WASHINGTON (September 22, 2022) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is celebrating 11 home builders and six home raters with the 2022 Indoor airPLUS Leader Awards. These annual awards recognize market-leading organizations who champion safer, healthier, and more comfortable indoor environments through participation in and promotion of the Indoor airPLUS program, offering enhanced indoor air quality protections to new home buyers. In addition to the Leader Awards, EPA has selected two Indoor airPLUS partners to receive the Leader of the Year Award for their outstanding commitment and program performance. The 2022 Leaders of the Year are Fulton Homes in the builder category and Integral Building + Design in the rater category. www.epa.gov/indoorairplus.

“EPA congratulates the 2022 Indoor airPLUS Leaders and Leaders of the Year for their efforts to build and promote American homes designed to provide occupants with healthier indoor air,” said Joseph Goffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. “Now more than ever, people understand the importance of healthier indoor air quality. These market-leading home builders and raters help American homebuyers protect their families with healthier homes across the spectrum of new housing stock."
Fulton Homes builds 100% of their homes to Indoor airPLUS standards - providing healthier, more comfortable homes for their customers. Fulton Homes is the only homebuilder in the nation to receive both the Indoor airPlus Leader and ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year seven years in a row.


Read more about the Indoor airPLUS program below:

Indoor airPLUS is a companion label to ENERGY STAR for Homes certification. Together, these programs provide comprehensive health protections. Fulton Homes uses a variety of construction practices and technologies to achieve the Indoor airPLUS label and reduce indoor air pollutants and improve the indoor air quality in your new home.

Indoor airPLUS has these advantages:
  • Moisture Control
    • Moisture leads to mold and other biological pollutants that can cause health problems.
    • With ENERGY STAR and Indoor airPLUS, builders use a variety of moisture control features designed to minimize these risks, including improved control of condensation and better roof, wall and foundation drainage.
  • Radon Control
    • Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive, invisible, and odorless gas and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
    • Indoor airPLUS specifications include radon-resistant construction techniques (in areas with high radon potential).
  • Pest Management
    • Residue from pests, such as rodents and cockroaches, can trigger allergy and asthma attacks.
    • With ENERGY STAR and Indoor airPLUS, builders seal, caulk or screen where pests may enter a home.
  • Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC)
    • Poorly designed and installed HVAC systems can lead to comfort problems and reduce indoor air quality.
    • ENERGY STAR with Indoor airPLUS includes properly engineered systems, improved duct and equipment installation, improved filtration, and whole-house and spot ventilation to dilute and remove indoor air pollutants. Builders also inspect air-handling equipment and ductwork to ensure they are clean and free of debris and provide adequate air flow.
  • Building Materials
    • The types of materials that builders choose and the way they manage them during construction can improve a home’s indoor air quality.
    • Indoor airPLUS Specifications reduce the sources of pollutants inside the home by protecting materials stored on-site from weather damage, using materials with less chemicals, and ventilating the home prior to move-in.
  • Homeowner Education
    • Educating homeowners on maintaining their Indoor airPLUS homes is key to good indoor air quality.
    • Indoor airPLUS homeowners receive a checklist of verified indoor air quality features, and instructions for operating and maintaining equipment to continue minimizing risks of indoor air quality problems.