U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Building Technologies Office

Building America's Top Innovations Advance High Performance Homes

Innovations sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Building America program and its teams of building science experts continue to have a transforming impact, leading our nation's home building industry to high-performance homes. Building America researchers have worked directly with more than 300 U.S. production home builders and have boosted the performance of more than 42,000 new homes.

In 2012, DOE identified more than 30 game-changing building achievements from the years 1995 through 2012 as Building America Top Innovations. In the future, new Top Innovations will be awarded annually for outstanding Building America research achievements. Shining a light on these accomplishments will guide the industry in its move toward more energy-efficient, healthier, and durable homes. Learn more about Building America Top Innovations and see below for a list of categories and profiles of each innovation.

Top Innovations 2012

Building America's Top Innovations to date are listed below, with links to a profile describing each innovation. Note that some categories may not have a top innovation each year.

1. Advanced Technologies and Practices

Top Innovations in this category cover research in thermal enclosure improvements, HVAC components, ventilation and other health and safety issues.

1.1 Building Science Solutions

Thermal Enclosure:

• Basement Insulation Systems
• Advanced Framing Systems and Packages
• Unvented, Conditioned Attics
• Unvented, Conditioned Crawlspaces
• High-R Walls

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning:

• Integration of HVAC System Design with Simplified Duct Distribution
• Ducts in Conditioned Space

1.2 Energy-Efficient Components

• Tankless Gas Water Heater Performance

1.3 Assured Health, Safety, & Durability

• Low-Cost Ventilation in Production Housing
• Outside Air Ventilation Controller

2. House-as-a-System Business Case

Top Innovations in this category include profiles of Building America field research projects with production builders who have used a whole-house approach to achieve exceptional overall performance.

2.1 New Homes with Whole-House Packages

• High-Performance Home Cost Performance Trade-Offs: Production Builders
• High-Performance Affordable Housing with Habitat for Humanity
• High-Performance with Solar Electric Reduced Peak Demand: Premier Homes, Rancho Cordoba, CA
• Reduced Call-Backs with High-Performance Production Builders
• Affordable High Performance in Production Homes: Artistic Homes, Albuquerque, NM
• Moisture and Ventilation Solutions in Hot, Humid Climates: Florida Manufactured Housing
• High Performance without Increased Cost: Urbane Homes, Louisville, KY
• Community Scale High-Performance with Solar: Pulte Homes, Tucson, AZ
• Zero Net-Energy Homes Production Builder Business Case: California/Florida Production Builders

2.2 Existing Homes with Whole-House Packages

Projects are underway in this category. Check back for profiles to be posted soon.

2.3 Whole-House Program Support

• ENERGY STAR for Homes Support
• DOE Challenge Home (formerly Builders Challenge)

3. Effective Guidance and Tools

Top Innovations in this category include influential tools, software, and guides that have significantly guided or changed design or construction practice

3.1 High-Performance Home Solutions

• EEBA Builder's Guides
• EEBA Water Management Guide
• Attic Air Sealing Guidelines

3.2 High-Performance Home Metrics

• National Residential Efficiency Measures Database
• House Simulation Protocols (the Building America Benchmark)

3.3 Research Tools

• Building Energy Optimization Analysis Method (BEopt)
• Model Simulating Real Domestic Hot Water Use

You may access additional tools on the Building America Research Tools webpage.

4. Infrastructure Development

Top Innovations in this category include research results that have influenced codes and standards and improvements in education and the transaction process.

4.1 Educating Professionals

Projects are underway in this category. Check back for profiles to be posted soon.

4.2 Recognize Value in the Transaction Process

Projects are underway in this category. Check back for profiles to be posted soon.

4.3 Informing the Codes and Standards Process

• Building Science-Based Climate Maps
• Vapor Retarder Classification
• Unvented Crawlspaces Code Adoption
• Thermal Bypass Air Barriers in the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code