The Cross Border Challenge is an annual event sponsored by RESNET and the Canadian Residential Energy Services Network (CRESNET) to recognize U.S. and Canadian builders who are pioneering the path to high-energy performance homes. CRESNET is RESNET’s sister organization in Canada. Annually the awards are presented to builders who have the lowest HERS® Index Scores in the U.S. and Canada. The awards were issued to the U.S. and Canadian builders who built a minimum of 50 homes and had the lowest average HERS® Rating. This was the 9th year for the awards. There were a total of 12 builder awards presented for this year’s competition; four were based on having the lowest HERS® score for their specific category, sponsored by Power-Pipe® Drain Water Heat Recovery Systems, two special President’s awards based on a fleet of HERS® new home ratings, sponsored by Better Builder Magazine and Building Products Canada, and two Net Zero awards including PV Solar applications were sponsored by Panasonic. In addition, the Enbridge Innovation Award sponsored by Enbridge Gas Distribution was presented for a US and Canadian builder. This award went to the builders in the US and Canada that HERS® rated a home demonstrating energy/resource innovation in new home construction. The 2022 Cross Border Challenge winners are: RESNET President’s Award The U.S. winner is Mandalay Homes of Prescott, Arizona. In 2021, the average HERS® Index Score of homes built by Mandalay Homes was 20. A 10-time winner of the DOE’s award for innovation and an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year two years in a row, Mandalay Homes has a passion for building homes that promote safety, health, comfort, style, reduced energy costs, and less environmental impact. Mandalay Homes is committed to being an industry leader in innovation and thoughtful design while utilizing cutting-edge technology to create high-performance homes. Mandalay Homes CEO Paul Erhardt will virtually accept the award from RESNET Executive Director Steve Baden at the 2022 RESNET Virtual Conference. CRESNET President’s Award The Canadian winner is Regal Crest Homes of Vaughan, Ontario. In 2021 the average HERS® Index Score of homes built by Regal Crest Homes was 45. John Godden of Clearsphere and CRESNET President Paul Lowes will present the CRESNET President’s Award to Regal Crest Homes at the 2022 RESNET Virtual Conference. Other Cross Border Challenge award winners are: US Builders US Net Zero Builder – Zero Net Now, New York with a HERS® -16 Lowest HERS® Score US Low Volume Builder – Zero Net Now, New York with a HERS® 27 Lowest HERS® Score US Production Builder – Thrive Home Builders, with a HERS® 40 US Enbridge Innovation Award – Zero Net Now, New York Canadian Builders Canadian Net Zero Builder – Country Homes, Ontario with a HERS® 6 Lowest HERS® score Canadian Production Builder – Empire Communities, Ontario with a HERS® 42 Lowest HERS® score Canadian Low Volume Builder – Linvest, Ontario with a HERS® of 41.7 Canadian Enbridge Innovation Award – Country Homes, Ontario New this year was two H2O 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 HERSH20® score. The HERSH2O® score measures the builder’s demonstration of water efficiency within the home. The lower the score, the less water consumption. The HERSH2O® winners are: US KB Home with a HERSH2O® score of 47. Canada DIETRICH HOMES with a HERSH2O® score of 69 This year’s competition was sponsored by Greyter Water Systems, Power-Pipe® Drain Water Heat Recovery Systems, Better Builder Magazine, Building Products Canada, Panasonic and Enbridge Gas Distribution. “With almost 3.5 million homes rated in the US, the Home Energy Rating System (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 and calculating a home’s energy performance” noted RESNET Executive Director Steve Baden. “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 CRESNET President Paul Lowes.
