Developed in 1999 by the Greater Atlanta Home Builder’s Assocation and Southface, EarthCraft has become the Southeast’s standard for building green, energy-efficient homes, buildings and communities. Known for pairing building science with regional know-how, the program promotes energy-efficient, comfortable and durable new construction and renovation projects throughout the Southeastern United States.
The EarthCraft Awards are a vital part of the program, as they reward builders that have exceeded the standard program requirements. They also bring recognition to program partners and help to advance innovation in the region’s green building industry.
The EarthCraft Awards, which are presented at the annual Celebration of Excellence, provide a valuable networking opportunity for industry professionals to share best practices and for program sponsors to promote the newest technology advancements and products that are available to builders.
The winning projects in 2013 represent exemplary performance and quality in the green building industry. The winners include:
EarthCraft House Project of the Year – The Proud Green Home at Serenbe, constructed by Imery Group
The Proud Green Home achieved the EarthCraft House Platinum rating with an amazing HERS Index of -2 and a score of 341 on the EarthCraft worksheet, the most points in the program’s history. The home, which is a net-zero energy home, produces more energy in a calendar year than it uses.
EarthCraft House Builder of the Year – Chatham Home Builders, Inc.
Chatham Home Builders certified multiple homes located within Savannah Gardens, an EarthCraft community. The builder also consistently exceeded expectations by averaging more than 150 points per home on the worksheet.
EarthCraft Renovation Project of the Year – Emerson Street Residence by Century Craft Homes
This Emerson Street home achieved an EarthCraft Renovation Platinum rating with 153 points on the worksheet. The builder used biodiesel-powered equipment during construction and reduced air infiltration by 600 percent. In addition, the builder worked closely with the homeowners and learned new techniques to satisfy their request of having a healthy and efficient home.
EarthCraft Renovator of the Year – Environs Residential Design and Construction
The Environs group works with highly distressed properties in some of Atlanta’s toughest communities. As a participant in the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, they renovated dilapidated inner-city housing by installing high-efficiency HVAC systems, water-saving appliances and using spray-foam insulation for higher occupant comfort and indoor air quality.
EarthCraft Multifamily Project of the Year – Berean Village developed by Berean Community Development Corporation and Tower Construction, LLC
Berean Village is a prime example of how EarthCraft and the multifamily housing industry can work together to create highly-efficient and resourceful buildings for its residents, particularly seniors. This development was designed and constructed to be a high-performance community for seniors that is energy-efficient, resource-efficient and healthy for everyone.
EarthCraft Communities Project of the Year – Harmony Greene developed by Woda Group, LLC and Parallel Housing Inc.
Harmony Green, which is certified both as an EarthCraft Coastal Community and LEED for Homes Gold, is a low-impact, sustainable project built in a sensitive, coastal wetland environment. Extensive planning, including building relocation, was undertaken to protect wetlands on the site and additional adjacent wetlands were also purchased to provide comprehensive watershed protection. The result was an affordable housing development that was able to utilize both traditional and non-traditional stormwater management practices.
EarthCraft Light Commercial Project of the Year – Bosch Experience Center at Serenbe developed by Bosch and Serenbe
Bosch, which has been a technology leader for decades, built a cutting-edge technology gallery that showcases products from ground source heat pumps to induction-burner cook tops. Pairing with Serenbe was a perfect match for advancing technology and sustainability. The center achieved EarthCraft Light Commercial Gold certification by applying techniques such as geothermal heating and cooling, solar photovoltaics, heat pump and point-of-use water heating, low-flow water fixtures and efficient HVAC systems.
For more information on the 2103 EarthCraft Award winners or the EarthCraft program, visit www.EarthCraft.org.