2020 New Product Roundup from the NAHB International Builders’ Show
- Jamie Hager
- February 24, 2020
- 7 Minute Read
The NAHB International Builders’ Show kicked off 2020 strong with nearly 90,000 in attendance for the annual Design & Construction Week. With 600,000 sq ft of exhibit space and over 1,400 vendors, we put in some miles with our smiles and have brought back highlights from the show floor. One thing was certain – among all the glitz and sparkle an inspired Vegas convention brings, high-performance homes and products are in the mainstream. Check out some of our favorites from this year below.
High-Performance Building Zone
2020 marked the seventh year for the High-Performance Building Zone, a dedicated space abuzz with live workshops, product demos, and networking with like minded individuals. This space led to some highly productive conversations with peers from across the country and words of wisdom from some leading green building experts including our own Rachel Della Valle and long time client, Greg Coolidge. They got to hash it out at the Green Beer & Banter session with another verifier-client pair and really dive into the National Green Building Standard (NGBS) green building certification process. The takeaway was communication, collaboration, and partnering with a NGBS Green Verifier early on in the process will pay dividends in the end.
Energy and Efficiency
Walls That Do More with Less
Exterior Sheathing continues to be a place for material technology to evolve, especially for enhancing energy efficiency. Enter OX-IS Insulated Sheathing, a structural insulated sheathing product that can replace OSB and provide a continuous R3 insulation without adding depth to your wall assembly. Tape the seams and you have a complete and code compliant WRB. We think this is a great product to consider to help any floorplan meet the HERO Program incentive and with 70% recycled content, it earns green points taboot!
Power Storage
Panasonic’s EverVolt battery storage system, Generac PWRcell and other big names are entering the storage arena with existing brands like Tesla and LG. We’re excited to see this technology improve and become more readily available over the coming years. These storage systems make great additions to the solar systems you’re already offering through our Zero Energy Blueprint program.
Nails? What Nails?
Imagine completing the framing of a 5400 sq ft custom home in 8.5 days, with no saws on site, no nails, and no modifications needed during construction. Built using Sekisui House’s SHAWOOD laminated post-and-beam style frame and proprietary metal-joint connection system, the The BUILDER Chōwa Concept Home was a glimpse of the future that could revolutionize U.S. framing. With increased emphasis in design, planning and Building Information Modeling (BIM) software, all structural framing is pre-engineered in a manufacturing facility and triple checked for precision.
Las Vegas-based framing crews were able to hit the ground running within 45 minutes of training from the Japan based Sekisui House team, completing the framing in record time, even with a tri-lingual jobsite. Already manufactured and constructed in the Japan and Australian markets, this earthquake resistant, sustainably sourced framing system has made its debut in North America, and will be a product to keep an eye on as resources and labor continue to challenge our current system.
Indoor Air Quality
Health and the connected home have been on parallel paths for a while, and we finally see them begin to merge at the 2020 IBS. In a race to be the “first” to provide an intelligent, cloud connected, IAQ management system, several major players debuted their approach to smart healthy home systems.
Healthy Smart Home Systems
Aprilaire’s Health360 Program controls ventilation, dehumidification, air purification and temperature from a central hub, with sensors in each zone automatically managing based on temperature and humidity. Panasonic’s COSMOS system and Broan-NuTone’s Connected IAQ system add sensors for VOCs, particulates, and CO2 in addition to humidity and temperature, automatically activating the system to return air to healthy levels when contaminants are detected. Various components of all systems are available now, with complete integration rollout expected by Q4 2020.
High Velocity Ducts
Providing continuous air-flow with less energy use, Hi-Velocity Systems offers a solution to builders looking for flexibility in duct design and installation. Boasting the ability to remove 30% more moisture from the air than conventional systems through its unique pressurization system, the 2” diameter high velocity ducts are also great space savers, offering greater flexibility in installations. Something to check out for hard to condition designs in single and multifamily products!
Water World
Enjoy More. Use Less. Water conservation has always been a tough sell as builders and developers battle the idea that using less water means a less enjoyable experience. Check out these solutions that blend luxury design and stewardship for a comfortable way to conserve:
Keep Your Routine
Even in green homes with smart plumbing designed to get hot water to us faster, studies show people still start their showers and “run errands”while waiting for the hot water to arrive. ShowerStart, a small thermostatic shut-off valve (TSV) developed by Evolve Technologies, senses when hot water has reached your shower and slows water down to a trickle, alerting you that your shower is ready and saving water in the process. This simple yet smart product helps your clients truly conserve, without changing their morning routine.
Save with Style
Statement Shower Collection, Kohler’s newest showering line, illustrates the company’s Believing in Better philosophy through the brand’s commitment to water conservation without compromising on experience. With luxury styles all meeting rigorous Watersense requirements (yes, even that rainshower you’ve always dreamed of) The STATEMENT collection introduces Katalyst Air-Induction Technology creating larger drops, which not only retain heat longer (up to ½ degree warmer in every drop), but also give the illusion of more water.
Game of Thrones
From ambient colored lighting, to wireless Bluetooth® music sync capability, to the heated seat, the Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet wins the Best of IBS Shiny Things Award! Hands-free control, personalized cleansing functionality, and exceptional water efficiency – but that’s not all — Amazon Alexa is embedded for easy voice control to active toilet features such as checking weather, traffic, accessing news, etc. With a modest starting price of $7K, this gem is for high rollers. Viva Las Vegas.
There’s no need to gamble with home performance!
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