Page 66 - Green Builder Sept-Oct 2016

FROM THE TAILGATE By Ron Jones

New Offerings for the Sustainable Minded

A Reality Check, Anyone?
O NE YEAR AGO, in the September 2015 edition of
Green Builder, I employed this column to draw
attention to the issue of house size. In the process,
I called out the then newly announced “official”
NAHB show home, The New American Home
(TNAH), which was set to open during the January 2017 Design &
Construction Week trade show in Orlando, Fla.

Here’s an excerpt:
“Meanwhile, this past week I read the exciting announcement that
the 2017 version of the NAHB official show home is being built for
the organization’s annual trade show, which will return to Orlando

after a few years in Las Vegas, and will be ready to debut as the

venerable ‘New American Home.’ The hype is already beginning for this
‘8,000-square-foot, net-zero, $4 million home,’ that will undoubtedly be
promoted as the absolute paragon of American homebuilding and the

ultimate dream of homebuyers throughout the country, if not the world.
It will, no doubt, feature stunning architecture, products, systems and

finishes, plus all the bells and whistles that will make it possible for the

participants to keep a semi-straight face as they tell everyone who’ll

listen, with a wink and a nod, how sustainability is a core ingredient
of the project. For decades now, in cities around the country, the trade
group and its media partners have perpetrated this hoax, as these

behemoths are presented year after year with much fanfare and noise The only thing as bewildering as the endless
to the news media, the building industry and the population at large.” parade of behemoth footprint projects offered
under the TNAH program is this stale and
Recently, in an early attempt to generate interest in the opening, disingenuous justification coughed up in each
TNAH 2017 was promoted by NAHB itself in a blog that contained and every cycle to explain them.
a great deal of hype, but glaringly omitted any mention of its size.
Am I the only NAHB member who is embarrassed by this annual
When I inquired about this, the following response was posted
by the organization:

“As is typical for these types of show homes, a large floorplan is
needed to accommodate the wide variety of new products. TNAH 2017
is no exception. The home will have approximately 12,500 square feet.
Yet its projected HERS rating is -3.” Readers were further assured that

many more blog posts would be posted in the coming months with hoax, or just the only one to have the guts to admit it? Let’s be honest
additional details. for once: TNAH is an important non-dues revenue generator for NAHB
that gets every drop of financial resource and association loyalty
I posted the following reply:

“Seriously? The only thing as bewildering as the endless parade of from the participating building products manufacturers and other
behemoth footprint projects offered under the TNAH program is this sponsors. Everybody knows it, so why pretend it is something else?
stale and disingenuous justification coughed up in each and every
cycle to explain them. The current scenario is one that is not only an insult to our individual
and collective intelligence, but also to the integrity of our profession. So

Every year, all across this country, dozens of demonstration projects yes, please keep those blogs and promos coming. I suspect that I’m
with responsible dimensions succeed in showcasing the most innovative not the only member who is eager to learn more.”
and marketable products, systems and technologies in homebuilding
Not surprisingly, my reply was not acknowledged, and I am still

that provide a realistic look at what a sustainable home should include. awaiting a response. GB

64 GREEN BUILDER September/October 2016 www.greenbuildermedia.com