Insight Homes uses science to construct high-performing homes, resulting in U.S. Department of Energy Housing Innovation Awards year after year
Written by Kristen Hampshire
Photography by Krista Valliant
“It’s just a better house.” Specifically, when Insight Homes makes this promise, the Bridgeville, DE-based business is speaking to its reputation as the only energy-efficient builder in Delaware that is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Partner.
Insight Homes constructs high-performance DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes (ZERH) that are so efficient that a renewable energy system, if added, could offset most or all of the home’s annual energy use. The DOE ZERH program represents the federal government’s most stringent above-code voluntary program for energy-efficient homes.
Insight Homes has again won the Housing Innovation Award for achieving these stringent standards in its buildings. “Receiving this award again this year is a huge accomplishment, not only for Insight Homes, but also for all the consumers looking to build a new-energy efficient home,” says Debbi Brunner, marketing manager. “Insight Homes has been a U.S. DOE Housing Innovation Award winner since 2018 with 100% commitment.”
POWERFUL PRAISE
Insight Homes has won the U.S. DOE Housing Innovation Award each of the past seven years.
Elegant and Energy-efficient
Style and accents are married with science and craftsmanship to create spacious, desirable living spaces.
A Sustainable Vision
Rob Lisle, a businessman who owns multiple companies in Delaware, initially founded Insight Homes in 2007 as an experimental company. His vision was to build a home that would maximize energy efficiency, structural integrity, air quality and build time.
“He could not find any builder in the area that could or would do that, so he decided to start building homes himself with those goals and to influence other builders in the area to follow suit,” Debbi says.
While Insight Homes is the only local builder to win multiple Housing Innovation Awards, another local builder in the state earned the recognition in 2022, which shows Insight Homes is positively influencing the market. “Slowly, we have seen other builders start to adopt Zip Wall panels, conditioned crawl spaces, 2×6 framing and many other staples of our home science, and we are there to lend a hand or give advice on how we handle situations,” Debbi says.
Home Science
Insight Homes’ web URL is “it’s just a better house,” and it’s a culture the company lives. Every home is certified and rated by a third-party auditor to ensure compliance with the six ZERH core standard, which are healthful environment, comfort plus, advanced technology, ultra efficient, quality built and durability.
The company practices what it refers to as “home science” to accomplish these goals.
“Every single employee we have is integral in every home we build,” Debbi adds.
The sales team educates consumers about the “science” and walks clients through selections, updating them on progress as the home build process is underway. The purchasing department works to source top materials, and the drafting department determines the most efficient, effective home layout while constantly upgrading plans to elevate energy efficiency.
Field teams are on site daily, educating and leading the build crews. Quality control walks through every home, and a settlement coordinator then introduces consumers to their completed home on move-in day.
“We are always looking for ways to be better,” Debbi says of the team’s passion for their work.
HARNESSING THE SUN
Insight Homes examines every angle of its homes to maximize energy efficiency, including the latest solar technology to capture savings on their homeowners’ electricity bills.
A Winning Model
Insight Homes’ Lloyd Model is the recipient of the 2024 DOE Housing Innovation Award—an attractive, flexible floor plan that starts at 1,712 square feet and can grow up to 2,760 square feet. “This house reminds me of a cozy lake cabin that is very functional for a family of any size,” Debbi says.
Effective August 2023, all new builds receive 5,000 watts of solar panels for free as part of the company’s standard features for every home. “This is very unique to our region,” Debbi points out. “These panels are owned by the customers—no lease, no rental, no gimmicks involved.”
Homeowners can go online and check solar usage on a personalized dashboard at any time. “It has been exciting to see, and every one of our homeowners I have spoken to loves to go in weekly and sometimes daily to see what solar they are generating and just how much electricity they are saving,” Debbi relates.
Insight Homes encourages clients and anyone building a new home to ask lots of questions before deciding on a builder. “Can the builder provide utility bills? What R-rating is the insulation? How many BTUs do windows allow in? What is the SEER rating of the HVAC equipment they offer?” Debbi says, listing some top considerations.
She adds, “Any house can be pretty, but ours are pretty and energy efficient.”