Ridgeland Builder Wins National Green Building Award

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center, along with the U.S. Department of Energy and National Renewable Energy Laboratory named Coastal Green Building Solutions of Ridgeland, S.C. a gold winner of the 2009 Energy Value Housing Award (EVHA), which was presented prior to the opening of the International Builders Show in Las Vegas, Nev.

The EVHA is the nation’s preeminent energy efficiency award honoring builders who voluntarily incorporate energy efficiency into all aspects of new home construction. Winners were selected by judges based on criteria that included climate region (cold, moderate, hot) and construction type (affordable, custom/demonstration, factory-built, multi-family, production). Coastal Green Building Solutions received a gold award in the hot climate, production category for its Bryant Park Cottages, the first, and currently, the only certified green residential development located on Hilton Head Island.

Announcing the award, Tom Kenny, vice president of engineering and research of the NAHB Research Center, echoed the sentiments of the EVHA judges, saying, “Coastal Green Building Solutions has quickly become recognized as a local leader in green building and green remodeling. In fact, they only accept commissions for projects in which the clients share their enthusiasm and drive for environmental stewardship.”

In their creation of Bryant Park Cottages, Coastal Green Building Solutions worked alongside the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program and the regionally recognized EarthCraft House program to create a compact development footprint for Bryant Park’s twelve cottages; preserving and minimizing the impact on adjacent wetlands using highly efficient mechanical equipment, and implementing advanced building technology for maximum indoor air quality and durability. To ensure that prospective buyers recognize the energy features utilized, small signs are posted throughout the model home describing and calling attention to green products and design elements.

Now in its 14th year, the EVHA is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in addition to the NAHB Research Center. The EVHA challenges builders to elevate standards for energy-efficient construction, provides educational opportunities for home builders, and fosters the adoption of energy efficiency principles.

Upon accepting the award Howard Feldman a partner with Coastal Green Building Solutions, said: “We are honored to be recognized alongside this elite group of builders who share in our dedication to the built environment and building the best houses we possibly can.”