2024 NGWS Water Awards Deadline Approaching
The 2024 Next Generation Water Summit (NGWS) will host the 2nd annual NGWS Water Awards on June 20 at the Drury Plaza Hotel in Santa Fe, NM. The deadline for nominations is May 31. All entries should be submitted to awards@wers.us.
The 2024 categories are:
- Lowest WERS – Single Family
- Water Saver of the Year (Residential Builder Award)
The Next Generation Water Summit has partnered with Green Builder® Media to amplify the exceptional nature of the award winners and call further attention to water supply concerns. “Water should be top of mind for anyone in the building industry because it is the leading factor that can prohibit growth: if there is no water, there are no permits,” stated Sara Gutterman, CEO of Green Builder® Media. “This is particularly important since the fastest growing new-home markets in the country are in areas that are already experiencing water stress. Beyond that, 90% of consumers surveyed by Green Builder Media claim that their area is facing water quality and availability challenges, and 52% believe that our water supply is the number one thing that will be impacted by climate change. That’s why Green Media Builder supports showcasing builders, developers and homeowners that go the extra mile in saving water.”
The 2023 NGWS Water Award winners were:
- Libert Project – WERS of 13 (Lowest WERS – Single Family)
- Sustainable Homes, Inc. – Water Saver of the Year (Residential Builder Award)
- Bill Hoffman – Water Wise Lifetime Achievement Award
“Given the focus of the Next Generation Water Summit and its target audience, starting a water awards program last year was a natural fit,” said Mike Collignon, co-founder of the NGWS. “We look forward to seeing even more examples of innovative water efficiency.”
In 2025, the NGWS Water Awards will expand to recognize multifamily properties/apartment complexes.
Event Details:
- Date: June 20, 2024
- Time: 6:00pm MT
- Venue: Drury Plaza Hotel courtyard, Santa Fe, NM
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Hosts of the Next Generation Water Summit are the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce; Green Builder® Coalition; City of Santa Fe; KUELwater and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. The national media partner is Green Builder® Media, Alliance for Water Efficiency is a promotional partner and the education partner is Triconic.
About the Next Generation Water Summit
The Next Generation Water Summit brings together the building and development community, water reuse professionals and water policymakers in a collaborative setting to share best practices and learn about innovative water conservation and water reuse techniques that can be used to comply with water conservation restrictions spreading across the southwest.
Patriot Place Achieves FGBC, Florida Water Star Certifications
Just in time for Memorial Day, the St. Johns Housing Partnership (SJHP), a nonprofit that develops affordable housing, recently announced that Patriot Place has earned Gold Certification under the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) Homes Standard. The project also received a certification from the Florida Water Star program.
Patriot Place comprises six new, low-income residences to address St. Johns County’s critical need for housing for at-risk and homeless veterans. Residents began moving in at the end of 2023. Green building practices were utilized throughout the construction process to address FGBC criteria such as energy performance; water conservation; site conservation; health, air quality and moisture, materials, and disaster mitigation.
“We are glad they included water efficiency in this important project,” said Deirdre Irwin, the District’s water conservation coordinator and Green Builder® Coalition Board member. “It means so much that Patriot Place will provide homes for transitional veterans, and they’ll be saving water without even having to think about it.”
To achieve Florida Water Star certification, homes and commercial developments must meet the standards for indoor fixtures and appliances, landscape design and irrigation systems. Patriot Place uses WaterSense-labeled toilets, faucets, and showerheads and the dishwasher and washer in the units are Energy Star® listed. No irrigation was installed, and their landscaping meets Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles.
“Patriot Place is a good example of what can be done when the public and private sectors come together. I want to congratulate all the partners, donors and supporters that made Patriot Place a reality for an at-risk segment of our community, Affordable housing must be sustainable over time both in terms of actual affordability and debt service along with building performance and long-term maintenance” added SJHP Executive Director and Green Builder® Coalition Ex-Officio Bill Lazar.
Patriot Place was built by Robert Marshall of World Island Builders and designed by Architect Bryan McCloskey. The project is a collaboration between MountainStar Partners, a real estate investor and developer, SJHP and St. Johns County. Financial partner Ameris Bank financed the construction. The total cost of Patriot Place was $1million, including infrastructure improvements. MountainStar Partners committed over $500,000 for land acquisition and construction costs. Patriot Place marks the first time that a density credit exchange for low-income housing was created and housing delivered to the community.
The project took five years to complete, including finding and purchasing the lot, securing financing for construction, permitting and zoning. The one-bedroom apartments are 630 square feet each and veterans will pay about 30 percent of the market rate with the balance subsidized through the partnership with Flagler CareConnect.
Patriot Place residents will be managed by the UF/ Flagler Health+ social health program UF/Care Connect+ which links area residents with resources like safe housing, food pantries, counseling services, workplace readiness and transportation.
Radio Show Highlights 2024 Next Generation Water Summit
Glenn Schiffbauer and Mike Collignon, two of the Next Generation Water Summit’s co-founders, appeared on “Build Together”, a homebuilder-themed radio program hosted by Miles Conway, Executive Officer of the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Schiffbauer, Executive Director of the Santa Fe chapter of the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce, discussed the history of the NGWS and the community tours scheduled for June 22, while Green Builder® Coalition Executive Director Collignon talked about the event’s agenda and some industry initiatives that started as conversations at the NGWS. To listen to a recording of the show, please click here.