Contact:
Celine Clark, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, 608-266-3516
Scott Larrivee, Department of Administration, 608-266-7362
Awards Presented to Four Wisconsin Firms and One Individual
WISCONSIN DELLS – Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton presented four
businesses and one individual with the 2005 Governor’s Awards for
contributions to energy-efficient homebuilding today at the Better
Buildings: Better Business conference in Wisconsin Dells. The awards stress
more than the technical elements of residential construction – honoring
companies who have demonstrated a commitment to the public good and carry
forward the recommendations of the Governor’s Energy Efficiency and
Renewables Task Force.
“Companies dedicated to energy efficient housing are helping to produce high
quality homes that are also more economical because of their energy and
resource efficiency,” Lt. Governor Lawton said. “These award winners’ work
is an example of the commitment to excellence that has made Wisconsin a
leader in the construction of homes that are safe, comfortable, durable, and
affordable. Our hope is that by recognizing these companies and their
achievements, others will aspire to do the same.”
Winners were selected based on the following criteria:
* Involvement, dedication, and commitment to high performance
construction,
* Proven ability as a quality leader in their company and their
industry,
* Willingness to “give back” to the building construction industry
through activities that improve the quality of Wisconsin’s labor force, and
* Effective work with companies, trade partners and allies that
provide materials and expertise that make it possible for trade contractors
to produce better high performance homes.
This year’s winners are:
Product Ally of the Year: Supplier / Manufacturer
BROAN-NUTONE
Hartford
Angy Steiner, Patrick Nielsen
A Wisconsin manufacturer, the Broan-NuTone Group made the commitment last
year to produce ENERGY STAR products, and is an ENERGY STAR partner. The
Hartford-based company employs more than 3,200 people in four countries on
two continents, and is the world’s largest producer of residential
ventilation products such as range hoods, exhaust fans, and indoor air
filtering products. Broan-NuTone Group offers a line of 27 different ENERGY
STAR-qualified ventilation fans for the home and office, manufactured under
both the Broan and NuTone brands.
Building Performance Consultant of the Year
HIGHLAND BUILDING CONSULTING
Green Bay
Douglas Meek, President
Highland Building Consulting demonstrated an exceptional ability to take on
new initiatives that work to advance building performance in the
construction industry. The firm recently began to offer its clients
expertise in value engineering principles that promote energy and resource
efficiency. Highland Building Consulting has helped to bring building
science knowledge into the technical trades classes offered at the
Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College. Company President, Doug Meek,
actively promotes education for the construction trades, serves on the Brown
County Home Building Association Education Committee, and helped the
Association create and implement a four-class building science certification
course.
Production Home Builder of the Year
VERIDIAN HOMES
Madison
Jeff and David Simon, Jeff Rosenberg
Veridian Homes, formed in June 2003, constructs more than 650 homes a year.
Veridian has made the commitment to build all of their homes to meet
Wisconsin ENERGY STAR Homes and Green Built Home program standards. Through
the process of value engineering, Veridian Homes built two prototype homes
that incorporate features beyond ENERGY STAR requirements. Veridian Homes
executives have been instrumental in working with municipalities, planning
commissions, and other state and local government groups to assure Dane
County land use is managed with an eye on land conservation and planned
growth. Veridian Homes neighborhoods showcase best practices in quality
building and reflect the company’s environmental commitment.
Custom Home Builder of the Year
THOMPSON HOMES AND CONSTRUCTION INC.
Green Bay
Paige and Joseph Van Elzen
Thompson Homes, one of the first builders to partner with the Wisconsin
ENERGY STAR Homes program,
has certified homes since 1999. The company has a commitment to education to
increase consumer
awareness of quality home building, stressing the importance of energy
efficiency and the correct techniques for greater building durability and
comfort. Thompson Homes has adopted innovations that improve their products
and business including a commitment to re-design several popular home models
through a value engineering process. They will soon be building a prototype
home that will incorporate greater levels of energy and resource efficiency.
Thompson Homes is a member of the Brown County Home Builders Association and
participates in the Spring and Fall Showcase of New Homes.
Industry Partner Commitment to Excellence
RICHARD (DICK) STONE
Northwestern Wisconsin Regional Coordinator for Wisconsin ENERGY STAR Homes
Dick Stone, owner of Sawtooth Ridge Woodcraft, is a leader in advancing the
performance of residential buildings and the technical capabilities of the
industry. Dick works with a diverse group of builders, suppliers, and
technical colleges in his role as Northwestern Wisconsin Regional
Coordinator for the Wisconsin ENERGY STAR Homes program. In addition to the
fieldwork of developing relationships with builders and program allies, Dick
serves as Project Leader on the Wisconsin team for Optimum Value
Engineering. This includes working with the Wisconsin Technical College
System, Northcentral Technical College, and Wisconsin Indianhead Technical
College. He serves as a mentor to other building performance consultants,
provides technical support to builders, trade contractors, and code
officials, and is active in the Chippewa Valley, LaCrosse Area, and St.
Croix Valley Home Building Associations.
The Better Buildings: Better Business Conference takes place February 1 and
2 in Wisconsin Dells. The conference offers attendees more than 50 sessions
and in-field tours on building science and improving business practices and
features a trade show. The conference is organized by the Energy Center of
Wisconsin and sponsors include the Wisconsin Division of Energy, Focus on
Energy, Alliant Energy, and the Wisconsin Builders Association. More than
600 attendees are expected. More information on the conference is available
at www.ecw.org or by calling 608-238-4601, Ext. 0.
