EEBA's High Performance Home Blog

Qwahn Kent - November 3, 2025 The custom home building market is experiencing a period of significant transformation. According to recent data from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), new home construction has remained volatile in recent years, with builders navigating fluctuating material costs, labor shortages, and shifting buyer preferences. Despite these challenges, the built-to-order segment continues to represent a substantial portion of new home sales, with approximately 20-25% of new single-family homes being custom or semi-custom builds. Recent industry reports suggest that the average time from initial contact to signed contract in custom home building can range from three to six months, significantly longer than traditional home purchases. This extended sales cycle means that understanding and effectively addressing client objections isn't just important, it's essential for closing deals and maintaining healthy conversion rates. But what are buyers... read more

Part of what happens on the power grid starts in the homes we build. As energy demand continues to climb, the challenge - and opportunity - for builders is clear: how can we transform homes from energy consumers into energy producers and contributors to a more stable, sustainable grid? In the session Transforming Our Communities Into Grid Assets, panelists Megan Cordes, Director of Sustainability and Building Science at Beazer Homes; Joel Abney, Vice President of Operations at SH Residential Holdings, LLC; Matt Brost, Vice President of New Home Sales at​ Sunrun​; and Chip Silverman, ​​Director of Grid Services ​and Virtual Power ​Plants at Sunrun; came together to explore how forward-thinking builders and technology partners are reshaping the future of community energy. The Power Grid Is Changing The conversation began with a look at how our electrical grid has evolved - and where it’s headed. Panelists noted that the original grid was never designed for today’s rapidly... read more

Capturing the Value of High-Performance Homes Through Better Appraisals In today’s home-building environment, one of the toughest challenges is securing appraisal values that reflect the true performance and efficiency of high-performance homes. Although builders are investing in superior insulation, systems, and envelope quality, the market has frequently failed to reward those efforts. That is changing—and this 2025 Summit session recap explains how. Building the Case for Value When builders deliver homes that offer better comfort, lower utility bills, and longer durability, the expectation is that value follows. However, the appraisal and lending system has historically lagged behind. In a recent panel discussion, this issue was addressed head-on: Builders often report that even after constructing homes with excellent efficiency (for example, a home with a HERS score of –17), the appraisal came in significantly under the construction cost or expected... read more

At EEBA’s 2025 Summit, one of the most forward-looking sessions—“Healthier Homes Begin with Healthier Building Materials”—showcased how builders, manufacturers, and innovators are coming together to make healthier, more sustainable homes the new standard. Moderated by Corey White of the Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPDC), the session featured Paul Shahri (Ecomedes), Colin Harrington (Saint-Gobain North America), Andrew Guido and Andrew Bowerbank (Empire Communities), and Aaron Smith (EEBA). Together, they explored how data, transparency, and collaboration are transforming how we source and select materials for residential construction. Transparency Drives Healthier Building EEBA CEO Aaron Smith opened with a powerful reminder that home health begins with material health. After learning how toxins from 9/11 cleanup sites caused ongoing harm to responders, he became an early advocate for Health Product Declarations (HPDs) and Environmental Product Declarations... read more

At EEBA’s 2025 High Performance Home Builder Summit, the “The Sustainability Waters Have Gotten a Bit Choppy...So What Now? ” panel brought together a powerhouse lineup of North American builders and sustainability leaders to confront the question on everyone’s mind: What happens when federal programs shift and incentives fade—but our commitment to high-performance building remains? Moderated by Sean Hunter, DuPont’s Global Sustainability Lead, the session featured Aaron Smith (EEBA), Doug Tarry (Doug Tarry Homes), Megan Cordis (Beazer Homes), Stephen Myers (Thrive Home Builders), and Tim O’Brien (Tim O’Brien Homes). Together, they navigated today’s policy changes, affordability pressures, and carbon challenges—all while staying true to their mission: to build homes that are energy efficient, resilient, and healthy for the people who live in them. The Shifting Federal Landscape EEBA CEO Aaron Smith opened the discussion by acknowledging uncertainty around key federal... read more

The 2025 EEBA High Performance Home Summit opened with a powerhouse lineup of industry pioneers—Mark LaLiberte, Dr. Joseph Lstiburek, Gord Cooke, Sam Rashkin, and Gene Myers—each offering decades of wisdom, humor, and perspective on where high-performance building has been and where it’s going. Moderated by Laura Dwyer, the “Legends” panel celebrated both the evolution and the enduring purpose of building better homes. Mark LaLiberte: Knowledge Shared is Knowledge Multiplied Mark LaLiberte opened with stories from EEBA’s early days, when building science was taught via overhead slides and hair dryers thawed out snow-covered film trays. His central message was timeless: education is everything. “Knowledge shared is really knowledge multiplied,” LaLiberte said, reminding attendees that spreading what we know is key to moving the industry forward. He emphasized that building better is not just about innovation, but about execution, and that the responsibility to educate the... read more

When it comes to progress in high-performance homebuilding, the latest technologies — like net zero homes, decarbonization strategies, and advanced materials — often take center stage. But these innovations are built on a foundation of collaboration, learning, and long-term effort. For more than 40 years, the Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA) has supported the industry through education and practical guidance, helping builders and partners navigate these changes. At the 2025 High Performance Home Builder Summit, Pat Huelman, a longtime building science professor and EEBA leader, took the stage to remind attendees where it all began. With a mix of humor and heart, he brought the audience on a “trip in the Wayback Machine,” reflecting on EEBA’s origins, evolution, and enduring mission to create better buildings and a better world. The Early Days: A Movement Takes Shape EEBA’s story began in 1983, following the Superinsulation Conference held in Rochester, ... read more

In construction energy efficiency should be more than an afterthought; it should be integral to your building design. This is where Premier Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) come in, providing a building envelope solution that is leaps and bounds more energy-efficient than traditional stick-framed construction. But how do SIPs achieve this superior performance? Let's break it down. ⇒ VIEW PORTFOLIO: Get a glimpse of extreme energy-saving projects! Take a peak through our portfolio of high-performing commercial and residential projects to see some off-the-charts net-zero, positive energy, Passive, and LEED Certified Premier SIPS buildings across North America. SIPs at a Glance Fact: A SIP structure is up to 15 times more airtight than traditional stick framing, which means less energy wasted on heating and cooling. SIPs are a smart, integrated solution for your building envelope, combining four critical components—structure, insulation, an air barrier, and a... read more

2025 Building Excellence Awards Recognize Innovation and Leadership in High-Performance Homebuilding The 2025 Building Excellence Awards brought together leading builders, suppliers, and partners to honor the dedication and innovation shaping the future of high-performance homebuilding. Hosted by EEBA, the event highlighted achievements in sustainability, electrification, resiliency, decarbonization, healthier homes, and Zero Energy Ready Homes (ZERH). "We honor the projects that inspire, the people who lead with vision, and the relentless efforts that have helped shape a better built environment over the past year," said Aaron Smith, CEO of EEBA. "Together, we’re not only building homes - but we’re also building the future." Sustainability Leader Awards Excellence in Electrification Award – Sponsored by Xcel Energy: Celebrating the home that delivers climate, health, and economic benefits through all-electric strategies. Nominees: Doug Tarry Homes (The Ashton), ... read more