The award winners of the 2023 RESNET/CRESNET Cross Border Home Builder Challenge, which helps promote the utilization of the HERS® Index have been announced by Mark Johnson, President of the RESNET Board of Directors, and Paul Lowes, President of RESNET’s Canadian counterpart CRESNET. Winners recently received their awards at the 2023 RESNET Conference in San Diego, November 15-17. “With nearly 4 million homes rated in the US, the HERS Index is the industry standard by which a home’s energy efficiency is now being measured in the US and Canada. It’s also the nationally recognized system for inspecting, calculating, and labeling a home’s energy performance” noted Mark Johnson. “The HERS Index is based on an assessment by a certified RESNET Home Energy Rater who evaluates a home’s energy efficiency and assigns it a relative performance score. The lower the number, the more energy-efficient the home. The energy efficiency score is based on variables such as exterior walls (both above and below grade), floors over unconditioned spaces, ceilings and roofs, windows and doors, vents and ductwork, HVAC systems, water heating system, and your thermostat, among other elements”, commented Mark Johnson. “The RESNET Cross Border Challenge is a friendly competition between American and Canadian home builders to determine just how energy efficient builders can build,” noted Paul Lowes. This was the 10th year for the awards. There were a total of 13 builder awards presented for this year’s competition; four were based on having the lowest HERS Index score for their specific category, three special President’s awards based on a fleet of homes that were HERS Index rated, and two Net Zero awards including PV Solar applications. These awards were sponsored by Power-Pipe® drain water heat recovery system, Better Builder Magazine, Beacon Building Products, BP Canada, and Panasonic. In addition, the Enbridge Innovation Award sponsored by Enbridge Gas Distribution was presented to a US and Canadian builder. This award went to the builders in the US and Canada that have their homes HERS rated demonstrating energy/resource innovation in new home construction. Also, there were two HERSH2O® awards for builders in the US and Canada sponsored by Greyter Water Systems. These awards went to builders in both countries with the lowest RESNET HERSH2O score. The HERSH2O score measures the builder’s demonstration of water efficiency within the home. The lower the score, the less water consumption. The 2023 winners are: • RESNET President’s Award for the US Production Builder with the lowest fleet score under HERS Index score of 52 – Northern Climates – Thrive Home Builders, Colorado with average fleet HERS Index score of 22 – Southern Climates – Mandalay Homes, Arizona with average fleet HERS Index core of 24 Stephen Myers, Thrive Homes; Mark Johnson, RESNET Board President Jacob Atalia and Ariel Chen, KB Home; Rod Buchalter Chair, RESNET Cross Border Builder Challenge HERS Rater Justin Ericsson from E3 for Mandalay Homes; Mark Johnson, RESNET Board President • US HERSH2O Award KB Home with a HERSH2O score of 44 • Lowest HERS Index score US Production Builder Lennar, Minnesota with a HERS Index core of 42 • Lowest HERS Index score US Low Volume Builder Zero Net Now, New York with a HERS Index score of 26 • US Net Zero Builder Zero Net Now, New York with a HERS Index score of -13 • US Enbridge Innovation Award Zero Net Now, New York. • CRESNET President’s Award Lindvest, Ontario, with an average fleet HERS Index score of 45 • Canadian HERSH2O Award Minto Ottawa with a HERSH2O Index score of 69 • Lowest HERS score Canadian Production Builde Heathwood Homes Huron Ltd, Ontario with a HERS Index score of 41 • Lowest HERS Index score Canadian Low Volume Builder Dietrich Homes, Ontario with a HERS Index score of 42 • Canadian Net Zero Builder Barbini Design Build, Ontario with a HERS Index score of 35 • Canadian Enbridge Innovation Award Minto, Ottawa Ontario RESNET Congratulates the 2023 Cross Border Challenge winners.
