Best" at Rock Financial. 1 / 1 51 Rock Financial (810) 540-6666 30600 Telegraph Rd., Fourth Floor, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 The Mortgage Bank Study Says Growth Will Stop Israel's rapid economic growth will stop in 1995 as a result of stock z..‘rid real estate bull mar- kets which divert money away from capital investments into financial activity, according to a report published by Eco- nomical Models. ', Over 1 Billion Closed in 1993 Rock Financial is an jam.,, 500 fastest growing company Michigan Locations: BINGHAM FARMS • CANTON • ROCHESTER Ohio Locations: CLEVELAND • COLUMBUS SMTUNITI I Rock Financial is a Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Approved Lender MBA1 MEMBER