Application & Overview
2010 EVHA Application
The 2010 EVHA Application is available for download. The latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.
Application Deadline: Postmarked by Tuesday, June 30, 2009.
Application Overview
The EnergyValue Housing Award (EVHA) recognizes builders who successfully integrate energy efficiency into all aspects of new home production, as exemplified by a specific home. Through educational programs and national media coverage, the award promotes increased awareness of the value of energy efficiency among home builders, homebuyers, and others within the new-home market. In the past 14 years, builders from 41 states and the District of Columbia have won 225 gold and silver awards.
The EVHA is funded primarily through the U.S. Department of Energy Building America program with additional support from private-sector sponsors.
BENEFITS OF APPLYING
Completing the application itself is a valuable self-examination tool. In addition, all applicants receive:
- Winners are recognized with an award at the 2010 EnergyValue Housing Award Banquet during the 2010 International Builders Show held January 19-22, 2010, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- Each applicant can request up to TWO (2) complimentary tickets to the 2010 EVHA Banquet.
- Selected winners are featured on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America website, NAHB’s Nation’s Building News, the NAHB Research Center website, the 2010 EVHA Winner Magazine, and other selected national publications.
- Winners receive EVHA award logos and customized press releases for local promotion and marketing.
- Selected winners may be invited to share their success stories at workshops, educational programs, or conferences.
- Builders Challenge Evaluation: Houses submitted for the EVHA are also eligible for Builders Challenge consideration if all required documents are submitted with the EVHA application and other criteria are met. Builders Challenge Qualified houses will receive the EnergySmart Home Scale at the EVHA banquet (finalists) or by mail (non-winners).
ELIGIBILITY
- All U.S. home builders and developers whose primary occupation is constructing homes and/or developing real estate are eligible for participation. Applicants need not be members of the NAHB or a local home builders association.
- Previously submitted homes and models are ineligible; however, previous winners may submit new homes and models.
- Submitted homes must have been completed after January 31, 2007, and before application submittal.
APPLICANT RESPONSIBILITIES
Applicants must be willing to share information with other builders through various media and NAHB Research Center workshops, presentations, and publications. Exceptions include proprietary information that must be clearly identified on application materials.
CATEGORIES
For all categories, builders should demonstrate the integration of energy efficiency into their general design, construction, and marketing practices. Application information must be submitted for one specific home. The award categories are as follows:
- Affordable: home targeted for customers at or below local Metropolitan Statistical Area’s (MSA) median income, or first-time home buyers. Non-profit home builders are encouraged to submit applications.
- Custom/Demonstration: home designed and built to owner’s specifications or as a “one-off” speculative project, NOT intended to be replicated. A demonstration house may accept donations and funds from government and/or private sector.
- Production: home design, construction, and marketing practices replicated, or intended to be replicated, in multiple homes. Application information must be submitted for one specific home.
- Multifamily: homes built under the International Building Code (IBC) or equivalent, which are three stories or less.
- Factory-Built: home built primarily in a factory. Can be HUD-code or modular. Does not include panelized construction.
CLIMATE REGIONS
Winners in each category will be chosen from within the following climate regions:
- Cold Climate - Greater than 5,500 heating degree days (HDD).
- Moderate Climate - 3,000 to 5,500 HDD, or HDD less than 3,000 and cooling degree days (CDD) less than 2,000.
- Hot Climate - Less than 3,000 HDD and CDD greater than 2,000.
The HDD (base 65° F) and CDD (base 65° F) for your nearest major city can be found in Annual Degree Days to Selected Bases 1971-2000, published by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
NAHB Research Center staff will review each application’s category and climate region to ensure that the application was submitted in the most appropriate category and climate region. The applicant will be contacted if the category or climate region is to be changed.
EVHA BUILDER OF THE YEAR
Judges will choose one overall winner from the Gold Winners who best represents energy value and the goals of the award program.
BUILDERS CHALLENGE
Throughout
its history, the EVHA program has continuously focused on higher levels of
residential energy performance by integrating a better understanding of
building science, new technologies and construction methods, and approaches to
green building into the judging criteria. The U.S. Department of Energy’s
Builders Challenge, introduced in 2008, became the latest call to the home
building industry to increase efficiency in homes by incorporating quality
criteria into energy-efficient home designs. The goal of Builders Challenge is
to build 220,000 high-performance homes by 2012. Beginning in the 2010 award
cycle, the Builders Challenge criterion will be integrated into the EVHA
application.
Applications submitted with the EnergySmart Home Scale or that qualify for Builders Challenge designation will receive points in the Builders Challenge judging criteria.
Houses submitted without the EnergySmart Home Scale will be eligible for Builders Challenge evaluation provided:
- The builder is registered as a Builder Partner with the U.S. Department of Energy.
- All REQUIRED documentation and information is included with the EVHA application.
- The builder indicates a willingness to participate in the Builders Challenge program through EVHA by completing the Builders Challenge request on page 8 of the EVHA application.
Participation in the Builders Challenge Program is OPTIONAL and does not guarantee winning an EnergyValue Housing Award.
JUDGING
Judging will be based on the evaluation of criteria essential to the value of energy efficiency in new home construction. Applicants will be measured relative to a threshold based on previous winners as well as other applicants within a specific category and climate region.
Applications are grouped with other applications in the same category and climate region (e.g., homes in the Affordable category and Hot climate region are judged together; homes in the Production category and Cold climate region are judged together.)
| Category | Climate | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold | Moderate | Hot | |
| Affordable | Gold winner Silver winner |
Gold winner Silver winner |
Gold winner Silver winner |
| Custom/Demonstration | Gold winner Silver winner |
Gold winner Silver winner |
Gold winner Silver winner |
| Factory-Built | Gold winner Silver winner |
Gold winner Silver winner |
Gold winner Silver winner |
| Production | Gold winner Silver winner |
Gold winner Silver winner |
Gold winner Silver winner |
| Multifamily | Gold winner Silver winner |
Gold winner Silver winner |
Gold winner Silver winner |
Winners may also be evaluated on their whole house energy performance by an energy analysis conducted by the NAHB Research Center. The energy analysis follows U.S. DOE Building America’s performance analysis procedures (PDF).
A panel of energy-efficiency experts representing the disciplines of engineering, construction, design, and/or marketing will judge each entry. Judges will consider all available information to determine winners. Judges' decisions are final.
Based on the sole discretion of the judges, awards will be made in categories and climate regions in which there are qualified applicants. Numbers of Gold or Silver winners are not limited and are solely decided by the judging panel. If you have any questions about the different categories or climate regions, please contact the EVHA program coordinator, Debra Sagan, at (800) 638-8556 x6210.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Applications will be evaluated by the criteria below.
| Evaluation Criteria | Weight of Scores | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Category* | All Other Categories | |
| Application Completeness: This criterion examines whether all required materials are submitted and whether all referenced supporting documents are furnished. | 5% | 5% |
| Energy Value: This criterion examines what makes the home more energy efficient than code requirements or other homes in the local market. | 48% | 33% |
| Design: This criterion examines how energy efficiency is considered during the design process. | 20% | 20% |
| Construction: This criterion examines management methods and construction processes related to energy and resource efficiency. | 13% | 20% |
| Marketing and Customer Relations: This criterion examines how energy efficiency is incorporated into marketing, customer relations and customer education efforts. | 7% | 15% |
| Energy Programs: This criterion examines your participation in voluntary energy/green programs, such as those run by utilities, ENERGYSTAR, local HBAs, etc. | 2% | 2% |
| Builders Challenge: This criterion examines participation in the Builders Challenge through submitting documentation of Builders Challenge certification or applying for Builders Challenge via this EVHA Application with Required documentation. | 5% | 5% |
*Note: Homes in the Custom category are weighted differently than homes in other categories; less emphasis is placed on Marketing and Customer Relations, while more emphasis is placed on Energy Performance.
INSTRUCTIONS
To enter the EVHA, complete the EVHA Application Form. The application form entails filling-in-the-blank type questions, writing narratives, and attaching supporting documentation.
It is recommended that a working paper copy of the application be completed and all REQUIRED documentation compiled prior to completing the online application. When completing the electronic application, please verify that all REQUIRED information is properly entered into the form and that all documentation has been collected and properly labeled. Applicants choosing to apply for the Builders Challenge, in addition to EVHA, should refer to the instructions on Page 9 of this application.
The completed application may be submitted online. Please print a copy for your records and three copies as requested below. You may request a copy of the application via e-mail or phone (800) 638-8556 x6210.
To enter, complete the 2010 EVHA Application Form by responding to each judging criteria. Please write or type your answers on the application form where space is provided.
Responses to judging criteria should be relevant, accurate and concise. Responses should describe practices while demonstrating an understanding of energy efficiency.
- Submit three (3) hard copies of each entry. Application Instructions need not be included with the application.
- Submit one (1) electronic copy of the completed application form to evha@nahbrc.com. You will receive an application number for each entry.
- Submit one (1) signed copy of the Disclosure Statement for each entry.
- Submit one (1) copy of the checklist for each entry.
- Submit an application fee of $100 for each entry. Make checks payable to the NAHB Research Center.
Applications and supporting materials should be presented neatly. REQUIRED documents are necessary for judging. Failure to submit required documents will result in a loss of up to 5 points for incompleteness. Applicants should decide if they want to submit OPTIONAL materials. Clearly indicate where all supporting information may be found in the application package (e.g., use appendices or tabbed dividers, and reference them in the application text).
Use photographs, drawings, product literature, and other supporting material to describe features and details when possible. Please use original materials whenever possible. Photographs submitted with the application are subject to use in media, therefore, higher resolution photos are preferred. Please caption photos whenever possible and identify any persons in the pictures.
Videos and CDs may be included. Energy efficiency features shown in a photo should be clearly described on a separate sheet.
Each page and all supporting materials should be labeled with your company name and section number.
FEE AND DEADLINE
Entries must be postmarked by June 30, 2009. The entry fee for the EnergyValue Housing Award is $100 per entry. Make checks payable to the NAHB Research Center.
A home entered under more than one category will be treated as separate entries and must be clearly identified. Please submit a separate entry fee and application for each home and category.
A company may submit only one application in each category and climate region, for a maximum of five (5) applications.
The fee and application materials are nonrefundable.
Please address inquiries and submissions to:
Debra Sagan, EVHA Program Manager
NAHB Research Center, Inc.
400 Prince George's Boulevard
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774-8731
tel. (301) 430-6210 or (800) 638-8556 x6210
fax. (301) 430-6180
Contact via e-mail