2008 EVHA Gold Award - Cherokee Investment Partners, LLC

Category: Custom
Climate: Moderate
Location: Wake, North Carolina
Square Footage: 4,300 s.f.
Construction Cost: $230 per s.f.

Energy Features

As the "world's largest investment firm specializing in the acquisition, remediation and sustainable redevelopment of brownfields," Cherokee Investment Partners, LLC isn't your typical builder—and this winning entry is not your typical home. According to the EVHA judges, it is an "exceptional demonstration" home that is a showcase of high-tech energy and resource efficient building that features, "just about everything you can imagine." The company is using this demonstration home—occupied by one of the company executives—as a learning tool to guide future development.

Cherokee Investment Partners describes building its "Mainstream GreenHome" in an established neighborhood as part of an effort to "convince the building community and homeowners that green homes are economically attractive, environmentally beneficial, comfortable, and beautiful."

2008 EVHA Gold Award - Stitt Energy Systems, Inc.

Category: Custom
Climate: Moderate
Location: Springfield, Missouri
Square Footage: 3,718 s.f.
Construction Cost: $167 per s.f.

Energy Features

Stitt Energy Systems isn't new to energy-efficient home building or the EnergyValue Housing Award. After nearly 30 years of building homes, Stitt Energy Systems has an unwavering commitment to energy efficiency. Its mission, which hasn't changed since the company's inception, is "to provide energy efficient homes that are environmentally responsible for the health, welfare, and happiness of our customers, our employees, our investors, and future generations." According to the judges, Stitt Energy Systems has demonstrated "exceptional practice" with this custom home. Passive and active solar systems, combined with state-of-the-art efficiency features, contribute towards the $67 monthly energy bills accrued on average during the first year of occupancy.

2008 EVHA Gold Award - Ferrier Builders, Inc.

Category: Custom
Climate: Hot
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Square Footage: 2,990 s.f.
Construction Cost: $140 per s.f.

Energy Features

Ferrier Builders, along with the homeowner, set a goal for this project of creating a home that was "extremely energy efficient, comfortable, durable, made of sustainable products, and which uses nearly zero energy." Ferrier Builders is witnessing a "huge increase" in the number of customers who want extremely energy efficient homes. The company has found that its high performance home building niche, earned over more than 25 years, is attracting new customers. Interestingly, many of these new customers are baby boomers, seeking to build their last home, who are convinced that investing in energy and environmental features is a very wise investment. The EVHA judges couldn't agree more, and found that Ferrier Builders presented an "excellent package of features and a really good envelope," using an "energetic and holistic approach."

2008 EVHA Gold Award - Fireside Home Construction

Category: Custom
Climate: Cold
Location: Dexter, Michigan
Square Footage: 4,010 s.f.
Construction Cost: $238 per s.f.

Energy Features

According to the EVHA judges, Fireside Home Construction, "did everything right and then some." To maintain its strong reputation as a quality builder of timber-framed homes, the company strives to provide "personal attention to each client, achieve complete customer satisfaction, and provide enduring value to the home owner."

The company's air sealing practices provide a glimpse into the level of attention it gives during construction. To create a tight home, everything is sealed as it is built. Fireside's own framing crew is trained by an energy rater and attends one or more blower door tests to observe typical leakage hot spots. Mechanical and electrical trades are also trained about air leakage and given air sealing equipment to seal holes after rough-in. Even the trim carpenter has a foam gun to seal any gaps as he trims windows and doors.

2008 EVHA Gold Award - Aspen Homes of Colorado

Category: Custom
Climate: Cold
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Square Footage: 2,902 s.f.
Construction cost: $85 per s.f.

Energy Features

As a relatively young company, Aspen Homes of Colorado seems to have attained wisdom beyond its years. The company believes that taking a comprehensive approach to quality control is essential for constructing an energy efficient home. To this end, it hires knowledgeable and thorough employees and subcontractors who install and enforce precise quality control measures to check "every single step in the process." This high level of attention to detail is what allows Aspen Homes of Colorado to meet its own high standards, the standards of ENERGY STAR and the local green building program, and mostly importantly, and the expectations of the homeowner. This custom home, designed to use near-zero energy, was described as "phenomenal" by the EVHA judges.

2008 EVHA Gold Award - Veridian Homes

Category: Production
Climate: Cold
Location: Verona, Wisconsin
Square Footage: 4,660 s.f.
Construction Cost: $71 per s.f.

Energy Features

Veridian Homes's participation in local and national programs has led to the company's implementation of exemplary practices in all facets of its homes' construction. And, as Wisconsin's largest home builder, Veridian Homes is making a big impact. For example, their award-winning quality control process includes detailed trade contractor scopes of work and multiple field inspections that help ensure what the EVHA judges describe as "very tight construction." Yet, the company's influence goes beyond simply the impact of the home itself. For example, Veridian Home's award-winning recycling program has resulted in more than half of all its construction waste (50% by volume; 60% by weight) diverted from the landfill in 2007. Most recently, the company has entered into a voluntary "Clean Lakes" charter with state and local government to exceed existing water standards and to continuously improve erosion and storm water control measures.

2008 EVHA Gold Award - Aspen Homes of Colorado

Category: Affordable
Climate: Cold
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Square Footage: 1,416 s.f.
Construction Cost: $99 per s.f.

Energy Features

It is often difficult to incorporate the latest building science and energy efficiency features into affordable homes, but Aspen Homes of Colorado has proven that it can work seamlessly. According to one discriminating EVHA judge, "They can build an affordable home that is up to my standards. To me, that's great. They were able to do an excellent job at an affordable [price]."

Aspen Homes of Colorado engages homeowners with mutiple walk-throughs at each stage of construction so that the buyer is aware of what is done for energy efficiency and why. Guaranteed energy bills and Aspen's new homeowner gift of a year's worth of wind energy credits help keep the buyer aware of energy use and its affect on the affordability of their homes.

2008 EVHA Gold Award - Wilshire Homes

Category: Production
Climate: Hot
Location: Houston, Texas
Square Footage: 3,659 s.f.
Construction cost: $67 per s.f.

Energy Features

A large production builder, Wilshire Homes has used its status as an energy-efficient home builder to differentiate its brand in the Houston market. Yet, its commitment of energy efficiency is not just a marketing strategy—the company was established with a commitment to building not only the most energy efficient production homes in Houston, but also the most environmentally friendly. Apparently, the strategy is working. "Wilshire Homes has an overall package of energy efficiency measures that is quite good," according to the EVHA judges.

Wilshire Homes is proof that it is possible to remain price competitive while offering a highly-efficient home. To keep costs low, it incorporates resource efficiency measures which not only cut costs, but are also good for the environment.

2008 EVHA Gold Award - Veridian Homes

 

Category: Multifamily
Climate: Cold
Location: Dane, Wisconsin
Square Footage: 2,312 s.f.
Construction Cost: $53 per s.f.

Energy Features

To achieve a high level of quality and consistency in each home, Veridian Homes, executes "a great level of training and organization to a project," according to the EVHA judges, in which the process of building and design is "exceptional."

Veridian Homes credits its Even Flow production schedule and its National Housing Quality (NHQ) Builder Certification as key to the consistent and effective application of ENERGY STAR and Green Built standards to all of its homes. The company has developed detailed scopes of work for all of its trade partners, each of which contains measures to ensure energy efficiency details are implemented properly. The majority of the company's trade partners have completed the NHQ Trade Certification training at Veridian Homes' expense. Finally, the company's construction managers conduct 22 inspections and complete a 314-point final inspection checklist to ensure continuous improvement.

2008 EVHA Gold Award - Aspen Homes of Colorado - Builder of the Year

Category: Production
Climate: Cold
Location: Loveland, Colorado
Square Footage: 2,818 s.f.
Construction Cost: $98 per s.f.

Energy Features

Aspen Homes of Colorado's winning home in the production category includes numerous efficiency details that garner an "impressive" HERS index. Contributing to this level of efficiency are numerous features which are especially unique to a production home such as a tankless gas water heater and Manual D designed duct systems. For the tightly-constructed home, several features ensure high indoor air quality including: 100% hard-ducted air distribution system; fresh air circulated throughout the house by the central air handler; motion sensor-activated garage exhaust fan; sealed combustion equipment; passive radon system; MERV 12 air filter; and a moisture management plan. In fact, due to these air quality measures, the home received one of the nation's first ENERGY STAR Indoor Air Package (IAP) labels.

2008 EVHA Silver Award - John Wesley Miller Companies

Category: Custom
Climate: Hot
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Square Footage: 2,168 s.f.
Construction Cost: $186 per s.f.

Energy Features

As the downtown Tucson development Armory Park del Sol nears completion, it is a shining example of energy efficiency on the community scale. Not only is the location and neighborhood layout conducive to reducing car travel, each home is extremely energy efficient and includes solar hot water and photovoltaic systems for renewable energy production. This home, the second net-zero energy home in the development, received accolades from the judges for having "consistently good features" that contribute to a noteworthy 17 HERS index—indicating that almost all the energy used in the home is expected to be offset by the renewable energy production systems.

2008 EVHA Silver Award - Pardee Homes

Category: Production
Climate: Moderate
Location: Sacramento, California
Square Footage: 2,264 s.f.
Construction Cost: $58 per s.f.

Energy Features

Pardee Homes, a large regional production builder, has participated in the ComfortWise program since 1998. Through ComfortWise's turnkey program, Pardee and its subcontractors must adhere to strict guidelines and formal scopes of work developed by the program. For example, the ComfortWise program requires that a registered mechanical engineer design HVAC systems according to ACCA's Manuals J, D, and S and that installed ducts must pass the California Energy Commission's "Tight Duct" criteria of no more than 6% leakage. To further ensure quality installations, Pardee Homes applies the "Six Sigma" methodology—a series of practices designed to improve any process by eliminating defects—to continuously improve the construction process.

2008 EVHA Silver Award - Sustainable Development, Inc.

Category: Production
Climate: Moderate
Location: Salem, Oregon
Square Footage: 1,346 s.f.
Construction Cost: $233 per s.f.

Energy Features

This home, in the Pringle Creek development of Salem, Oregon, is the culmination of extensive planning and careful consideration of energy and resource efficiency features. Working with the architect and experts from the Oregon Department of Energy, the builder designed a cottage which, according to the EVHA judges, incorporates "significant energy savings measures." Not only is the home energy efficient, but it incorporates resource-efficiency and green building design with the same level of rigor. For example, all materials were sourced within 500 miles, streets are constructed of permeable asphalt, and a rainwater harvesting system supplies water to a drip-irrigation system for the drought-tolerant landscaping.

2008 EVHA Silver Award - The Cohousing Company

Category: Multifamily
Climate: Moderate
Location: Nevada City, California
Square Footage: 1,684 s.f.
Construction Cost: $95 per s.f.

Energy Features

In the Cohousing Company's multifamily units, described by one EVHA judge as having an "incredibly energy efficient structure," homeowners are enjoying utility bills in the range of $20 to $30 per month. The inherent efficiency of multifamily units combined with energy efficient construction details, whole-house fans, and passive solar design that encourage natural ventilation and shading result in homes that don't need any mechanical cooling.

The company has hosted several energy efficiency workshops with residents to discuss seasonal strategies for reducing energy use. According to the Cohousing Company, "It doesn't pay to create an organ if no one knows how to play it." Yet, the company credits the residents for energy conservation and states, "the community facilitates environmental stewardship…the sharing of information between community members has a huge impact on energy savings."

2008 EVHA Silver Award - R Godfrey Homes

Category: Affordable
Climate: Hot
Location: Glen Rose, Texas
Square Footage: 1,474 s.f.
Construction Cost: $76 per s.f.

Energy Features

R Godfrey Homes delivers what it calls the "most cost effective home possible" by performing a preconstruction analysis with an energy rater and then ensures those design details are implemented effectively by giving each home "a lot of individual attention" during construction. The builder works closely with material suppliers, insulators, HVAC contractors, and others to deliver what it calls "real value." Features unique to affordable homes, such as an unvented attic, are just part of the builder's strategy to keep costs low while providing what an EVHA judge described as an "excellent energy package." Yet, the builder recognizes that not everything is practical for the affordable home buyer—for example, the builder has not yet implemented photovoltaic systems. They have considered the technology, but realizes that it needs to wait until more systems are installed and the price declines before PV is suited to its affordable home buyers.

2008 EVHA Silver Award - Veridian Homes

Category: Affordable
Climate: Cold
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Square Footage: 1,846 s.f.
Construction Cost: $57 per s.f.

Energy Features

Veridian's grass roots marketing approach has truly set the company apart as a builder of high-quality, energy efficient homes. In fact, more than three-quarters of Veridian Homes's customers state that a key reason for their selecting the company was its reputation for building energy efficient homes with high indoor air quality.

Veridian's "Are You Seeing Stars?" campaign is raising awareness of the company's status as a 100% Wisconsin ENERGY STAR builder—with decals in all the home's windows, displays in furnished models, a billboard, and star-shaped giveaways. Through the local Green Built Home program, all homeowners are given a Green Built plaque for display.

2008 EVHA Silver Award - Community Housing Partners

Category: Affordable
Climate: Cold
Location: Blacksburg, Virginia
Square Footage: 1,138 s.f.
Construction Cost: $82 per s.f.

Energy Features

It's not surprising that Community Housing Partners, an unconventional builder, has produced a home that is not your conventional home. Built on a city infill site, this home is not only energy efficient but it is also environmentally sustainable. Through an integrated design process, Community Housing Partners worked to optimize building performance while creating a livable and functional space within the available budget. Through this design process, energy efficiency, durability, and sustainability was considered during every step: from architectural design through mechanical system design and materials selection. The result was a home with a "very nice package" of energy features, according to the EVHA judges.