Home in NorthWest Crossing Neighborhood Wins National Award

A NorthWest Crossing home built by W.H. Hull Company was selected by the National Home Builder's Association (NAHB) as 2007 Single-Family Research Project of the Year award winner as part of the National Green Building Awards Competition.

According to the NAHB, the competition for this year's award was particularly intense, due to the quantity and quality of entries received, particularly in the single-family category.

"The enormity of winning this national award is just starting to sink in," said Bill Hull, owner of W.H. Hull Company. "When I built this house, I wanted to implement as many environmentally friendly features as I possibly could because I saw a need to change the way I was building homes. To be honored for doing what I think is right is a great affirmation of the work I do as a home builder."

The home submitted for the award had implemented several "green" features including:

• Passive solar design and solar panels for hot water heating.
  
• Convective air slabs in south-facing floors that cycle heated air throughout the remainder of the home.
  
• Interior design that allows heated air to rise to a separate thermostat, which triggers a fan to push air down again at certain higher temperatures.
  
• Staggered studs in exterior walls allowed for more effective coverage of insulation.
  
• Products that were chosen for the home with high durability-at a reasonable cost-while foregoing products that had less longevity.
  
• Major recycling efforts during the construction process which reduced landfill waste by 80%.
  
• Platinum-level certification by Earth Advantage®, which certifies homes for energy efficiency, healthier indoor air, resource efficiency and environmental responsibility.

Each year, the NAHB recognizes individuals, companies and organizations that are "bringing green to the mainstream," by transforming green design and construction practices. The National Green Building Awards honor achievements in and commitments to green building. The award won by W.H. Hull Company recognizes innovation in green building in the single-family market.

David Ford, general manager for NorthWest Crossing said, "A builder like Bill Hull really encompasses the vision of what we are trying to create here at NorthWest Crossing - a sustainable community that is sensitive to the high desert environment. We have continuously been involved in green building industry activities since our inception, and having a home in our neighborhood win such a prestigious honor is very rewarding."