Building America Announces Top Innovation Award Winners

Innovations sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Building America Program and brought to fruition by its teams of building science experts continue to have a transforming impact, leading our nation's home building industry to high-performance homes. This morning, during the 2013 Solar Decathlon in Irvine, Calif., at a ceremony sponsored by BASF, DOE announced this year’s winners for its Top Innovations Awards, which recognize the very best in innovation on the path to zero net-energy ready homes. The Partnership for Home Innovation (PHI), led by Home Innovation Research Labs, was recognized for four of the 10 selected innovations.

From among nearly 50 submissions for consideration from Building America teams, DOE the following as Top Innovations for 2013:

• Next Generation Advanced Framing
• High-Performance Ducts
• High-Efficiency Furnace Blower
• High-Efficiency Window AC
• Zero-Energy Ready Single-Family Homes
• Exterior Rigid Insulation Best Practices
• Window Replacement, Rehabilitation & Repair Guide
• Quality Management System Guidelines
• Building America Solution Center
• Standardized Data Sharing System (HPXML)

"To be considered a Top Innovation is a high bar,” according to Sam Rashkin, chief architect, DOE Building Technologies Office. “The selection team asked for nothing less than a compelling demonstration that each selected innovation will transform the housing industry in one or more areas of high-performance.”

Rashkin went on to say that innovations were selected based on the strong industry partnerships behind them or other indications to ensure future market adoption, and their demonstration of being achievable at a reasonable cost. The PHI team, one of only two Building America teams to be recognized for four innovations, was recognized for its work in Next Generation Advanced Framing, Zero-Energy Ready Single-Family Homes, Exterior Rigid Insulation Best Practices, and Quality Management System Guidelines.

Home Innovation Research Labs President Michael Luzier said, “We’re honored by this recognition and grateful for the dedication and collaboration of our assembled Building America team members, who share our focus to create integrated, system-based technology advancements in an effort to remove technological, regulatory, and cost barriers to building innovation.” PHI team members include: Southface Energy Institute, ARES Consulting, Jeannie Leggett Sikora, USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Business Excellence Consulting, Brick by Brick, Residential Building Industry Consulting Services, NexusEnergy Homes, Utilivate Technologies, and many others.

More information on Building America and its 2013 Top Innovation Awards is available on the Housing Innovation Awards website. More information on Home Innovation Research Labs and its services is available by visiting www.HomeInnovation.com.

ABOUT: Home Innovation Research Labs, located in Upper Marlboro, Md., is a full-service research, testing, and consulting firm determined to improve the quality, durability, affordability, and environmental performance of single- and multifamily homes and home building products – in short, we aim to perfect the home. Founded in 1964 as a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), our team has been integral in solving many of our client’s most difficult product and technology issues, and helping to introduce some of the most groundbreaking innovations in construction. Through an interdisciplinary research approach – including market research, building science analysis, laboratory testing, and standards development – we help to find a home for innovation in the construction industry.

NOTE TO EDITORS ON STYLE USAGE: To identify this company and its work correctly, first reference should be "Home Innovation Research Labs." In subsequent mentions, “Home Innovation” should be used; we are not identified by an acronym. Prior to February 12, 2013, the company was known as the NAHB Research Center.