EPA Indoor airPLUS Leader Awards Spotlight NAHB Members, Importance of Indoor Air Quality

Each year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes leaders participating in the Indoor airPLUS program. The voluntary federal program encourages home builders to limit exposure to airborne pollutants through construction practices such as installing moisture control systems, advanced ventilation systems and low-emitting building materials, thus improving the air quality in new homes. Mold, carbon monoxide, radon and toxic chemicals present in homes are linked to various health problems. Indoor air quality (IAQ) and associated health issues have become increasingly important to home buyers, as indicated by NAHB's What Home Buyers Really Want report. According to the report, close to 60% of recent and prospective home buyers rated features such as dehumidification systems, whole-house mechanical ventilation, and low-VOC materials as either essential or desirable. As more people spend time in their homes due to the COVID-19 crisis, consumer awareness of IAQ and associated health effects may become more prevalent during home buying and remodeling discussions. Presented at the EEBA High Performance Home Summit, the Indoor airPLUS Leader Awards identify participating organizations who stand out in promoting safer, heathier, and more comfortable indoor environments. Applications are now open for the 2020 Leader Awards. Last year, NAHB member Thrive Home Builders was recognized as Builder Leader of the Year. Understanding the increased consumer demand for a heathier environment, Thrive works closely with subcontractors to ensure proper implementation of air quality-related construction details, and also provides an Indoor airPLUS-specific manual for each new participating home. NAHB member Energy Inspectors was named Rater Leader of the Year in 2019 for helping multiple production builders commit to making 100% of their homes Indoor airPLUS certified. This was its sixth award through the program. Other NAHB members recognized during the 2019 awards ceremony for their accomplishments included:

• Charis Homes in the small builder category;
• Maracay Homes and Thrive Home Builders in the large builder category; and
• E3 Energy, LLC, Energy Inspectors and Steven Winters Associates, Inc. in the rater category.

Raters and builders collaborating to improve indoor air quality, and the health of future building occupants are often recognized at the federal level through programs such as Indoor airPLUS and ENERGY STAR Certified Homes. Consider applying for the 2020 Indoor airPLUS Leader Awards to gain the recognition your company deserves. Applications are due June 10, 2020, and winners will be announced at the 2020 EEBA Summit Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2020. For more information about NAHB's sustainable and green building programs, contact Program Manager Anna Stern. And to stay current on the high-performance residential building sector, follow NAHB’s Sustainability and Green Building team on Twitter.