Vaughan, Ontario, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ERTH360 has been awarded Gold for the Global Innovation Home of the Year at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) The Nationals awards, held on February 25, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Recognized as one of the most prestigious awards programs in the homebuilding industry, The Nationals celebrates companies and individuals who demonstrate innovation, expertise, and excellence across sales, marketing, and design.
Among the evening’s highlights, ERTH360’s Discovery Home, a collaboration between ERTH360 and Empire Communities, stood out as a pioneering model in sustainable and wellness-focused home design. With over 50 design and material enhancements inspired by building biology principles and biophilic design, the Discovery Home sets a new benchmark for indoor environmental quality, integrating advanced technology, resilient construction, and health-conscious living solutions.
A Breakthrough in Sustainable Living
Key features that distinguish the Discovery Home include:
- The first production-built home in North America to meet the stringent ASHRAE Standard 241 for indoor air quality.
- Contributions from two former NASA suppliers, introducing cutting-edge technology not previously seen in residential construction.
- A true circadian lighting system, supporting natural sleep-wake cycles by delivering bright, energizing morning light and eliminating melatonin-suppressing blue light at night.
- An active radon mitigation system, reducing radon levels to match outdoor ambient conditions.
- Twelve strategically placed calibrated sensors inside the home, plus an outdoor sensor capable of detecting wildfires up to 5 km away.
- Use of low-VOC and formaldehyde-free materials, eliminating harmful off-gassing from construction products.
- Advanced air filtration systems that protect against pathogens, chemicals, particulates, and biological contaminants.
- A high-performance building envelope, constructed off-site in a controlled environment using panelization for improved durability and efficiency.
- Passive building materials that help regulate humidity naturally.
- Water filtration technology designed to remove over 40 common chemicals from municipal drinking water.
The home continues to serve as a living lab, testing innovative materials, mechanical systems, and construction techniques to advance future sustainable homebuilding practices.
“The ERTH360 Discovery Home was designed to demonstrate how we can enhance indoor living environments in a production setting. Empire’s collaboration and commitment to addressing challenges and advancing sustainable practices has been commendable,” said Andrew Guido, Founder of ERTH360. “Empire has proven to be an invaluable partner in our mission to improve home construction standards.”
Dan and Andrew Guizzetti, co-CEOs of Willowdale Asset Management—the parent company of Empire Communities and ERTH360—also emphasized their support for the initiative:
“Investing in the ERTH360 Discovery Home aligned perfectly with our vision for the future of homebuilding. By providing the resources and platform to challenge conventional construction methods, we’re not just building homes; we’re pioneering a new standard for healthy, sustainable living.”
A New Era in Homebuilding
The success of the ERTH360 Discovery Home marks a significant milestone in the advancement of healthier and more sustainable living environments. With its groundbreaking advancements, the ERTH360 Discovery Home is more than just a residence—it is a transformative model for the future of home design. This award-winning project demonstrates what’s possible when innovation, sustainability, and occupant wellness come together, setting a new standard for residential construction across North America.
About ERTH360
ERTH360 offers innovative solutions for homebuilders, emphasizing the design of healthier indoor living environments that enhance occupant health and well-being while prioritizing sustainable building practices. Since its inception in 2019, the company has implemented advanced construction techniques grounded in Building Biology, significantly improving indoor air quality with its flagship product, ERTH360 Air. This cutting-edge solution utilizes advanced filtration and ventilation, enabling homes to meet the ASHRAE Standard 241 for indoor air quality—the first in North America to achieve this standard. As ERTH360 expands its health-focused offerings across select communities, it sets a new benchmark in residential construction.
For more information about ERTH360, visit erth360.com.
About Empire Communities
Empire Communities is a fully vertically-integrated homebuilder involved in all aspects of the homebuilding and sales process. Celebrating over 30 years as one of North America’s largest privately held homebuilders, Empire builds and develops in over 100 intown and suburban communities across Toronto, Southwestern Ontario, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Colorado, targeting primarily entry-level and move-up buyers with attainable product offerings. Since its inception in 1993, Empire has built over 36,000 new homes and condos, representing $15.5B in housing sales. Empire currently has a strategic land position representing more than 27,000 potential future homesites in the planning, development, and/or construction phase.
For more information about Empire Communities, visit empirecommunities.com.
- ERTH360 Wins Global Innovation Home of the Year at The Nationals