The winners of the 2017 EnerQuality Awards Image

The winners of the 2017 EnerQuality Awards

By Lucas on Feb 27, 2017

Last week, EnerQuality hosted the Housing Innovation Forum and Awards. The theme was “New, Now, Next;” the forum explored and examined innovations in the new home industry and the potential of future technologies. Topics included building sciences, climate change policy, performance-based architecture, and much more. Plus, the winners of the 2017 EnerQuality Awards (EQ Awards) were announced!

Many prestigious recognitions were handed out at the EQ Awards. One of the biggest winners was Reid’s Heritage Homes. Reid’s Heritage Homes received the Net Zero Builder of the Year Award and Ontario Green Builder of the Year. Since the Net Zero initiative took off in Canada a couple years ago, Reid’s Heritage Homes has been leading the way. In fact, Woodlands Preserve in Guelph is a new community of 50’ detached Net Zero Ready homes, which will be launching soon.

Paul Golini Jr., Co-Founder & Executive Vice President of Empire Communities, was named to the EQ Hall of Fame for his and his team’s efforts in energy efficiency. Building more than 10,000 homes and sitting on boards and steering committees, including Tarion, EnerQuality, and the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), he was an obvious choice for the Hall of Fame.

Minto took home the ENERGY STAR for New Homes Builder of the Year - Large Volume Award. Remember just over a year ago when Minto gave away free electric cars (Nissan LEAF) with the purchase of a parking space with an electric charging station at Minto Westside? We still haven’t seen an energy efficiency giveaway on par with this one! 

Via EnerQuality Courtesy EnerQuality

One other big winner of the evening was Mattamy Homes, receiving the Impact Award. The Impact Award recognizes builders “who make a long-term, significant voluntary progress in reducing carbon emissions and showing outstanding achievements through energy efficiency and sustainable practices.” When ENERGY STAR first rolled out in Ontario, Mattamy was among the first builders to jump on board, recognizing that energy efficiency is an important factor in building quality communities.

The jury consisted of industry professionals, mostly from the energy sector, including representatives from the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA), Net Zero Energy Housing and Canadian Home Builders’ Association, The Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance, Tarion, Enbridge, and others.   

With Reid’s Heritage Homes launching a detached home community of Net Zero Ready homes, Empire communities stepping into the EQ Hall of Fame, and Minto continuing to shine, we can’t wait to see what 2017 holds! This may be the year the new home industry makes huge strides in the world of energy efficiency and sustainable community building.

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2017 EnerQuality Awards!

See all the EQ Award Winners here!

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