Builders' Show
TNAR 2026

Final Performance Report

Thermal Envelope

  • Unvented and air sealed attic with open-cell spray-foam insulation and tapered exterior roof deck (R-40)
  • Euro-Wall windows and doors with Low-E coating limits solar heat gain and optimizes air tightness (U-factor average of 0.48 and SHGC average of 0.24).
  • Exterior frame walls cavities insulated with Progressive Foam open-cell spray-foam insulation (R-14.8) and FI-FOIL® VR Plus (R-7.1) Multi-Layer Reflective Insulation (Total R-22.31).
  • AeroBarrier was also used to further air seal the building
  • Light colored exterior to assist in reflecting the
  • Air infiltration performance tested on-site resulted in 63 ACH(50)..

HVAC

  • LG’s MULTI V HVAC System provides space conditioning (17.44 SEER2 average)
  • Mechanical ventilation provided by Broan NuTone AI
  • Supplementary dehumidification by Sante-Fe Indoor Air Quality Solutions
  • Space conditioning system to be located entirely within the conditioned space, minimizing any conditioned air leaking to the exterior.

Water Heaters

  • Rinnai RX199i ENERGY STAR®-rated tankless water (0.98 UEF)

Electrical

  • 100% energy-efficient interior and decorative Visual Comfort
  • High-efficient Landscape Lighting by Progress Lighting/Kichler.
  • LG Signature Kitchen Suite ENERGY STAR®-rated
  • ENERGY STAR®-rated variable speed pool

Solar Array

  • 2 kW solar array utilizing 108 high-efficient Jinko JKM400M solar panels.
  • GENERAC PWRcell2 Home Energy Storage System Inverters and Batteries

Energy Efficiency and Innovation

As an official show home of the NAHB, The New American Home (TNAH) 2026 represents the forefront of energy efficiency and innovation. Its high-performance features demonstrate that exceptional energy savings are achievable in hot climates across a wide range of home price points. TWOTRAILS™ collaborated closely with Alair Homes to deliver outstanding efficiency and forward-thinking design throughout TNAH 2026.

 

The home showcases cutting-edge products from leading manufacturers around the globe and includes 108 high-efficiency Jinko JKM400M solar panels, generating an impressive 43.2 kW of renewable energy. With the solar PV system, the home achieves a remarkable registered HERS Index of -35. TNAH 2026 is verified to meet the rigorous requirements for Emerald-level certification under the National Green Building Standard™. It has also earned the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® for Homes and Indoor airPLUS certifications.

 

Water Efficiency Features

Beyond its impressive energy performance, the home is thoughtfully designed to dramatically reduce overall water consumption. Water efficiency strategies are integrated both inside and outside the home to ensure long-term sustainability without compromising comfort or performance. Indoors, Kohler low-flow plumbing fixtures deliver excellent functionality while significantly reducing daily water use. These fixtures are engineered to maintain strong performance and user comfort while minimizing waste. Outdoors, the landscape design prioritizes native and drought-tolerant plantings that thrive in the local climate. Supporting the landscape is a high-efficiency irrigation system equipped with smart controls that optimize watering schedules based on weather conditions and soil needs.

 

Together, these integrated measures result in approximately 30% less water use compared to a standard code-built home, delivering meaningful environmental benefits and long-term cost savings.

Indoor Environmental Quality Features

Indoor Environmental Quality encompasses the conditions inside a home, and their effects on residents. The New American Home 2026 incorporates innovative strategies, creating an indoor environmental quality that enhance the lives of homeowners, protects occupants’ health, and improves quality of life. Indoor Environmental Quality strategies include:

  • Sherwin Williams Low-VOC paints and finishes and low-VOC interior adhesives and
  • MERV 13 space conditioning AC air
  • HVAC ducts are sealed during construction to prevent pollutants from construction activities from entering the
  • Whole Building ventilation system configured to allow the correct amount of fresh air into the
  • Composit Cucine Eco-Friendly cabinets – Formaldehyde free and material certified by the Forest Stewardship

Systems Engineering Approach

The systems-engineering approach unites segments of the building industry that have previously worked independently of one another. The concept is simple: systems-engineering can make America’s homes cost effective to build or retrofit and energy efficient to live in. Energy consumption of new houses can be reduced by as much as 40% with little or no impact on the cost of construction.

 

To reach this goal, the Alair Homes team is working with their building partners to produce a home that incorporates energy and material saving strategies from design through construction. First, the team analyzed and selected cost-effective strategies for improving home performance. Next, the team evaluated design, business, and construction practices within individual partnerships to identify cost savings. Cost savings could then be reinvested to improve energy performance and product quality. For example, a design that incorporates new techniques for tightening the building envelope enabled Alair Homes to install smaller, more efficient heating and cooling systems. The savings generated in this process can then be reinvested in other high-performance features to further reduce energy use.

 

The “pilot” or “test” home is the field application of solution design. The team assisted Alair Homes in designing TNAH 2026 in accordance with strategic design, modeling to maximize building efficiency of each system and directed the team to increase efficiency through cost effective decisions. Before additional houses are built, these changes are incorporated into the design. This process of analysis, field implementation, reanalysis, and design alteration facilitate ultimate home performance once a design strategy is ready for use in production or community-scale housing.

Understanding the interaction between each component in the home is paramount to the systems-engineering approach. Throughout design and construction, the relationship between building site, envelope, mechanical systems, and other factors is carefully considered. Recognizing that features of one component can dramatically affect the performance of others enables the Alair Homes team to value-engineer energy-saving strategies at little or no extra cost.