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2009 Innovative Housing Technology Awards (IHTA) Categories

Check out the new and improved award categories for the 2009 IHTAs. Expanded descriptions are below.

Supplier - Innovative Information Technology Products

• Front Office: Sales & Marketing
• Front Office: Web sites, Automated Options Selection
• Integrated Excellence: Back Office
• Integrated Excellence: Field Operations
• Web/Drafting & Design

Supplier - Innovative Home Technology Products & Services

• Advanced HVAC/Indoor Air Quality
• Appliances
• Central Vacuum
• Energy: Advanced Electrical
• Energy: Alternative Energy
• Energy: Energy Efficiency
• Energy: Lighting Fixtures/LEDs
• Home Theater
• Integrated Home Control & Networking
• Lighting Control/Shade Control
• Media Center/Server
• Multi-Room Audio/Video
• Security & Safety
• Telecommunications Service

Integrator/Installer - Innovative Service

• Home Technology Integrator Excellence

Builders/Remodelers - Innovative Tech Home Building

• Coolest New Electronic House
• Effective Merchandising & Marketing
• Excellent Connected Community
• Integrated Excellence

Supplier - Innovative Information Technology Products

• Front Office: Sales & Marketing: Includes products included can be used to perform tasks such as lead and contact management; customer relationship management; website creation; maintenance and enhancement; and automation of transaction contracts, manuals, and warrantees.
• Front Office: Web sites, Automated Options Selection: Includes new products, technologies and methods of leveraging Web-based activity to aid the options and upgrade sales process, such as virtual community and home tours; computer-based/online options presentation and ordering systems.
• Integrated Excellence: Back Office: Includes information technology products that perform tasks that cover at least three of the following major tasks of homebuilding—1. sales and marketing 2. design 3. field operations 4. back-office operations. Submissions can include products used to perform tasks such as project management, scheduling, punch list administration, change order management, subcontractor control and communications, purchasing, estimating, bid management, accounting, billing, permitting, regulatory compliance, and human resources management.
• Integrated Excellence: Field Operations: Includes communications and computing products that collect field information, share and synchronize it with office systems and increase efficiency of operations in the field.
• Web/Drafting & Design: Includes products that automate the design and development of architectural drawings for home building.

Supplier - Innovative Home Technology Products & Services

• Advanced HVAC/Indoor Air Quality: Includes efficient air exchange systems, ductless thermal heating, radiant floor heating, zone controls/damper controls, spot ventilation
• Appliances: Includes refrigerators, ovens, stoves, range hoods, dishwashers, washers and driers, wine coolers and storage/tracking. Also includes tankless waterheaters, cistern storage or automated irrigation systems.
• Central Vacuum: Includes central vacuum systems and accessories.
• Energy: Advanced Electrical: Includes products such as surge suppression and power quality, enhanced safety products like GFCI and AFCI outlets and back-up power.
• Energy: Alternative Energy: Includes small wind electrical energy, photovoltaics, and fuel cells.
• Energy: Energy Efficiency: Includes products that substantially increase the energy efficiency of homes such as energy management products, alternative energy generation products, and energy efficient doors, windows and building materials.
• Energy: Lighting Fixtures/LEDs: Includes any electrical device used to create artificial light or illumination in a home
• Home Theater: Includes video, audio, acoustics, remote control, decor and accessories products and systems that create or contribute to the creation of a home theater.
• Integrated Home Control & Networking: Includes devices and software that integrate multiple home control functions through an interface, including touchscreens, and networking products that distribute voice, data and video signals in the home.
• Lighting Control/Shade Control: Includes hardwired and wireless systems that automate natural (sunlight via window coverings) and artificial light (fixtures) in the home into a single interface. Also includes window covering controls and motor and automatic window opening and closing products.
• Media Center/Server: Includes products that store and manage media content such as music, video and photos and enable their distribution audio and video components in a single room or throughout a house.
• Multi-Room Audio/Video: Includes products that control, distribute and play audio and/or video in multiple rooms in a house.
• Security & Safety: Includes stand-alone or integrated security products such as burglar and fire alarms, access control/door entry, CCTV and related products. Also includes automatic door locks, door opening and closing systems.
• Telecommunications Service: Includes telephone, television, Internet, Fiber to the Home and other telecommunication service offerings through which homebuilders and/or land developers may participate in the revenue stream or otherwise realize economic advantages.

Integrator/Installer - Innovative Service

• Home Technology Integrator Excellence: Recognizes a system design/installation company for excellence in its partnership with homebuilding companies including technology marketing & sales, design & installation, and post-occupancy service. Winners selected by region, state or metro market depending on number of submissions. A best integrator in the nation is also recognized.

Builders/Remodelers - Innovative Tech Home Building

• Coolest New Electronic House: Entries will describe a custom new electronic house project, detailing electronics incorporated including audio/video systems, automation and lighting control, networking and communications, security and electrical infrastructure. Entries will address the marriage of electronics with home design and how a successful match was made with the home buyers’ lifestyle needs.
• Effective Merchandising & Marketing: Entries will describe and document a successful home technology merchandising and marketing program, covering strategies such as point of sale presentation aids, sales collateral, sales collaboration with installing subcontractors, and model home and design center presentation of technology products.
• Excellent Connected Community: Entries will describe and document successful implementation of advanced community-wide telecommunications infrastructure and services, including hardware, software and content.
• Integrated Excellence: Entries will describe and document successful implementation of an integrated information system handling tasks in the front office, back office and field.

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