The New American Home 2009, which is produced each year in conjunction with the International Builders' Show, is showcasing the most innovative energy efficiency technologies in the 26-year history of The New American Home program. From insulation and wraps, to a natural gas-powered heating and cooling system, to photovoltaic cells and solar water heating, the energy systems work together to make this a near zero-energy home that is Gold Certified under NAHBGreen.

The state-of-the-art home, built by Las Vegas builder Blue Heron, combines builders’ best practices, energy efficiency, indoor-air quality, safety, convenience and aesthetics. One attention-getting feature of the Home is its heating and cooling system, which runs on clean-burning natural gas. The system uses heat pumps on site and includes 24 zones, so there is very little ductwork in the home.

Products in the home include everything from insulation to appliances and from lighting to motorized screens. Among the first to go into the home were insulating concrete forms. Because the home is as much a laboratory as a showcase, suppliers were often highly involved in the installation of their product-with engineers and experts helping to make sure the product was properly installed and applied.

The home was designed by the Irvine, Calif., architecture firm Danielian Associates, with the interior design and furnishings by Robb & Stucky Interiors.