2004 Built Green Awards

The 2004 Built Green Awards of Excellence were announced at the October general membership meeting of the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver.

Built Green Builder of the Year – Aspen Homes of Colorado

Aspen Homes is the only builder of affordable, high-performance homes in the Colorado. With an average HERS score of 90 – a full 40% above Built Green requirements – this builder has managed, even in a slumping Larimer County market, to increase their market share to more than 40% of new starts. Besides expertly hitting all the high performance bases they have incorporated many firsts for production green builders in the state – grinding and re-using waste lumber on-site, fueling their fleet of heavy equipment and trucks with Biodiesel, a 100-kw wind power gift to every buyer, heating bill guarantees, and have pioneered affordability innovations such as allowing “sweat equity” for homebuyers who are experienced trades people in the industry.

Looking to the future, under the guidance of Director of Research Rob Sabin, they are poised to complete the state’s first “Zero Energy Home”, with the ultimate goal of taking the lessons from the prototype toward building affordable homes that will re-define what it means to live lightly on the land.

Last year we inducted Jim Sabin into the Hall Of Fame posthumously, and wished his sons and the rest of the close-knit Aspen team success as they work toward the ambitious goal of carrying on Jim’s formidable legacy. This award is a testament to the fact that they are succeeding.

The BG award for Sustained Achievement in Green Building – Engle Homes of Colorado

Engle Homes is no stranger to this level of recognition, having won Built Green Builder of the Year Award for the past two years by virtue of their industry-leading embrace of high performance home practices and overall commitment to green building.

They are leaders both in execution and marketing, having introduced the very concept of high performance homes to the market. Their notable accomplishments include very high energy rating numbers – averaging 89 scores on Home Energy Ratings (35% above code) and over 190 Built Green points. They have been highly instrumental in guiding the Built Green to our new tiered standards. And they have been nationally recognized as EPA’s Energy Star 2004 Partner of the Year for their “outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by building energy-efficient homes”.

Built Green Home of the Year $500K and over – Steeplechase Construction

This Roaring Fork Valley home achieve a Home Energy Rating score of 90 and 263 Built Green points, definitely qualifying as exceptional work and testifying to their mission of building with an emphasis upon “efficiency, sustainability, and durability”. This home features passive solar design, solar hot water, structural insulated panel walls, lifetime warranty shingles, use of local wood wherever possible, and bamboo flooring.

Steeplechase is a mountain builder to watch, proving with every home that: 1) you can live “Rocky Mountain High” while keeping your environmental impact low 2) the Roaring Fork Valley is not just a playground for the super-rich, but a proving ground for world-class environmental practices and 3) there are exceptional builders out there shouting their message of high-quality green building “from the mountaintop”.

Built Green Home of the Year - $250 – $500K – The Discovery Home from McStain Neighborhoods

The Discovery Home is as noteworthy for the massive visibility created for green building as for its considerable technical excellence. The Discover Home has received more national, regional and local press than anything in recent memory, except perhaps the elections.

McStain built upon its long-established environmental prominence by constructing its third experimental home, in partnership with a who’s who of green building trend-setters: Built Green, Building America, DOE, NREL, Building Science Corporation, Energy Star, and the American Lung Association.  McStain’s Discovery Home absolutely topped any previous Built Green record, achieving a whopping 456 points from the Checklist.

If Built Green homes save money, are more durable with lower maintenance, and provide healthier indoor environments, then the Discovery Home takes those premises to their ultimate expression: 1) a full 70% reduction in heating and hot water costs through a cutting-edge mechanical system; the energy use of the19-SEER air conditioner use is further minimized through advanced technology whole-house fans. 2) 70% water reduction achieved through extensive water-budgeting, Xeriscaping, advanced irrigation controls 3) achieving the super-stringent American Lung Association standards.

Altogether, this home is a well-orchestrated assembly of innovations. McStain has been true to their mission by spending so much money and energy in creating such a green tour de force – and then opening its doors for anyone to see. Thousands have seen the future of better, greener living, and soon they’ll see many of those same elements in their next McStain home.

Built Green Sponsor of the Year – HVAC Supply/Roger Yannett

One of the trickiest parts of building greener homes relates to advanced HVAC systems, and Built Green relies on the expertise of sponsor-members to guide important policy/technical decisions.

Other tasks have more to do with the less glamorous aspects of maintaining the workings an industry-leading program in a time when green building is seen as one of the most vital trends in the industry as a whole depend on volunteer committees. Roger Yannett has served on many such committees, and despite his relative newcomer status, will serve as co-chair next year on the EEAC. Roger and HVAC Supply embody the volunteer spirit on which the program depends for continued success.

2008 Built Green Colorado

Home Builders Association of Metro Denver, 9033 E. Easter Place, Suite 200, Centennial, CO 80112
(303) 778-1400 fax: (303) 733-9440  info@builtgreen.org

Last Updated: 10/26/2005