Water Efficiency Collection - Private Sector

[Insert Organization Name Here]

2013 Builder Partner of the Year Written Statement Template
Please complete, save, and upload to your award application. Compose your written statement by addressing
the evaluation criteria below based only on your activities in 2012, unless otherwise requested. Your written
statement must be no more than six (6) pages in length. Organize and label your statement using the
categories listed below (e.g., “Construction of WaterSense Labeled New Homes”). The point values following
each category indicate the maximum potential value for all activities within that category. Some partners may
not be able to address all of the evaluation criteria, but may be eligible for an Excellence Award if they exhibit
outstanding accomplishments in one of the following categories.
Remember that Partner of the Year awards are based on activities that increase awareness about the
WaterSense program, labeled products, new homes and services. General education on the importance of
water efficiency is valued, but the focus of your application should be on activities that specifically integrated
WaterSense. If you choose to submit supporting materials that complement your written statement, which is
recommended, clearly reference each supporting material in your written statement (preferably with
annotations).

Evaluation Criteria
1. Construction of WaterSense Labeled New Homes (25 points)
What percentage of the new homes that you built to the WaterSense New Home Specification earned the
WaterSense label in 2012?
How many new homes that your organization built in 2012 were designed to meet the WaterSense New
Home Specification? How many were certified as WaterSense labeled new homes?
Describe the water-efficient features of your WaterSense labeled new homes. Do any of these waterefficient features go above and beyond the new home specification? Do any of your labeled new homes
use innovative technologies or designs to achieve water savings? If so, please describe how.
Describe which water-efficient landscaping options were employed (e.g., the WaterSense Water Budget
Calculator or 40 percent turf option) for front yard landscaping.
Describe other efforts undertaken in 2012 to increase your offering of WaterSense labeled homes in 2012
and 2013.
2. Marketing, Advertising, and Consumer Education (25 points)
Describe how your organization promoted WaterSense and water efficiency and advertised WaterSense
labeled new homes to consumers. Indicate how you used the WaterSense builder promotional label and/or
partner toolkit materials to inform potential home buyers about the benefits of buying a WaterSense labeled
new home.
Explain if/how the WaterSense label has made your new homes more marketable to potential customers.
Describe how and where you advertised your WaterSense labeled new homes (e.g., online, broadcast, or
print media).
Describe any events or open houses you sponsored or participated in that helped spread the word about
the availability and/or benefits of WaterSense labeled new homes.
Describe how your organization has promoted WaterSense via online activities. Online promotions might
include correctly displaying the label on the company website, hosting blogs, frequently highlighting
WaterSense on social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), initiating targeted email campaigns, or
advertising online.

[Insert Organization Name Here]

3. Training/Employee Education (25 points)
Describe your efforts to train sales staff or better educate yourself on promoting the benefits of WaterSense
labeled new homes to potential customers.
Describe your efforts to provide technical training or education to employees and/or subcontractors,
including providing guidance on designing the hot water distribution systems, use of the water budget tool
or other regionally appropriate outdoor watering/landscaping practices, and/or specifying WaterSense
labeled plumbing fixtures, etc.
Describe how you identified and utilized WaterSense trade partners (e.g. WaterSense irrigation partners,
licensed certification providers, etc.) to meet the WaterSense specification requirements.
4. Strategic Collaboration (25 points)
Describe how you collaborated with WaterSense and other WaterSense partners or stakeholders, such as
licensed certification providers, realtors, manufacturers, local governments and utilities, landscape irrigation
professionals, home builders associations, or other groups to promote WaterSense labeled new homes
and general WaterSense messaging.
Describe research your organization conducted, funded, or reviewed that furthered the development or
refinement of a WaterSense product or practice specification. (You may include specification support that
began prior to but continued into 2012.)