News Release 2/7/10
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 7, 2010 |
Contact: |
Bill Wachtler 253-858-7472 bill@sips.org |
Structural Insulated Panels Help Seven Top Builders Claim Energy Value Housing Awards
January 18, 2010 – Twenty of the nation’s top energy-efficient builders were recognized at the 2010 Energy Value Housing Awards (EVHA) presentation in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now in its 15th year, the program recognizes elite builders who are constructing and marketing cutting edge energy-efficient homes. It is managed by the NAHB Research Center, and operated in partnership with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the U.S. Department of Energy through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Although the winning entries varied across the competition’s categories from affordable homes to high end custom homes, seven of the winners had one thing in common: structural insulated panel (SIP) construction. SIPs are a panelized building envelope system that provides a well-insulated and airtight structure, reducing the energy needed for heating and cooling. SIPs are composed of insulating foam sandwiched between two structural facings, typically made of oriented strand board (OSB).
A panel of industry experts selected the winning homes based on energy value, design, construction, marketing and customer relations efforts. Energy efficiency is measured using the industry-standard HERS Index, a third-party test that measures home energy use based on the home’s air infiltration, insulation, appliances, and other technologies used in the home.
The winning entries averaged a HERS Index of 41, 59% more efficient than a home built to today’s building code. Cresswell & Company’s 4,142 sq. ft. awarding-winning custom home in Limerick, Pennsylvania used SIP construction and solar generation to reach a HERS Index of 25, moving closer to the Department of Energy’s goal of net zero energy homes (HERS 0).
Longtime SIP builder Don Ferrier of Ferrier Custom Homes grabbed his sixth consecutive EVHA with a 2,438 sq. ft. custom home in Cleburne, Texas that was certified under LEED for Homes and the National Green Building Standard. Judges commented that Ferrier’s repeated performance “demonstrates a good understanding of what it takes to build appropriately in a hot climate” and that the builder “has truly systematized the whole idea of green building.”
“We have really learned a system of how to replicate energy performance in all the homes we build,” said Ferrier. “I think SIPs give me the biggest bang for the buck in terms of energy efficiency. When you’re looking for great air tightness and insulation, nothing gives you that like SIPs.”
Six other builders using SIPs were awarded the EVHA, including Fireside Homes, Cresswell & Company, Habitat for Humanity Portland MetroEast, Bridgewater Innovative Builders, CVH/Clifton View Homes, and Gold Medallion Homes.
“The EVHA recognizes the nation’s elite energy-efficient homebuilders, and this shows that elite energy-efficient builders are saying that SIPs are the product to use to build an extremely energy-efficient home,” said Ferrier.
With Congress contemplating stricter building energy requirements and many organizations supporting progressive energy codes, SIPA Executive Director Bill Wachtler sees the technologies employed by EVHA winners growing more commonplace in the near future.
“As states, municipalities and the federal government move to make homes more green and energy efficient, SIPs and other high performance building envelope systems will be essential to reach the new performance levels,” said Wachtler.
In June of 2009, the House passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act that mandates a 30 percent increase in building energy codes one year after enactment, with scheduled increases leading up to 70 percent by 2030. An independent assessment by the Alliance to Save Energy estimates that this provision alone would create national energy savings of four quadrillion Btus and prevent 60 million metric tons (MMT) of carbon dioxide emissions. This is the equivalent of taking nearly 13 million cars off of the road for a year or eliminating 90 coal power plants.
More information on the 2010 EVHA winners can be found at http://www.nahbrc.com/evha/winners.aspx.
About SIPA
The Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA) is a non-profit trade association representing manufacturers, suppliers, dealer/distributors, design professionals, and builders committed to providing quality structural insulated panels for all segments of the construction industry.
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