Brampton’s new 600 home Riverstone community to focus on energy efficiency

Mar 30th, 2006 8:03 AM

Riverstone is Canada’s First EnerGuide and ENERGY STAR Golf & Country Club Community Brampton, ON – Canada’s first EnerGuide and ENERGY STAR golf and country club community was officially announced yesterday to an audience of about 150 people at the Riverstone Golf and Country Club Community Presentation Centre on Ebenezer Rd., east of McVean Dr. in Brampton, where approximately 600 new houses will be built. Each of the homes will have an EnerGuide Rating and an ENERGY STAR upgrade offer. Among the attendees were M.P. Gurbax Singh Malhi (riding of Bramalea, Gore, Malton) and M.P.P. Dr. Kuldip Kular (riding of Bramalea, Gore, Malton, Springdale). At the event, Peter Love, Ontario’s Chief Energy Conservation Officer, presented Certificates of Recognition to Rosehaven Homes, Cachet Estate Homes, Sequoia Grove Homes and Townwood Homes, the four homebuilders constructing the energy efficient Riverstone community. “Their leadership is great,” said Love. “This is the rare time when four progressive and innovative builders have come together to offer consumers this type of energy efficiency choice.” Love went on to say, "Developments like Riverstone demonstrate that energy efficiency is becoming the latest ‘must have’ in new homes. Homebuyers desire efficiency just as much as they want granite counter tops when they look for a new home." “Riverstone is giving consumers the tools to make choices that are good for the environment and good for their pocketbooks,” said Lenard Hart, Director of Business Development for EnerQuality Corporation, the organization that oversees the ENERGY STAR for New Homes program in Ontario. “With EnerGuide labelling, Riverstone makes ‘the invisible, visible,’ and allows the consumer the ability to see the energy efficiency of their home,” said Barbara Mullally-Pauly, Senior Chief of Housing Programs at the Office of Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources Canada. EnerGuide for New Houses measures the energy-use and efficiency of a whole house and gives a rating out of 100. For every point rise on the scale, more money is saved on utility bills. Each homebuyer will have the option of upgrading to ENERGY STAR, which provides superior energy efficiency and guarantees a rating of 78 or higher on the EnerGuide scale. A home built at this level uses 40 percent less energy than a home built to minimum Ontario Building Code (OBC) requirements, which saves homeowners $750 to $1,000 per year (at current energy prices). These energy savings translate into fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Hart observed that, “These 600 homes will save between 2,000 and 2,500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year, or the equivalent of retiring over 4,000 cars from the roads!” Riverstone, as the largest project of its kind in Canada, has already become the most nominated community at the upcoming GTHBA Home Builders Awards, receiving eight nominations, including Community of the Year and Project of the Year. The awards will be presented April 28. “Riverstone homeowners will enjoy not only high quality, energy efficient homes, but also a golf and country club lifestyle,” added Hart. -30- For more information, to arrange interviews, or for high resolution photos, contact: Brent Kulba, EnerQuality (ENERGY STAR/EnerGuide) media relations, at 416-972-7401

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Brampton’s new 600 home Riverstone community to focus on energy efficiency

Mar 30th, 2006 8:03 AM