OCEANSIDE, Calif. — The award winners of the 2014 Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) Cross Border Home Builder Challenge, which helps promote the utilization of the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index have been announced by Steve Baden, executive director of RESNET, and John Godden, president of the Canadian counterpart CRESNET.

“With well over 1 million homes rated in the US, the Home Energy Rating System Index is the industry standard by which a home’s energy efficiency is now being measured in the U.S. and Canada. It’s also the nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home's energy performance,” said Baden.

“The index is based on an assessment by a certified home energy rater who evaluates the energy efficiency of a home 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,” added Baden.

“This being in its first year, the RESNET Cross Border Challenge is a friendly competition between American and Canadian home builders to determine just how energy efficient builders can build,” said Godden. There were a total of six builder awards presented for this year’s competition; four were based on having the lowest HERS score for their specific category, and two were special President’s Awards based on a fleet of HERS new home ratings.

The 2014 winners are:

1. Lowest HERS score American Production Builder (>50 homes HERS rated per year) — KB Home with a HERS 42.

2. Lowest HERS score American Custom Builder (< 50 homes HERS rated per year) — Cobblestone Homes with a HERS 40.

3. Lowest HERS score Canadian Production Builder (> 50 homes HERS rated per year) — Brookfield Residential with a HERS 36.

4. Lowest HERS score Canadian Custom Builder (< 50 homes HERS rated per year) — Hunt Homes with a HERS 36.

5. RESNET President’s Award — KB Home.

6. CRESNET President’s Award — Brookfield Residential.

For more information about RESNET, visit www.resnet.us. For more information about CRESNET, visit www.cresnet.ca.

Publication date: 3/31/2014

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