The Enertia Building System has been selected by the Modern Marvels Invent Now Challenge as one of the Top 25 Inventions of 2007. Enertia uses its patented technology to store solar energy in the walls of its Pre-fab, factory-cut homes.

'Greentech' invention named one of Modern Marvels Top 25 Inventions of 2007

A NANO-ENGINEERING BREAKTHROUGH IN THE MOST COMMONLY-USED MATERIAL, IN THE MOST-POLLUTING SEGMENT OF OUR ECONOMY, COULD SLOW OR REVERSE GLOBAL WARMING.

SAN JOSE, CA March 18, 2006. Housing uses more fossil fuel than cars in America- so it is an obvious target for Silicon Valley's emerging Greentech industry, but 94% of American houses are made of low-tech material- wood. A new biotechnology to alter wood at the molecular level has been named among the top 25 Inventions of 2007 in the Modern Marvels Invent Now Challenge- to be announced at 10:30am on Thursday March 22nd at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose.

The Enertia® Building System, invented by Michael Sykes, has been chosen as one of 25 Semi-Finalists in the 2007 Modern Marvels Invent Now Challenge. The Challenge is a contest to find America's next great invention idea-and help bring it to life. The Challenge is sponsored by the History Channel, Invent Now, Inc. TIME Magazine, and Lexus. Sykes was selected from 2,200 entries based on the criteria of: 1) A technological Breakthrough 2) Cleverness, and 3) Historical significance. The top five winners will be announced at Citigroup Center in New York City on May 11th.

Sykes will be in San Jose for the Tech Museum announcement Thursday, to answer questions and to meet with Silicon Valley interests about manufacturing and marketing the homes in California. There are already three Enertia® homes in California- in the Big Bear, Auburn, and Arnold areas. A video of the Big Bear home can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR0BhPhEqMA.


Michael Sykes' invention, U.S. Patent No. 6,933,016, is technology to turn wood into a thermal battery. Zeolitic seed crystals are injected into the wood, altering the molecular structure at a nanolevel- so there is no change in appearance or structural properties. Thus wood is no longer just a structural member, or just a decorative trim or paneling- it becomes a solar energy storing device, and when the house is properly configured and sited it can heat and cool itself. This energy from a shift-in-time is called "Enertia®" a word, like the word "Laser," that Sykes made up and trademarked to describe the phenomenon. Enertia® Building Systems has developed a line of Gluelam wood-wall homes to maximize the energy-storing potential, and to offer the mainstream appearance necessary to attract traditional frame-housing buyers. Because Enertia® homes 'sequester carbon' in their massive wood walls, as well reduce carbon pollution from the burning of fossil fuels, they caught the attention of the Modern Marvels judges- who were looking for breakthrough inventions with global potential.

The homes can be seen on the Enertia® website at www.enertia.com, and the technology is explained at www.EnergyWithoutOil.org . The video presentation for Modern Marvels can be seen at: http://www.enertia.com/Portals/0/EnertiaConcept.wmv. Starting March 22nd, an exhibit of the Top 25 Modern Marvels inventions will travel to science museums across the country, starting at The Tech in San Jose. The Enertia® Building System exhibit consists of a scale model of an Enertia® House, and a wall section. Accompanying text and photos explain and show how Enertia® systems built homes are attractive, economical, and in this case, green and innovative.

The exhibit schedule is:

The Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose, CA Through March 28th
St. Louis Science Center, St. Louis, MO April 5-April 15
Orlando Science Center, Orlando, FL April 21-May 3
Citigroup Center, New York, NY May 10-May 25
NIHF Museum, US Patent office, Alexandria, VA June 4 - June 25




Enertia® contact: Michael Sykes, mike111@mindspring.com, (919) 556-2391
For interviews in San Jose, Auburn, or Arnold: (919) 633-0118
A high-resolution image CD is available on request. A DVR with animations and the Modern Marvels video presentation is available on request. Contact: enertia@mindspring.com or by mail at
Enertia Building Systems, Inc.
1472 U.S. Highway 1 North
P. O. Box 845
Youngsville, NC 27596


Modern Marvels Press Agent: Kevin Gray, kgray@brodeur.com, (617) 587-2851