Ice dam protection, on-demand outdoor hot water finalists for IBS awards

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has selected finalists for its 10th annual Best of IBS Awards, which will be handed out during the 2023 International Builders' Show (IBS) in Las Vegas.

More than 400 submissions in nine categories were judged by 26 industry and media representatives, who evaluated criteria such as innovation, functionality and design.

Finalists related to the plastics industry include Zip System brand peel and stick underlayment by Charlotte, N.C.-based Huber Engineered Woods LLC in the category for Most Innovative Building Materials. The self-adhered roofing membrane prevents damage caused by ice dams, wind-driven rain and water leaks. The underlayment has a high density cross-laminated polyethylene film backing and is used with a rubberized-asphalt adhesive technology.

The Zip system is going up against Elevation brand cable rail by Barrette Outdoor Living, Exacor-brand magnesium oxide panels, also by Huber Engineered Wood, and a mobile carpenter workshop trailer by On-Site Building Solutions.

In the category for Most Innovative Construction Tool, No-Coat Pro by CertainTeed is a finalist. The building products manufacturer says its the first and only automated system that cuts laminate corner bead to custom lengths. The tool, weighing in at 35 pounds without the hopper, replaces pre-cut stick lengths and other products with one simple 250-foot roll of corner trim that has a co-polymer core and paper backing.

The time-saving system is already used by Maryville, Tenn.-based Clayton Homes — the largest builder of manufactured housing and modular homes in the United States owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway investment group.

Three products are up for Best Energy Efficient Product: Rheem ProTerra plug-in heat pump water heater by Rheem Manufacturing Co.; a ventless all-in-one washer/dryer by Whirlpool Corp.; and an electric vehicle charger called Span Drive by Span, which helps homeowners make the most of their utility plans by selecting off-peak times to charge and offering visibility into all grid, solar, battery and load energy usage.

The Span Panel by Span, a smart electrical panel to control and monitor every circuit in the home directly via smart phone, is a finalist for Best Home Technology Product. The inside of the panel also contains the usual columns of plastic breaker switches and each circuit can still be turned on or off manually.

Another finalist for best home technology is a vacuum elevator with polycarbonate panels by Pneumatic Vacuum Elevators LLC. Manufactured in Miami, Fla., the vacuum elevators can travel 50 feet in total rise. They are made with PC panels instead of glass because the material is much lighter and stronger.

For Best Outdoor Product, the finalists are: Rheem HotWave, a multi-purpose hose sprayer that never runs out of hot water, by Rheem Manufacturing Co., and HydAway Hydraulic Walls by HydAway Hydraulic Walls.

The four finalists in the Best Window & Door Product category include the MasterGrain brand premium fiberglass door by Weber Technologies and a PVC window called greenEvolution by Pagen that incorporates decorative foils and textures, such as raw copper on the outside and recycled embossed eco-leather on the inside.