'Earth Plaster' excels at resource efficiency

The National Association of Home Builders recently announced the winners of the 2004 National Green Building Awards, which were presented during the sixth annual National Green Building Conference in Austin, Texas. Hosted by NAHB, the conference showcases resource-efficient residential design, development and construction.

National Green Building Awards were presented in six categories:

Outstanding Green Product Award

Chosen by ballot during the National Green Building Conference, this award is given to the company with a product that has the best potential to advance the cause of resource-efficient home construction. Santa Fe-based American Clay LLC, this year’s award winner, was recognized at the conference for its product, American Clay Earth Plaster. American Clay Earth Plaster has no VOCs, fillers or additives, and is naturally resistant to mold. Earth Plaster can be reclaimed from buckets and floors, saved, and re-used at a later time.

Green Advocate of the Year

This award is bestowed upon a leader in the green building industry who has effected significant change in the field of resource-efficient new-home construction over the past year. This year’s winner is Tom Hoyt, co-owner of Boulder, Colo.-based McStain Enterprises, who has built more than 8,000 homes in Colorado in the last 35 years and was also the recipient of Professional Builder Magazine’s 2001 Professional Achievement Award for his efforts in advancing green building in the residential land development and home-building industry.

Green Program of the Year

This award is given to a home builder association, nonprofit group, utility or any other agency with an exemplary green building program that is more than 3 years old. With 74 active builders and a total of 1,274 homes built and certified under its program in the Atlanta metro area throughout 2003, the Southface Energy Institute’s EarthCraft House Program earned this honor. The program has commitments for an additional 1,000 homes in 2004.

Green Project of the Year: Multifamily

This award honors the company that best showcases green design and construction techniques in multifamily construction. Judges tapped Beavertown, Ore.-based Seabold Construction Co. Inc. for its Douglas Meadow’s Project, which serves families at or below 30 percent and 50 percent of area median income, for the award this year. The project provides units that can accommodate larger families and features a children’s play area and landscaping designed according to sustainable construction standards.

Green Project of the Year: Custom

This award goes to the company that best showcases green design and construction techniques in custom homes. Yavapai College in Prescott, Ariz., was recognized this year for its progressive and innovative building science and residential building technology program that teaches practical, hands-on skills training in the construction of new homes. Each year, students design and build a house that is later sold. The house integrates current building science practices with mainstream construction practices.

Green Project of the Year: Production

This honor is presented to the company that best showcases green design and construction techniques in a new project where at least 10 homes have been built to the same specifications. Los Angeles-based Pardee Homes, this year’s award winner, has distinguished itself through a progressive commitment to green building solutions that respond to consumer needs and preferences.

Pardee’s green building commitments encompass “Energy Star” requirements as a minimum energy efficiency standard for all new homes.

Green Project of the Year: Remodeling

This award goes to the company that best showcases green design and construction techniques in modifications or improvements to existing residential structures in terms of water use, ventilation, energy efficiency and green products. Atlanta-based Sawhorse Construction, this year’s award winner, has proven its commitment to producing energy-efficient, healthy and resource-efficient residential renovation projects through its EarthCraft Home Renovation Program.