THE APPLICATION PERIOD for the prestigious Energy Value Housing Award (EVHA) has officially begun. Now in its 11th year, the EVHA offers builders the opportunity to improve their business practices and be recognized by their peers.
“Builders are the environmentalists because we construct the built environment. We have the opportunity to … provide a higher quality of life,” says John Wesley Miller, CEO and president of Tucson, Ariz.–based John Wesley Miller Cos., the 2005 EVHA Builder of the Year.
The EVHA honors home builders who voluntarily integrate energy efficiency into the design, construction, and marketing of new homes. In addition, it educates the industry and the public about successful approaches to energy-efficient construction.
The annual program is judged by a distinguished panel of energy-efficiency experts in the fields of engineering, construction, design, and marketing, as well as previous award winners. The NAHB Research Center says this is one of the most beneficial aspects of the competition, as it provides companies with unequaled access to such expertise.
The Research Center is now accepting applications and will recognize winning entries at the 2006 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla., in January. There are five award categories: affordable, custom/demonstration, factory-built, production, and multifamily. In every category, a winner will be chosen for each of three climate regions: hot, moderate, and cold.
All U.S. home builders whose primary occupation is constructing homes and/or developing real estate are eligible. All homes must have been built after January 2003 and finished before the Aug. 8, 2005, submission deadline. Companies may submit only one application in each category, for a maximum of five entries. Judging will begin in September; applicants will be notified of their status by the end of October.
The EVHA program is coordinated by the Research Center in partnership with the Department of Energy, through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the NAHB. For more information and an application, visit www.nahbrc.org/evha or e-mail [email protected].
