The 2011 edition of the New American Home

by Joel Barkman

More than 47,000 builders, remodelers, product manufacturers and other home building industry professionals were in Orlando, Fla., last week to attend the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders' Show.

And as the industry slowly, cautiously climbs out of the worst downturn in memory, vendors on the exhibit floor say the mood among home builders is noticeably brighter than last year's.

A perennial show highlight is The New American Home showhouse. The 2011 edition of The New American Home features leading-edge green building technology woven seamlessly into the elegant architecture of the well-crafted house. The home has achieved "Emerald" status under the National Green Building Standard certification program.

Now in its 28th year, The New American Home is constructed annually in conjunction with the NAHB International Builders' Show to showcase innovative building technologies and the latest building products.

As NAHB's official show home, it displays design trends, construction techniques, and materials that the building industry can use in any new or remodeled home. The showcase products in the home are provided by members of the National Council of the Housing Industry, the leading manufacturers and suppliers for the construction industry.

In keeping with increasing demand for energy and resource-efficiency, the show home has achieved "Emerald" certification under the National Green Building Standard. The Standard was developed by NAHB and approved by ANSI, the American National Standards Institute.

"Emerald" is the highest of the four levels of achievement in resource efficiency that the Standard recognizes. Certification to the standard is provided by the NAHB Research Center.

To attain Emerald status under the standard, the 2011 show home relies on the latest innovations in green building and construction technology, including a state-of-the-art energy efficiency package.

The home's green building features include masonry block construction for exterior walls, a solar assisted HVAC system, solar hot water heater with gas backup, and spray foam insulation for different parts of the house. It also includes a greywater recycling system, tankless hot water heaters, hydronic air handlers, and "intelligent" fire places.

In addition the home features fountains, pools, solar elements and leading edge art-glass work. Other big-ticket items: motorized draperies, lighting controls and integrated music system are all tied into an automation system to wow show visitors.

But what can the average person take away from a tour of the 2011 version of The New American Home? The home is not meant to represent reality; rather it is intended to showcase innovation. Realistically - and especially in this economy - it does not make much sense for the typical homeowner to spend lavishly for the latest in green technology when the goal is supposed to be using and spending less.

Home builders who are certifying their projects to the federal Department of Energy's Builders Challenge program say that affordability, not cutting-edge technology, is key to their ability to make the green connection with home buyers.

Several builders spoke at a press conference during the NAHB International Builders' Show, which observed its fourth annual Green Day on Jan. 13. This press conference was held in conjunction with Builders' Challenge, which offers technical assistance to builders and remodelers constructing homes to be at least 30 percent more efficient than the prevailing energy code requirements.

Builders interested in certifying their homes with Builders Challenge can do so while meeting the additional requirements of the National Green Building Standard. The scoring tool at www.nahbgreen.org offers a dual certification option for those builders and remodelers wishing to go beyond energy efficiency and incorporate water efficiency, indoor environmental quality and other hallmarks of the green built home.

That's a great encouragement for program participants, who can use the dual certification tool to cut their administrative costs and save time, said one builder who intends to build and certify more homes using the Builders Challenge program.

Since the Builders Challenge program was launched at the NAHB International Builders' Show in February 2008, 5,000 homes have been certified. "It gives us an edge in the market and it's the right thing to do," said another show attendee.

To reach the majority of homeowners and potential homeowners, builders said they focus on the building envelope, paying attention to how the home is sealed, rather than relying on high-tech products. "We haven't seen the cost benefit yet of solar power" and other renewable energy systems, another builder said.

As energy efficiency requirements in building codes become more stringent, Builders Challenge participants are ahead of the game, and that can put them at a competitive advantage, said David Lee, who heads up the program for the Department of Energy. In addition, "these builders are finding the way to see if these increases are achievable or not," he said.

Green-built homes will take an increasingly large percentage of the market in direct proportion to their price - because home buyers' prime motivation today is cost effectiveness, according to representatives from four suppliers and product manufactures who spoke at the International Builders' Show last week.

"The key is value for every stakeholder in the process," from the manufacturer to the builder and the home buyer, said Richard Davenport, director of sustainable construction for BASF.

The good news, said Kohler's Rob Zimmerman, is that product manufacturers have been able to focus on the creation of new technology during the current building downturn "that will make green building more affordable."

Let's hope so. Because if you ask this builder, building energy and resource efficient home is not about "going green" to make a buck — it's about making sense.

As always e-mail your questions or comments to joel@goldenrulebuilders.com or write to "Ask a Builder" at P.O. box 294, Catlett, VA 20119.

Barkman is past president of the Fauquier Chapter of The Northern Virginia Building Industry Association.

Read Joel's column weekly in the