2005 Media Releases & Alerts

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kimberly Warren

Judges Named for Prestigious EnergyValue Housing Award

Six Residential Energy-Efficiency Experts to Preside Over Competition Recognizing the Energy-Efficiency Elite

August 8, 2005, Upper Marlboro, Md. - The NAHB Research Center today announced six judges for the eleventh annual EnergyValue Housing Award (EVHA) program. Each year, the EVHA honors home builders who voluntarily incorporate energy efficiency into the design, construction, and marketing of new homes. One of the finalists is then selected as Builder of the Year. Over the past 10 years, EVHA has been recognized as a signature industry event for the energy-efficiency elite.

This year's awards will be presented at the 2006 International Builders' Show (IBS) in Orlando in the affordable, custom/demonstration, factory-built, production, and multifamily categories for hot, moderate and cold climate regions. Entries will be reviewed by the six-member expert judging panel, which includes a mix of new and returning judges specializing in the fields of engineering, construction, design, and marketing. The feedback that applicants receive from the EVHA judges is the most beneficial part of the application review process. Simply applying for the EVHA provides companies with unequalled access to the judges' expertise.

This year's judging panel includes:

  • Walt Auburn is assistant director of the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), and is responsible for the development and implementation of residential energy-efficiency programs. Although this is his first year as an EVHA judge, Auburn has been active in the energy arena for 30 years through his work in a wide variety of energy, housing, and environmental management positions. With MEA since July 2001, he has secured numerous federal Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency grants to educate Maryland consumers, businesses, and builders about energy efficiency. Auburn has also been certified as a RESNET Energy Rater since 2002. He will provide the panel with valuable guidance and information on energy technology and energy-efficient construction.

  • Steve Baden is executive director of the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) and has over 25 years of experience in the residential energy-efficiency field, including 18 years working with home energy ratings and energy mortgages on both the state and national levels. In addition to his many years of experience, included among his credentials are "Lifetime Achievement Awards" from the U.S. Department of Energy and RESNET. Baden will enhance the judging process through his extensive experience with energy rating programs.

  • Walt Holton has served as president of Holton Homes for the past 11 years. Specializing in high performance homes with strong emphasis on energy conservation, Holton Homes is a 100 percent ENERGY STAR builder. In fact, the company has been recognized as the ENERGY STAR "Builder of the Year" for 2001 and 2003. In his concurrent role as president of First General Services Treasure Valley, Holton also has specialized knowledge in building repair, heating and cooling system design, and installation of high efficiency equipment. As a first-year judge and 2005 EnergyValue Housing Gold Award winner, Holton will undoubtedly add value in selecting laudable entries among this year's submissions.

  • Dr. Ali A. Jalalzadeh-Azar is a senior engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) where he has led the combined heat and power (CHP) research efforts and received an ASHRAE Best Paper Award and an ASHRAE Crosby Field Award. He is currently a researcher and a technical monitor in the Building America program. Dr. Jalalzadeh’s previous experience includes university-level teaching and engineering practice in the areas of HVAC and energy analysis. His extensive engineering and academic background and knowledge of building energy performance will enrich the judging process.

  • Michael Lubliner is a retuning panelist who currently works with the Washington State University Cooperative Extension Energy Program, and is nationally recognized for his research and program implementation efforts associated with site-built and manufactured housing, ventilation, indoor air quality, and HVAC. Lubliner has been involved with energy conservation and renewable energy for over 25 years and has provided expert technical review to the EVHA program for the past eight years with his distinguished engineering background and expertise in manufactured housing.

  • Peter L. Pfeiffer, FAIA, founding principal of Barley and Pfeiffer Architects, has been specializing in green building practices since 1987, practicing throughout the United States and Canada. Pfeiffer is recognized for his life-long accomplishments as a pioneer of environmentally sensitive architecture, having received many professional accolades including NAHB National Green Advocate of the Year in 2003. As a returning EVHA judge, Pfeiffer brings a wealth of expertise in energy resource conserving design and practical green building construction methods.

Judging the EVHA is a two-part process. First, each judge independently reviews the applications. This process begins at the close of the application period, August 8, 2005. Second, the judges will meet as a group in early October to review the applications and select the winners. The announcement of the winning entries will remain embargoed until the presentation of awards at the 2006 IBS in Orlando.

About EVHA: EVHA is coordinated by the NAHB Research Center in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For more details on EVHA and previous winners visit www.nahbrc.org/evha or contact Dr. Kevin Mo, EVHA program manager, at 800-638-8556, or via email.

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08/05

The NAHB Research Center, located in Upper Marlboro, Md., promotes innovation in housing technology to improve the quality, durability, affordability, and environmental performance of homes and home building products. Created over 40 years ago as a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the NAHB Research Center has established itself as the source for reliable, objective information and research on housing construction and development issues. Through its various testing and certification services, the Research Center seal is internationally-recognized as a mark of product quality and an assurance of product performance.

NOTE TO EDITORS ON STYLE USAGE: To identify this company and its work correctly, first reference should be "NAHB Research Center." If clarification of the acronym is necessary, the phrase, "a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)," can follow. In subsequent mentions, "Research Center" is the only acceptable and accurate alternative reference.