Building Products and ebuild Present the First Annual Vanguard Best of the Web Awards

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Category: BEST PRODUCT INFORMATION FOR PROFESSIONALS

No matter how beautiful a Web site is, it will benefit a building professional only if the pro content is complete, easy to find, and simple to use. Our judges appreciated sites that offer easy-to-download PDFs of catalogs, especially if they segment the information so viewers can save time by downloading only the parts they need.

Best in Class

• Bosch Home Appliances' Green Resource Center
Technical product information is 'extensive' on the Bosch Home Appliances' Green Building Center Web site, commented one judge. The site, devoted to green building, features separate entry points for trade and consumer viewers, but information overlaps and is easy to find in either section.

Bosch-Best Product Info

• MTI Whirlpools
Pro viewers can find all of MTI Whirlpool's manuals and warranties online, next to 'excellent product descriptions' for all of the manufacturer's lines, said one judge. Complicated information is presented in an easy-to-understand format.

MTI-Best Product Info

• Southern Pine Council
From storage ideas to mold issues to pricing, information about lumber abounds on Southern Pine Council's Web site. What the association doesn't cover itself is a mouse-click away from the site's extensive 'links' page, which one judge called 'an excellent resource for many different building professionals.'

Southern Pine Council-Best Product Info

• Thermador
Manuals, service questions, and even safety notices and recalls are easy to find on Thermador's Web site, noted one judge, and all are available for downloading. Each item is enhanced by photos or drawings.

Thermador-Best Product Info

Honorable Mention

• Crown Heritage Stairs
• Jeld-Wen
• Hilti
• Integrity Windows and Doors
• Simpson Strong-Tie
• Whirlpool
• Worthington Millwork