Green Builder® Media Announces Winners of the 8th Annual Home of the Year Awards
Green Builder® magazine honors sustainable building project award winners for 2015
Seattle, WASH – Green Builder Media, recently announced the winners [link to our webpage] of its 8th Annual Green Home of the Year Awards. Nine projects were selected to represent this year’s best green homes. This year’s homes upped the ante on overall sustainability. Several of the winners have achieved net-zero energy or are net-zero ready.
This year’s Grand Overall Winner, Rainier Vista Community, is located in Seattle and began as a 15 home partnership between Dwell Development and the Seattle Housing Authority in 2010. The project expanded to 36 additional homes over the next five years. All 42 homes are designed for zero-energy living and are 5-Star Built Green certified.
The goal of the project was to create a community within the bustling Columbia City neighborhood that brings together likeminded individuals who value community, sustainability and modern design. The homes are arranged in micro-blocks: clusters of six to eight homes around an outdoor common area, which includes a community garden and informal gathering spaces. The pedestrian-friendly location near the Light Rail Station and the retail and dining district in Downtown Columbia City help further reduce the community’s carbon footprint.
“Every year we think we have maxed out the possibilities with the current crop of entries, until we get the new set of entries the following year,” says Green Builder Media President, Ron Jones. “I have to say that I am completely blown away by the judges selections for this year’s awards and amazed by the diversity of project types, geographic locations, selections of materials/products/systems, and architectural styles. The masterful combining of creativity and building science so beautifully and convincingly demonstrated in these projects should inspire everyone, everywhere in the shelter industry to emulate these extraordinary designers and builders.”
Judges evaluated the entries on comprehensive criteria, including siting, the depth of building science employed, materials sourcing and reuse and overall resilience. All winners will be showcased in the December 2015/January 2016 issue of Green Builder magazine. The other projects that received honors include:
- Bellingham Power House – Bellingham, WA (Best Alternative Construction)
- Brookline Residence – Brookline, MA (Best Inspired Green Design)
- Reclaimed Modern – Seattle, WA (Best Infill Project)
- Below Zero – South Glastonbury, CT (Best Mainstream Green)
- The Beach House at Truesdale Lake – Lewisboro, NY (Best Renovation)
- Rainwater Ranch – Burnet, TX (Best Resilient Design)
- Birch Case Study – Bellingham, WA (Best Building Science)
- House for a Writer in Bohemia – Czech Republic (Best Affordable Green)
This year’s judging panel included some of the most forward thinking individuals in the building industry.
- Bill Rectanus is the vice president of Homebuilding Operations for Thrive Home Builders [www.thrivehomebuilders.com] (formerly New Town Builders) and is responsible for the implementation of their “High Performance Building Initiative.”
- Sam Hagerman is the co-founder and co-owner of Hammer and Hand [www.hammerandhand.com], a construction company dedicated to inciting evolution in building through service, craft and science.
- Steve Byers is the CEO of EnergyLogic [www.nrglogic.com] which serves a variety of clients in the residential and light commercial energy efficiency and sustainability spaces helping to “make buildings better.”
About Green Builder Magazine
Green Builder® magazine is the building industry’s leading magazine focused on green building and sustainable development. Green Builder offers practical, cost-effective information to a community of the most advanced building professionals across the country. The magazine’s nationally award winning editorial team blends top-quality visionary content with sophisticated design to generate an unforgettable publication that addresses the most important issues of our time.
About Green Builder Media
Green Builder® Media, LLC is the leading media company in North America focused on green building and sustainable living. With a comprehensive suite of print and digital media solutions, demonstration projects, case studies, online training, and live events, Green Builder Media assists building professionals in preparing themselves for the new green economy and helps homeowners understand how to live more sustainably.
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