Preferred Builders Inc. receives prestigious housing award

Preferred Builders Inc. of Old Greenwich has been awarded a Housing Innovation Award by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

The Housing Innovation Awards recognize elite builders who design and create high-performance, energy-efficient homes.

Housing Innovation Award winners are leading a major housing industry transformation to zero energy ready homes. This level of performance is the home of the future because it improves the way Americans live by substantially reducing or eliminating utility bills, ensuring engineered comfort way beyond traditional homes, protecting health with a comprehensive package of indoor air quality measures, and helping maximize the largest investment of a lifetime, DOE Building Technologies Office Chief Architect Sam Rashkin said in a statement.

Sustainability is a growing concern for the U.S. housing industry, prompting the DOE to celebrate those who push the boundaries of standard design to create zero energy-ready homes. Preferred Builders was chosen as the grand winner in the custom category of the 2013 Housing Innovation Awards for a house completed in 2012.

That home was just the second in the country to earn Challenge Home certification, and was awarded LEED Platnium and National Green Building Standard Emerald level certifications as well. The 2,700 neo-colonial house is fitted with a solor PV system on the roof.

Preferred Builders Inc. of Old Greenwich, was selected as the grand winner in the Custom Builder category. Completed in October 2012, the home was the second in the country to earn Challenge Home certification and has also earned other green building awards including LEED Platinum and National Green Building Standard Emerald level certifications. The 2,700-square-foot Neo-Colonial earned a home energy rating (HERS) Index score of 20. The projected annual utility costs for the home is just $910 when the projected $1,509 annual revenue from the solar PV system is taken into account.

Preferred Builders owner Peter Fusaro, claims that the gas bill for the property from November through January was only $292, while the electric bill showed a credit of $558.

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Preferred Builders Inc. receives prestigious housing award