On February 9-10, one thousand building design and construction professionals will gather in Burlington, VT, to learn about the latest technical innovations and energy-efficient practices at the region’s premier building conference ‘ Efficiency Vermont’s Better Buildings by Design 2011.This year’s conference will feature internationally recognized architect Bill Reed, a proponent and leading practitioner in the area of integrative and regenerative design. In his keynote address on February 9 at 8:30a.m., he will address the topic of ‘Integrative and Regenerative Design: Redefining the Practice of Sustainability.’Reed is a founding board member of the US Green Building Council and was a co-chair of the LEED Technical Committee.  He represents the cutting edge of building design with work that centers on creating and managing an integrative, whole-systems design process. He has consulted on more than two hundred projects around the world, including the Brattleboro Food Coop, which he helped transform into a LEED Gold grocery store ‘ and much more. His work helped reduce the Coop’s energy consumption by 30 percent; the design was also developed to include access to the agriculture and soil extension service, a cannery, a credit union, and a daycare center.Reed’s holistic approach is significant to the growing number of designers, architects and builders in Vermont dedicated to energy efficiency and sustainability.Some of those Vermonters will be honored for their exceptional work in design and construction. Winners of Efficiency Vermont’s 2011 ‘Best of the Best’ Awards in energy-efficient design and construction will be recognized during the conference’s Opening Session, preceding Reed’s keynote address.Joining Reed at the conference will be a number of renowned speakers, who will introduce the latest innovations in energy efficiency. Workshops will be presented in four simultaneous tracks: Building Envelope, Mechanical Systems, Lighting, and Innovations & High Performance. Just a few of the topics include:High Performance or Hype Performance? In this session, Marc Rosenbaum, PE, of South Mountain Company, will examine the models and performance of five recently completed projects: Deep energy retrofits of an elementary school wing and a masonry carriage house converted to offices; a new 11,000 square-foot dormitory with faculty apartments; eight new, affordable single-family homes designed to be zero net energy possible; and a zero net energy retrofit single family home. All but the last are buildings conditioned by mini-split heat pumps.LEDs: Wading Through the Hype to Get Great Results. Learn how to tell low-quality LEDs from ones that are ready for architectural applications now. In this presentation, Naomi Miller, FIES, FIALD, LC, of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will arm you with tools and metrics and a process to follow to help reduce the risks of using this new technologyENERGY STAR® Homes 3.0: Designing and Building to Meet 2011 Changes. Efficiency Vermont will work with Vermont builders to roll out new ENERGY STAR standards. Efficiency Vermont’s Li Ling Young will discuss where the residential market is headed and outline the new requirements for ENERGY STAR Homes 3.0 and how to achieve the standard in Vermont.Insulation Materials: From Fiberglass to Foam, Lamb’s Wool to Blue Jeans. Past Better Buildings by Design keynote speaker Fernando Pagés Ruiz will present the facts on today’s range of insulation systems and materials, their features, uses, pros, and cons. Pagés Ruiz will cover the traditional to the unconventional, and help you distinguish between legitimate approaches and marketing gimmicks.Downsizing Mechanical Systems after Retrofits. When successful building envelope retrofits substantially improve the thermal performance of a home, the existing HVAC equipment may become oversized to meet new, smaller heating/cooling needs. In this session, Skip Hayden of Integrated Energy Systems and CanmetENERGY will help participants find out when this situation creates a liability, when equipment downsizing, altering, or replacement is appropriate, and whether or not a shell retrofit can result in changes dramatic enough to warrant rethinking the space-conditioning systems.Approximately 1,000 building and construction professionals from throughout the Northeast are expected to attend the conference, a comprehensive, interactive learning experience about building durability, efficiency, and value. The exhibit hall trade show will feature more than 50 exhibitors displaying the latest residential and commercial building products and services.For more information, please visit www.efficiencyvermont.com/conference(link is external). Efficiency Vermont was created by the Vermont Legislature and the Vermont Public Service Board to help all Vermonters reduce energy costs, strengthen the economy, and protect Vermont’s environment. Efficiency Vermont is currently operated by Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC), an independent organization under contract to the Vermont Public Service Board. VEIC is a Vermont-based nonprofit organization founded in 1986. For more information, contact Efficiency Vermont at 888-921-5990 or visit www.efficiencyvermont.com(link is external).###February 2011 ‘ Burlington, VT ‘ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++EFFICIENCY VERMONT HONORS THE ‘BEST OF THE BEST’ IN ENERGY-EFFICIENT BUILDINGStatewide Winners Highlight Vermont’s Dedication to Energy-Smart Design and ConstructionFebruary 2011 ‘ Burlington, VT ‘ Across Vermont, architects, builders and contractors are working to create more energy-efficient businesses and homes. Efficiency Vermont is proud to recognize a select number of those projects with its annual ‘Best of the Best’ Awards.Award recipients will be recognized at Efficiency Vermont’s Better Buildings by Design 2011 conference, taking place on February 9 and 10, at the Sheraton in Burlington. The conference focuses on energy-efficient building design, construction, and renovation, and is attended by more than 1,000 professionals.The work of Vermont builders and contractors was considered in three areas of energy efficiency: commercial new construction and major renovation, residential new construction and residential renovation.Commercial Building Design & Construction:Projects for The Haven Adult Shelter (Hartford, VT), State of Vermont Forensics Lab Building (Waterbury, VT) and The Hermitage (West Dover, VT) took top honors. Projects for the Washington Central Supervisory Union (Montpelier, VT) and East Montpelier Emergency Services (East Montpelier, VT) received merit awards. The Haven Adult Shelter is projected to have annual energy savings of $9,850. Work included installation of an energy-efficient lighting package, triple-glazed vinyl windows, high-performance thermal envelope as well as a water conservation package. The Haven Adult Shelter has applied to the U.S. Green Building Council for LEED certification.The Hermitage project included installation of high-efficiency air conditioning, LED lighting, timers and motion sensors on lights as well as highly-efficient spray foam insulation.The State of Vermont Forensic Laboratory predicts a 50 percent reduction in annual HVAC costs and a 32 percent reduction in total building energy usage due to energy efficiency work.Vermont ENERGY STAR® Homes’Residential New Construction:Reiss Building & Renovation, Black River Design Architects, Wayne Construction LLC, and New England Colonial took top honors for homes in Brandon, Westford, Jeffersonville, and South Hero, VT, respectively.Each home’s thoughtful design includes air sealing details, high-efficiency insulation as well as energy-efficient lighting and appliances. In particular:The Brandon home features photovoltaic solar energy and a geothermal heat pump. The house is net-metered and has a staggered double-wall enclosure insulated with cellulose, specialty triple-pane windows, solar water heating, drain water waste heat reclamation, and heat recovery ventilation.The Westford home has 10 solar panels that will produce approximately 6,000 kWh annually ‘ over half of the expected household usage.The Jeffersonville home demonstrates a commitment to indoor air quality and moisture management. Airtight construction with advanced ventilation control provides fresh air and humidity control for building durability.The South Hero home’s two flat-plate solar collectors cover most of the home’s water-heating needs; an indirect-fired storage tank is the backup for 96 percent efficient propane boiler.Homes Performance with ENERGY STAR’Residential Energy Efficiency Retrofit:Building Performance Services LLC won the grand prize for work completed for more than $15,000 for a project on a balloon-framed house, originally built as a horse barn in the mid-1800s. The owners upgraded their home so that they now have estimated annual fuel savings of $3,456, and they are enjoying a 22 percent return on their investment in the work.EnergySmart of Vermont won the grand prize for a project completed for between $5,000 and $15,000 for work on a home where the roofline needed to be treated with a combination of spray foam and dense-packed cellulose insulation. Various weather-stripping and air-sealing measures were also completed. The floors are now warm enough to walk on comfortably in the winter and there are no more freezing pipes. The homeowner shared that ‘the difference has been significant ‘ not only in terms of heat retention but also in terms of fuel savings.’Caleb Contracting LLC won the grand prize for a project completed for under $5,000 for its work on an 1800s post-and-beam farmhouse owned by a retired builder. After the improvements, the attic no longer serves as a large source of heat loss, and the threat of wood rot and mold growth in the attic has been eliminated. Estimated annual fuel savings is $641.Notably, the grand prize winner in each Home Performance with ENERGY STAR category achieved at least a 60 percent reduction in air infiltration.Renovations by Home Performance with ENERGY STAR contractors in Enosburg Falls, Waterbury and Pawlet were also honored.The complete list of award winners in all categories is as follows:Best of the Best in Commercial Building Design & Construction Award WinnersRecognizing innovative and integrated design approaches for energy efficiency in Vermont’s commercial, institutional, industrial, and multifamily buildings.NEW CONSTRUCTION, SMALL BUILDINGS (Honor AwardProject: The Haven Adult Shelter, Hartford, VTFirm: UK Architects, PC, Hanover, NHMerit AwardProject: Washington Central Supervisory Union, Montpelier, VTFirm: Black River Design Architects, Montpelier, VTMerit AwardProject: East Montpelier Emergency Services Building, East Montpelier, VTFirm: Scott + Partners Architects, Essex Junction, VTNEW CONSTRUCTION, LARGE BUILDINGS (>=20,000 sq. ft.)Honor AwardProject: State of Vermont Forensics Lab Building, Waterbury, VTFirm: Scott + Partners Architects, Essex Junction, VT; in association with HDR/CUH2A, Princeton, NJ               MAJOR RENOVATION (GUT REHAB)Honor AwardProject: The Hermitage, West Dover, VTFirm: The Hermitage, West Dover, VTBest of the Best in Vermont ENERGY STAR® Homes Award WinnersHonoring exceptional achievement in new homes receiving ENERGY STAR qualification.SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES Winning HomeBuilder: Chuck Reiss, Reiss Building & RenovationHome Location: Brandon, VTSINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES 2,000 to 3,000 sq. ft.Winning HomeBuilder: Jay Ancel, Bill Rienecke, and Andrew McCullough, Black River Design ArchitectsHome Location: South Hero, VTSINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES >3,000 sq. ft.Winning HomeBuilder: Stephen Goodrich, Wayne Construction LLCHome Location: Westford, VTSINGLE FAMILY ATTACHED HOMESWinning ProjectBuilder: Tom Wyckoff and Albert Chu, New England ColonialProject Location: Jeffersonville, VTBest of the Best in Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Award WinnersRecognizing excellence in energy efficiency renovations in Vermont homes.RETROFIT UNDER $5,000Grand PrizeContractor: James Bradley, Caleb Contracting LLCHome Location: Milton, VTHonorable MentionContractor: William Morrissey, Weatherization WorksHome Location: Pawlet, VTRETROFIT FROM $5,000 to $15,000Grand PrizeContractor: EnergySmart of VermontHome Location: Wolcott, VTHonorable MentionContractor: John Ashton, Ashton ThermalHome Location: Enosburg Falls, VTRETROFIT OVER $15,000Grand PrizeContractor: Brad Cook, Building Performance Services LLCHome Location: Moretown, VTHonorable MentionContractor: Brad Cook, Building Performance Services LLCHome Location: Waterbury, VTEfficiency Vermont was created by the Vermont Legislature and the Vermont Public Service Board to help all Vermonters reduce energy costs, strengthen the economy, and protect Vermont’s environment. Efficiency Vermont is currently operated by Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC), an independent organization under contract to the Vermont Public Service Board. VEIC is a Vermont-based nonprofit organization founded in 1986. For more information, contact Efficiency Vermont at 888-921-5990 or visit www.efficiencyvermont.com(link is external).###