High-Tech Home Laundry Center Earns 2024 Spark Innovation Award
The NAHB Leading Suppliers Council (LSC) recently announced LG Electronics as the winner of the 2024 Spark Award for its new LG WashTower™ home laundry center. The annual Spark Award recognizes the most innovative LSC member who demonstrates superior knowledge and expertise in developing cutting-edge building products and services.
Guy Minnix, head of the LG Pro Builder division of LG Electronics USA, said he is honored to accept the Spark Award on behalf of LG, and that he is excited about the many benefits the WashTower product offers to consumers.
“As an important part of the LG Pro Builder portfolio of products, the unique LG WashTower home laundry center offers the ultimate in energy efficiency with its dual-inverter heat pump technology that dries laundry at a lower temperature, significantly reducing energy consumption,” Minnix said.
The LG WashTower is a single unit, front-load laundry center that includes a ventless dryer. Unlike other ventless dryers, it extracts moisture and recycles heated air for more energy-efficient drying.
The WashTower also boasts built-in sensors that detect fabric texture and load size, automatically customizing wash motions and eliminating the need for the user to determine the correct wash cycle. And thanks to five jets with variable sprays, LG says the WashTower is capable of delivering “a complete clean in under 30 minutes” for normal loads.
“As the market moves toward electrification, more home builders are embracing high-efficient heat pump technology and industry-first innovations like the LG WashTower to deliver an expanded assortment of innovative laundry offerings to their buyers, along with energy-saving technologies,” Minnix said.
The LG WashTower was among numerous applications from other highly innovative suppliers for this year’s Spark Award. Two runner-up certificates were awarded to those that stood out the most, including:
- First runner-up: Panasonic Corporation for the Intelli-Balance® 100 Mirror ERV (FV-10VEC2R)
- Second runner-up: Whirlpool Corporation for the Maytag® Pet Pro Top Load Washer
LG will be presented with the Spark Award during a supplier’s reception at The New American Home 2024 on Sunday, Feb. 25.
Latest from NAHBNow
The Northeast Florida Builders Association debuted its new 43,000-square-foot Workforce Education Center and headquarters with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 13.
Michael Fazio, executive director of the New York State Builders Association, told Congress today that energy mandates are driving up construction costs and deepening the housing affordability crisis.
Latest Economic News
U.S. house prices continued to rise in the second quarter of 2026, with most states and metropolitan areas recording annual gains. Elevated borrowing costs and affordability constraints remained important headwinds, while limited housing supply continued to support prices in many markets, particularly across parts of the Midwest and Northeast.
The number of open positions in the construction sector increased in July per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The current level of open jobs is down from three years ago due to declines in construction activity, particularly in housing.
Home building trends diverged across geographies in the second quarter of 2026. According to the Home Building Geography Index (HBGI), single-family construction declined in nearly all geographic categories, although the contraction eased in most markets from the first quarter.