The Toronto Star
COLLINGWOOD – Mattamy Homes of Oakville was named 2008 Ontario Home Builder of the Year by the Ontario Home Builders' Association at the OHBA Awards of Distinction earlier this week, while Toronto-based Minto took Green Builder honours.
The Builder of the Year award is based on home buyer surveys and judging of aspects such as sales and marketing, floor plan design, community service, industry support and the ability to adapt to changing needs. Mattamy, also named OHBA Builder of the Year in 2006, has been the GTA's top-ranked builder in J.D. Power and Associates' ratings for three consecutive years. Last year, Mattamy also launched the innovative Stelumar factory in Oakville, where houses are almost entirely assembled and finished indoors before being transferred to home sites.
Judges for the Green Builder award included representatives from Tarion, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., the Consumer's Association, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and EnerQuality Corp.
Minto's EcoHome in Manotick, near Ottawa, is one of 12 projects across the country selected by the CMHC for the EQuilibrium Housing Initiative. The home is an affordable net-zero home that produces as much energy as it consumes on a yearly basis and is targeted to achieve LEED Platinum certification.
Minto also built Radiance@Minto Gardens in Toronto, the first highrise residential building in Canada to achieve LEED Silver certification and has several other Toronto condominiums registered as LEED candidates.
There were 30 award categories and a record number of 563 nominees submitted this year.
Empire Communities' Wyndance Estates, an estate home development adjacent to a Greg Norman-designed golf course near Uxbridge, won as Lowrise Project of the Year. Huntington by Tridel and Concert, a luxury condominium in the Lawrence Park neighbourhood, inspired by French Renaissance and Beaux Arts architecture and aspiring to LEED certification with its sustainable and energy features, was Highrise Project of the Year.
Award winners
Most outstanding production built home — one storey up to 1,900 sq. ft.: Doug Tarry Ltd., for Lake Margaret Estates — "The Chamberlain," St. Thomas
Most outstanding production built home — one storey, 1,900 sq. ft. and over: Monarch Corp., for Bronte Creek — "The Granary" (Elevation "C"), Oakville
Most outstanding production built home — two storey up to 2,500 sq. ft.: Fieldgate Homes, for Blue Sky —"Jasper," Stouffville
Most outstanding production built home — two storey 2,500 sq. ft. and over: Rawlings Homes, for Sunningdale — "The Valleyrun," London
Most outstanding custom home — under 2,500 sq. ft.: Windrush Hill Construction, for "Suburban Style," Thorold
Most outstanding custom home — 2,500-5,000 sq. ft.: Christopher Simmonds Architect, for Riverview House, Dunrobin
Most outstanding custom home — 5,000 sq. ft. and over: Windemere Custom Homes, for Bridle Path Manor, Toronto
Most outstanding attached multi-unit home — semi/townhome/stacked: Dunpar Developments Inc., for Sand Beach — Sand Beach Road Townhomes — Lot 3, Etobicoke
Most outstanding highrise building: Tridel, for Parc Nuvo, Etobicoke
Most outstanding highrise condo suite: Aspen Ridge Homes, for vü Condominiums — SPHI - 1, Toronto (credit to Hariri Pontarni Architects; Cecconi Simone; The Brand Factory)
Most outstanding home renovation: Windemere Custom Homes, for Raymar Place, Oakville
Most outstanding kitchen: Premium Building Group, for Credico Residence, Niagara (credit to Tom Zivcic, Cromade Custom Cabinetry)
Most outstanding bathroom: Tridel & Concert, for Huntington — 3C+LF, Toronto
Best Internet website: Eden Oak, for The Estates of Credit Ridge — www.edenoak.com/credit_ridge
Best TV or on-site video/digital presentation: Bazis International Inc., for 1 Bloor, Toronto
Best highrise ad campaign: Cresford Developments Ltd., for NXT at Windermere by the Lake, Toronto
Best lowrise ad campaign: Empire Communities, for The Estates of Wyndance, Uxbridge
Best project logo branding: Mountainview Homes, for Hillside Estates, Lincoln (credit to Toolbox Strategies Inc.)
Best new home sales office under 1,500 sq. ft.: Branthaven Homes, for Mosaic, Burlington (credit to: Toolbox Strategies Inc.)
Best new home sales office 1,500 sq. ft. and over: Empire Communities, for Riverland, Breslau
Best design centre: Mattamy Homes, for Mattamy Homes Design Centre, Oakville
Best interior decorating – model home/suite — under 2,000 sq. ft.: Canderel Stoneridge, for Aura — Model Suite, Toronto
Best interior decorating – model home/suite — 2,000 sq. ft. and over: Empire Communities, for The Estates of Wyndance — "Roxborough II, Elevation B," Uxbridge
Best project sales brochure — lowrise: Branthaven Homes, for Forest Hill, Ancaster
Best project sales brochure — highrise: Cityzen Development Group/Fernbrook Homes Ltd., for L Tower, Toronto
Project of the Year — Lowrise: Empire Communities, for The Estates of Wyndance, Uxbridge
Project of the Year — Highrise: Tridel & Concert, for Huntington, Toronto
2008 product of the year — non builder: Black and Decker, HHI Group, for Weiser Lock "Smart Scan," Mississauga
2008 Ontario green builder of the year: Minto, Toronto/Ottawa
2008 Ontario homebuilder of the year: Mattamy Homes, Oakville
SAMMY: Jacky Hill, vice-president, National Real Estate, Trader Corp. was presented with the 2008 Sales and Marketing Member of the Year Award recognizing her outstanding contribution to the field of sales and marketing of new homes.