Advancing High-Performance Building Together
As 2025 comes to a close, the Energy and Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA) celebrates another transformative year of education, recognition and collaboration across the high-performance building industry. From expanding regional training opportunities to elevating our awards program and strengthening our builder networks, EEBA’s work this year reinforced a shared commitment to building homes and communities that perform for people and the planet.
EEBA’s regional training series reached new audiences across Georgia, Massachusetts, Colorado and Minnesota, empowering residential building professionals with the latest building science knowledge and hands-on guidance. These two-day sessions focused on the updated Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) Version 2 program (now the Efficient New Homes Program) and the ENERGY STAR NextGen Builder requirements—two critical pathways for builders aiming to stay ahead of rapidly evolving codes, consumer expectations and market demands.
Builders left each session prepared to confidently deliver ZERH-ready homes, combining efficiency, durability, comfort and health. These regional trainings not only provided clear steps for implementing high-performance construction in every climate zone, but also fostered a sense of community among attendees committed to raising the bar for residential building. As interest in ZERH and NextGen homes continues to grow, EEBA’s regional training model has become a catalyst for accelerating adoption across the nation.
This year, EEBA elevated its recognition of industry leadership by expanding the Building Excellence Awards at the High Performance Home Builder Summit. The program formally commemorated the Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) Awards, formerly the DOE Housing Innovation Awards, by introducing categories for Production, Affordable, Attached, Custom for Buyer (under and over 2,500 sq. ft.), Custom Spec and Most ZERH Single-Family Homes Built. EEBA also retained its longstanding Sustainability Leader categories, ensuring the Awards continue to honor a wide spectrum of innovation across electrification, decarbonization, resiliency, healthier homes and overall high-performance design.
The 2025 awards spotlighted builders whose projects demonstrate what’s possible when performance, creativity and commitment converge. Grand winners included Paltrin, Clare Homes, Thrive Home Builders, Noyes Development, Red Tree Builders, Beazer Homes and BOA Builders. Their work reflects a growing industry momentum toward homes that are not only energy-efficient but also resilient, connected and centered on homeowner well-being.
The awards celebration served as a powerful reminder of how far the industry has come and how collaborative leadership continues to drive meaningful progress.
EEBA’s peer networks, the Builder Benchmark Group (BBG) and the Builder Sustainability Leadership Group (BSLG), continued to flourish in 2025, adding new members and deepening collaboration among leading builders across North America.
The Builder Benchmark Group brings together high-performance builders from noncompeting markets, including Sekisui House, Thrive Home Builders, Noyes Development and others. Through open discussions on business operations, financial management, marketing strategies and building science best practices, members work collectively to refine their processes and accelerate innovation.
Meanwhile, the Builder Sustainability Leadership Group convenes sustainability executives from organizations such as Mattamy Homes, Beazer Homes, Empire Homes, Pulte Group and Taylor Morrison. Meeting monthly in virtual sessions, the group provides an executive-level forum focused on advancing sustainability strategy, corporate leadership and beyond. Members exchange tools, insights and approaches that help them shape the environmental and social performance goals of their organizations.
This peer-driven model has become one of EEBA’s most impactful offerings, enabling builders to learn directly from others who face similar challenges and share similar aspirations.
EEBA’s progress in 2025 reflects a powerful and growing movement toward energy-efficient, healthy and resilient housing across North America. This momentum will continue in 2026 as EEBA expands regional training opportunities, with new sessions planned in Texas, North Carolina, New Mexico, Arizona, Maryland, Oregon and Minnesota. These trainings will continue to support builders, raters and designers seeking the skills and confidence needed to succeed in a rapidly changing market.
Next year will culminate with the 2026 EEBA High Performance Home Builder Summit, themed “Resilient Homes, Enduring Communities.” Taking place September 16–18 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the Summit will bring together builders, manufacturers, raters, architects and industry leaders to share the latest research, technologies and strategies shaping the future of sustainable housing.
As the industry continues to evolve, EEBA remains committed to supporting building professionals, elevating innovation and fostering a community that builds better—together.
Photo Credit: EEBA
By Aaron Smith. He is the CEO of the Energy and Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA) which represents a community of over 50,000 builders and their stakeholders across North America. He may be reached at aaron@eeba.org.
This column is featured in the November/ December issue of Green Home Builder, read the print version here.
