“Green” is much more than a marketing slogan for Empire Communities. With a mission to create homes and communities that provide enduring value, the company is committed to a higher standard in everything they do. And that includes embracing the concept of green when it comes to all aspects of new home building. “If we as builders are being responsible to our customers, we should be pursuing advances in green building and offering people what they want and need,” says Executive Vice President Paul Golini Jr. “Given today’s economic climate, it’s in our home buyers’ best interest to have more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly homes, and we believe that ultimately all new home buyers will insist on product that is green rated in some way.”
Forward-thinking Empire is one of the first, and remains one of only a handful of builders in Ontario that has committed to constructing only Energy Star® homes, across the board, in all of its neighbourhoods. Even more rare, Empire includes the Energy Star® qualification as a standard feature by absorbing the incremental costs rather than offering this benefit as an upgrade to purchasers. “We’ve put our money where our mouth is,” Golini says. “With energy costs in Ontario continuing to rise, the savings achieved through Energy Star® is an important factor for consumers.”
He admits that there is some confusion in the marketplace where “green” is concerned. “There are many third-party green rating systems out there. While we are investigating a number of options, currently we have chosen to build to the Energy Star® standard because people have confidence in its proven track record. With utilities costs rising, the payback on owning an Energy Star®-certified home is accelerating.”
For two consecutive years, in 2007 and 2008, Empire received the EnerGuide Builder of the Year award from the EnerQuality Corporation for labeling the most EnerGuide homes. In 2007, the company labelled 351 EnerGuide homes across three of its communities: Summerlea in Binbrook, Wyndfield in Brantford, and The Meadows at Franklin Pond in Cambridge. Empire’s trained staff includes a New Home Energy Specialist who ensures that Empire keeps current with new and emerging green technologies, and acts an a liaison for homebuyers.
To advance the cause of green building and educate consumers on energy-friendly technology, the company spent two years developing the Discovery House at Wyndfield in Brantford, which exceeded the Energy Star® for New Homes standard. Empire dedicated the land, labour and materials, and pursued partnerships with industry suppliers to serve as a testing ground for new technologies.
In addition, Golini sits on Canada Green Building Council’s LEED® for Homes administrative committee, and the Greater Toronto Area’s Building Industry Land Development (BILD) Association’s Board of Directors and Green Committee. “LEED® is a natural next step for us,” Golini says. “We have been one of the few selected from among approximately 30 builders across Canada to participate in a case study, which we located at The Estates of Wyndance in Uxbridge. That community is already environmentally sound by design.”
Wyndance is in the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM), and its design meets criteria set out in the ORM Plan. The adjacent golf course was created using a “least disturbance approach” design, which factors in natural land features. To qualify under the LEED® for Homes program, Empire is piloting an onsite waste recycling system, and the construction of a home with environmentally friendly components that go beyond the Energy Star® standard. These include the use of recycled materials, and materials that are shipped locally to save on fuel and emissions.
More recently, through Golini’s involvement with the BILD Archetype Committee, Empire is taking the lead in planning, marketing and overseeing the construction of the Archetype Sustainable House at the Kortright Centre in Vaughan – a joint initiative with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. A Blitz Build in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity is seeing construction of the house itself, which includes two semi-detached homes.
“The Blitz Build is a huge collaborative effort, and we’re happy to play a role in this important initiative,” Golini says.
For more information on Empire Communities, visit www.empirecommunities.com.
