Minto Wins Two Top Honours at the 2011 EnerQuality Awards of Excellence

Minto Communities is named as leader in two prestigious categories by EnerQuality, Canada's foremost provider of green building services

OTTAWA, Feb. 8, 2012 /CNW/ - Minto Communities Inc. was awarded the two highest honours at last week's EnerQuality Awards of Excellence, 2011 Green Builder of the Year and 2011 Leader of the Year. The organization congratulated Minto's vast achievements in green building - specifically the company's ability to demonstrate innovation and sustainability through the construction of high-performance and energy-efficient new homes, as well as through excellent consumer engagement and employee empowerment on the topic of green building awareness.

EnerQuality was founded in 1998 as a partnership between the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance and the Ontario Home Builders Association. Its mission is to transform Ontario's housing into the most energy efficient and sustainable in the world.

The 2011 Green Builder of the Year award recognizes a home builder who demonstrates building innovation and excellence in one or more of EnerQuality's managed certification programs, including ENERGY STAR and LEED Canada for New Homes, and whose "overall commitment and leadership has resulted in a significant impact on moving this industry forward." In 2011, Minto had 751 homes enrolled in a combination of both the ENERGY STAR® and LEED® Canada for New Homes programs. Since 2010, Minto Communities has committed to building all new homes to a standard of ENERGY STAR certification, and has built and closed 1200 units under this guarantee. Minto Communities has often exceeded these certification requirements by implementing more efficient and innovative green building technologies in their new homes.

According to EnerQuality, the 2011 Leader of the Year is given to an industry-nominated recipient who exhibits "commitment, advocacy and leadership in driving the growth of energy efficient/green new housing in Ontario." In receiving this high honour, Minto was recognized for exceeding voluntary program technical certification requirements in new home construction, going "above and beyond" in marketing and sales programs to drive awareness, as well as effectively integrating green into its internal culture through a dedicated division of sustainability professionals, a body of green employee volunteers and company-wide initiatives.

"As a leader in the residential construction industry, Minto has participated in developing the Next Generation of ENERGY STAR for New Homes, an initiative that entails collaborating on the development of new ENERGY STAR requirements with other technical experts from across Canada," added Alison Minato, Minto's Vice President of Sustainability. Minto's Sustainability Department, comprised of engineers and subject matter experts, consistently work in collaboration with Minto Communities to research new building practices, test and pilot new technologies, benchmark building performances and commercialize piloted technologies within both their existing and new building portfolio.

About Minto:

The Minto Group, established in 1955, is an Ottawa-based real estate, development, construction and property management company with operations also in Toronto, London (ON) and Florida.

Gwen Cox, Director of Communications, The Minto Group, Inc.

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