Special Feature: 2008 Best Products

Each year BUILDERnews picks a list of winners for the publication's Best Products Awards. Celebrating innovation by manufacturers across five categories, the products all reflect the contributions manufacturers are making to homebuilding in the U.S. by raising the bar on current limits for technology, efficiency, affordability and environmental concerns.

Our 2008 winners:

GREEN

WEKA INSULATION PANELS
Insulation panels from WEKA are made out of sheep's wool and have been proven to increase indoor air quality and reduce heating and cooling bills. Sheep's wool is also considered a sustainable Green building material.
WEKA.HOMESTEAD.COM
714-702-4943

GREEN PLANET PAINTS CLAY PAINT
Green Planet creates a petroleum-free acrylic paint by using a soy base. This process not only creates a no-VOC paint, but also a sustainable one.
greenplanetpaints.com
520-394-2571

INTEGRITY BLOCKS BUILDING BLOCKS
The Integrity Block provides a Green alternative to the concrete block. Composed of 50 percent prerecycled material and requiring 40 percent less energy to create, the Integrity Block is one way to decrease your carbon footprint and increase your LEED credits.
integrityblock.com
650-641-3104

MATERIALS

AXXYS RAILING KIT
The Axxys railing kit from Rail Simple was designed to make interior stair installation as painless as possible. Complex angle cuts are eliminated with pivoting rail and baluster connectors and a predrilled railing.
railsimple.com
800-667-8247

JELD-WEN JUNIPER DOOR
JELD-WEN's new Juniper door is taking a different approach to being eco-friendly. Juniper is often cleared from forests for being a water hog and an invasive species in Western states. JELD -WEN decided to give this throwaway wood a rustic look for its new line of doors.
JELD -WEN.COM
877-535-3462

TREX ACCENTS FIRE DEFENSE DECKING
Trex Accents new Fire Defense decking is self-extinguishing even in cases of direct exposure to flames. The Fire Defense decking is available in two different sizes of boards and in a Winchester gray or saddle color.
trex.com
800-289-8739

LUXURY

LINKASINK BRONZE SINK
Made from spun cast bronze, Linkasink's new patterned bronze sink bowls are individually hand-cast. The sinks are available in bronze or a white bronze, which is finished with satin nickel, and in botanical, wing or brocade patterns.
linkasink.com
866-395-8377

MICROWAVE DRAWER
Sharp's new line of Insight Ranges feature the first ever Microwave Drawer Oven. The Insight Ranges offer a 30-inch wide range, which can be opened manually or automatically. The placement allows for easier cleanup and makes checking, stirring and preparing food easier than ever.
SHARPUSA.COM
866-RANGE-99

AMERICAN CLAY EARTH PLASTER
Earth Plaster, by American Clay, is a natural clay and recycled marble dust plaster that can give any surface the traditional feel of cob-earth and adobe-style houses. Earth Plaster is also made in the U.S. with non-toxic domestic ingredients.
americanclay.com
866-404-1634

TOOLS

PULZALL PULLZALL
Weighing in at 18 pounds, the PullzAll is an easy to carry 24-Volt rechargeable wench. Rated for a maximum 1,000-pound lift or pull capacity, the PullzAll comes with15 feet of 7/16-inch cable. The motor has variable speed control and a forward/reverse switch.
warn.com
800-910-1122

RIDGID SEE SNAKE
The See Snake is a new LED–lit exploratory camera, with a 2 1/2-inch LCD viewing screen, from Ridgid. The waterproof camera can also harness a hook, magnet or mirror to the end of the three-foot cable.
Ridgid.com
800-4-RIDGID

C&F MANUFACTING MUCK-TRUCK
The muck-truck by C&F Manufacturing Phils. Corp is motorized wheel barrel. The mucktruck is strong enough to carry 500 pounds of gravel, concrete, stone, bricks, rocks, sand or just plain old dirt. The gearbox and wheels are belt-driven by a motor.
mucktruckamerica.com
772-621-3951

EFFICIENCY

GREENWOOD TECHNOLOGIES WOOD FURNACE
The Greenwood Furnace, a clean burning wood boiler manufactured by Greenwood Technologies, is one of the most efficient boilers on the market and produces almost no smoke.
greenwoodusa.com
800-959-9184

RHEEM SOLAR WATER HEATER
The new Rheem Solaraide solar water heating system, with 47 gallons of storage, uses one collector panel to provide the annual hot water requirements of a home with 1.5 baths.
Rheem.com
334-260-1400

NANSULATE INSULATING CLEAR COAT
Nansulate's new HomeProtect line features an insulating clear coat designed to cut down on energy costs and prevent mold. Available in white, tintable interior or translucent exterior clear coat.
industrial-nanotech.com
800-767-3998