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Canada’s first low environmental impact golf course community with all ENERGY STAR® qualified homes located in the Oak Ridges Moraine settlement zone in Uxbridge - Environmental Communication Options/Huff Strategy

Canada’s first low environmental impact golf course community with all ENERGY STAR® qualified homes located in the Oak Ridges Moraine settlement zone in Uxbridge

May 25th, 2006 6:12 AM

Canada’s first low environmental impact golf course community with all ENERGY STAR® qualified homes located in the Oak Ridges Moraine settlement zone in Uxbridge (Uxbridge, May 24, 2006) Today, MPP Wayne Arthurs, Uxbridge Regional Councillor Susan Self, Corey McBurney of EnerQuality Corporation, and Daniel Guizzetti, President of Empire Communities, were among the 60 people who attended a celebration at the Estates of Wyndance, one of the most unique golf course communities to be constructed in Canada. They marked the occasion with a ribbon cutting and tree planting. Situated in the Oak Ridges Moraine settlement zone in Uxbridge, the Estates of Wyndance has been designed with the most careful consideration for the surrounding ecosystem. “The Oak Ridges Moraine is a very significant land feature in this part of Ontario,” said Mr. Guizzetti. “We are integrating technologies and systems that are proven to minimize any environmental impacts, in order to preserve both the natural functioning of the Moraine and its beauty.” The development began with a tree re-location initiative last fall, where ClubLink Corporation successfully transplanted hundreds of trees into the landscaping of the new Wyndance Golf Club. This club features a Greg Norman designed ‘least disturbance’ golf course, which incorporates and preserves the natural features of the land. In addition to this, the community’s on-site waste-water treatment plant will allow for advanced golf course irrigation by using leading edge filtration technology, thus reducing, reusing and recycling water. The 125 homes adjacent to the golf course are also designed for low environmental impact. Each home, being ENERGY STAR® qualified, is 30 to 40% more energy efficient than those built to the minimum Ontario building code requirements, which will save each homeowner approximately $1000 up to $2000 a year in energy costs, depending on the size of the home. This energy reduction also translates into less air pollution―approximately 3 tonnes fewer green house gas emissions per year. Empire Communities has achieved this high energy efficiency by incorporating upgraded insulation, high efficiency furnaces and air conditioning, low e-argon filled windows, and programmable thermostats, to name just a few energy saving features. “Energy efficiency is an important component of a sustainable community,” said Mr. McBurney, “and Empire Communities has successfully integrated energy efficiency into a wider, environmentally sensitive design. This company is completely transforming the way we approach new housing developments.” Homeowners will enjoy the many features this community has to offer, including a nature trail that goes right through it. “We have donated approximately 2 acres of land to the Township of Uxbridge and extended their trail system by 2 kilometres,” said Mr Guizzetti. “Our environment is obviously very important,” he continued. “So we have taken every step to combine the luxury of these homes with the surrounding natural landscape and the latest environmentally friendly technologies and systems.” The homes, ranging from 1840 to over 4500 square feet in size, contain 9 foot ceilings on the main floor, solid oak stairs, Paris custom designed kitchen cabinetry, granite counter tops, prefinished hardwood flooring with marble thresholds, and deep acrylic soaker tubs in the bathrooms. “The Estates of Wyndance is a self-sufficient, luxury community dedicated to saving energy, money and blending into the existing natural landscaping and environment,” Mr. Guizzetti concluded. The Presentation Centre is located on Brock Rd., south of Bloomington Rd., only 10 minutes north from highway 407. It is open Monday to Thursday from 1pm to 7pm; Friday by appointment only; and Saturday, Sunday and Holidays from 11am to 5pm. Phone 905-649-8197. -30- For more information and/or high resolution photos, contact: Karen Kessel, Empire Communities, 905-307-8102 Ext. 108 Brent Kulba, EnerQuality (ENERGY STAR) media relations, at 416-972-7401 ENERGY STAR® for New Homes is a label given to homes that meet balanced, whole-house, energy-efficiency standards, guaranteeing their owners significant energy savings. New homes that receive the ENERGY STAR label are 40 percent more energy efficient than those built to the minimum Ontario building code standards. The ENERGY STAR mark is administered and promoted in Canada by Natural Resources Canada.