HOUZE® Named A U.S. Department of Energy CHALLENGE HOME™ Partner

HOUSTON, June 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected HOUZE® Advanced Building Science Inc., a technology commercialization company integrating disruptive technologies into real estate developments and buildings, as a training partner for the prestigious Challenge Home: Zero Net-Energy Ready program. As a select DOE CHALLENGE HOME™ partner, HOUZE will provide program attendees with a comprehensive review of the DOE's zero net-energy ready home construction including the business case, detailed specifications and opportunities to be recognized as an industry leader. The first of three training seminars led by HOUZE will be hosted in Houston on June 18 at the University of Houston College of Architecture.

"We are excited to be working with such an innovative home builder," said Sam Rashkin, Chief Architect of the DOE Building Technologies Office. "HOUZE is revolutionizing the building industry with their standard-setting building systems and innovative energy solutions. They are an ideal training partner to help educate builders about best zero net-energy building practices for the DOE CHALLENGE HOME program." 

The DOE CHALLENGE HOME is a program that builds upon the comprehensive building science requirements of ENERGY STAR® for Homes, along with proven Building America innovations and best practices. It recognizes builders for their leadership in optimizing energy efficiency and designing zero net-energy ready homes that reach unparalleled levels of comfort, indoor air quality and durability. DOE CHALLENGE HOMES are 40 to 50 percent more energy efficient than a typical new home and have a Home Energy Ratings System (HERS) score in the low to mid-50s. The DOE CHALLENGE HOME label is a symbol of excellence for new homes and provides consumers with an easy way to identify energy-efficient homes in the marketplace.

"The Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office sets the standards for safer, stronger energy efficient home building with their DOE CHALLENGE HOME program. We are extremely proud of our partnership with them and are honored to be welcomed as part of the top one percent of builders in America to be named a DOE CHALLENGE HOME partner," stated David Goswick, CEO of HOUZE. "It is our mission to empower the building industry with next generation building systems, materials and technologies to create stronger, safer, more affordable net-positive energy homes and buildings."

Built using next generation building systems and sustainable materials and technologies, HOUZE homes only consume 34 percent of the energy of a traditional American home. They are the first to be powered by the HOUZE PowerCell™ that produces both on-site electricity and thermal heat from 100 percent natural gas. Unlike traditional renewable energy technologies which are intermittent, the natural gas PowerCell provides reliable power 24/7. Roughly the size of a traditional air conditioning unit, the PowerCell generates significantly more energy than the home consumes. This surplus is then stored in back-up batteries and/or fed back to the electricity grid, providing increased energy security for the homeowner.

HOUZE homes' innovative building envelope, featuring ZERO Foam, performs like a thermos, ensuring the homes meet the highest energy efficiency standards while creating a safer, stronger structure. HOUZE homes currently have earned a HERS rating of 44, based on the structure alone. With the addition of HOUZE's advanced power-generating technologies, HOUZE homes will achieve a HERS rating of 0 making them the most energy-efficient homes on the market.

HOUZE will host the Houston's first DOE CHALLENGE HOME training seminar at the University of Houston College of Architecture on June 18, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. The general public and home building communities are invited to the event that will include a keynote address from DOE Chief Architect, Sam Rashkin, informational sessions and a certificate of completion. For more information and to RSVP, visit http://doechallengehometraining.eventbrite.com.

About HOUZE
HOUZE® Advanced Building Science Inc. (HOUZE®) is a privately owned investment company with subsidiary companies specializing in the commercialization of advanced building technologies, hybrid on-site power generation, energy management, nano-technology and real estate.

The company's products and services are marketed under Federal Registered Trademark and brand name "HOUZE®". The "ZE" stands for zero energy. HOUZE and its strategic partners are accelerating the transformation of the residential and commercial building industry from being one of the largest consumers of energy to zero energy buildings that consume less energy, efficiently produce on-site energy and leave a near zero carbon footprint on the environment. For more information, visit www.houzefoam.com and www.thezeroenergyhome.com.

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SOURCE HOUZE Advanced Building Science Inc.