Energy.gov

New Top Innovations are awarded annually for outstanding Building America research achievements. Each year, Building America selects cutting-edge Top Innovations that demonstrate the value of investing in high-performance research and development and guide the industry toward more energy-efficient, healthier, and longer lasting homes.

Building America Top Innovations align with and support every aspect of the home building industry. Laboratory and field projects by research team experts prove advanced technologies and practices in building envelope, HVAC components, ventilation, and health and safety. Building America field projects with production builders validate the whole-house business case that high-performance homes offer exceptional performance with minimal or no increased cost to the builder. In turn, this encourages partner involvement with market–based programs such as ENERGY STAR Certified New Homes, DOE Zero Energy Ready Home, and Home Performance with ENERGY STAR.

Technical guidance and energy analysis tools that have significantly improved design or construction practices are helping builders up their game to meet new challenges. Finally, these Top Innovations help to shift the building industry infrastructure by influencing codes and standards, expanding building science education, and informing the transaction process. Learn more about Building America Top Innovations.

Select one of the categories below to learn more about the 1995-2014 Top Innovations. You may also view listings of winners by year: 2014, 2013, and 1995-2012.