Inside the 2025 High Performance Home Builder Summit
This September, the Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA) invites industry professionals to gather for the 2025 High Performance Home Builder Summit, a pivotal event in the evolution of sustainable residential construction. From Sept. 17?19, 2025, Saint Paul, Minnesota will welcome builders, raters, architects, analysts and industry leaders driven by the mission to elevate high-performance, healthy and resilient homes to new heights.
A Summit with Purpose
Hosted at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, the Summit offers a focused, intimate environment designed for meaningful conversation, rather than a sprawling, impersonal trade show. Every attendee has the chance to connect directly with the innovators and decision-makers shaping the future of homebuilding.
A robust roster of sponsors underscores the Summit’s industry-wide appeal. From LP Building Products and Daikin to DuPont, BASF, Panasonic Ventilation, AeroBarrier, Owens Corning, EcoSmart Stud and more. Attendees can explore cutting-edge solutions across building envelopes, insulation, ventilation and beyond.
Pre-Conference Exclusives
Before the main sessions begin, on Sept. 16, attendees can take part in valuable pre-conference opportunities. They can join “The Pushback Playbook: Protecting Green Building Progress,” a facilitated conversation focused on uniting stakeholders and navigating evolving policies. Sam Rashkin will lead the “Housing 2.0 Optimization Workshop,” providing actionable strategies for delivering cost-effective, customer-centric high-performance homes. The day caps off with a unique networking event at Target Field, where the Minnesota Twins face the New York Yankees.
The Summit Experience
Over the next three days, the Summit will unfold as a dynamic blend of education, inspiration and networking.
The opening morning sets the tone with a welcome event, a brief history of EEBA and “The State of Our Industry: Perspectives from EEBA Legends” presentations. Industry icons like Gord Cooke, Joe Lstiburek, Gene Myers and Sam Rashkin share insights from decades of innovation in building science. Sessions dive into real-world applications, like A Bolt from the Blue, which compares side-by-side home builds to uncover performance optimization strategies.
Attendees also explore market-driven solutions in Zero Energy Ready Homes (ZERH) for both affordable and production housing, learning how early collaboration with energy consultants can ensure compliance, efficiency and buyer appeal. Technical sessions highlight breakthroughs in materials and systems, such as thin-glass insulated glass units, advanced window technologies and utility-backed incentive programs, helping builders overcome cost and code challenges.
Between sessions, the Manufacturers’ Showcase and Xcel Energy Expo Receptions provide hands-on product exploration, with over 40 exhibitors offering solutions that bridge innovation and practicality. Evenings are just as engaging, from the EEBA Party at The Energy Conservatory featuring the Blower Door History Museum, to casual meetups at local favorites like New Bohemia Truck Park.
The final day celebrates industry leadership at the EEBA 2025 Building Excellence Awards Breakfast, honoring outstanding projects and professionals in categories such as ZERH, health, resiliency, decarbonization and sustainability leadership. The Summit closes on a forward-looking note with “Generational Marketing: Insights for Future-Proofing Your Business,” where Sara Gutterman of Green Builder Media unpacks what Boomers to Gen Alpha want in homes, covering sustainability, affordability, technology and design.
Why this Summit Matters
The High Performance Home Builder Summit is more than a conference, it’s a catalyst for transformation. It blends the latest building science, real-world solutions and human connection into one immersive experience. Whether you’re a builder looking to go beyond code, a manufacturer introducing innovative products or a policymaker shaping the framework for tomorrow’s housing, the Summit offers tools, insights and relationships to help you thrive.
In Summary
From pre-conference workshops and heritage-building sessions through deep technical learning, product showcases and awards celebrations, the 2025 High Performance Home Builder Summit is the must-attend event for anyone serious about building smarter, greener and more resilient homes.
Visit https://summit.eeba.org/ to register and learn more.
Aaron Smith 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 was featured in our September/October issue of Green Home Builder.
