RUTLAND— A historic home on River Street in Rutland has been recognized among Vermont’s top energy-efficient building projects, earning a “Best of the Best” award at Efficiency Vermont’s annual Better Building by Design (BBD) conference. The award, presented to Hildebrand Homes, LLC, highlights a creative and forward-thinking approach to affordable housing that aligns energy efficiency with historic preservation and accessibility.
The project, located at 112 River St., transformed an 1865 two-unit dwelling into four all-electric housing units for low-income residents. The extensive renovation prioritized energy efficiency, using heat pumps for hydronic heating, applying modern insulation and ventilation techniques, and preparing the building for future solar installation. The building envelope was fully reworked to allow better drainage and insulation, and the units were made accessible via a new covered porch and ramp. A steel roof and cladding cover the highly insulated walls, resulting in a durable and energy-smart structure.
The Rutland development was among 13 projects honored statewide at the BBD conference, held April 2–3 at the DoubleTree Hotel & Conference Center in South Burlington. More than 900 attendees—architects, builders, contractors, and energy experts—gathered for the two-day event, which focused on aligning Vermont’s climate goals with real-world building practices under the theme “2030 on the Horizon: Assessing Vermont’s Vision Versus Reality.”
Efficiency Vermont Managing Director Peter Walke addressed the crowd during the conference, noting, “Politics and policies may change, but what doesn’t change is how we deliver for our customers. Investments in efficiency offer stability and affordability when so much else is uncertain.”
While Rutland’s River Street project was the most relevant to the Rutland County area, other award-winning projects came from across the state, including Craftsbury, Burlington, South Hero, Fairlee, and Brattleboro. Projects ranged from modular accessory dwelling units and multifamily gut rehabs to large-scale public buildings like the Williston Public Safety Building and Winooski School District renovations.
The keynote speaker for the event, Dr. Diana Hernández of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, focused on energy insecurity and its wide-ranging impacts. “If we get it right,” she said, “eradicating energy insecurity will deliver social and environmental benefits around emissions, efficiency, affordability, and accessibility while promoting health, wealth, and democracy.”
The BBD conference, hosted annually by Efficiency Vermont, serves as a major platform for sharing innovation and recognizing energy leadership across Vermont’s construction and design industries. The recognition of Hildebrand Homes for its work in Rutland underscores how energy-smart building practices can be applied even to older structures, offering a path forward for community-focused development that doesn’t sacrifice sustainability or comfort.
For more information visit: efficiencyvermont.com/bbd.
