Edmonton

News Release

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Green neighbourhood opens first show homes

Edmonton, (September 6) – A more environmentally sustainable home can also be beautiful if the showhomes in the new Oxford subdivision are anything to go by. The showhomes were officially opened by Mayor Mandel on September 6.

Oxford, in northwest Edmonton, is the first large subdivision where the City of Edmonton set environmental standards that apply to every home.

Each Oxford home must achieve at least a Built Green silver standard and an EnerGuide 78 rating. Most new homes built in Alberta today meet an EnerGuide rating of between 65 and 72.

EnerGuide is a rating of the home’s energy consumption and efficiency while Built Green promotes water conservation, waste diversion and proper resource management, including reducing materials and using sustainable products during the construction of a home.

The City of Edmonton sold lots in Oxford in a draw last November. About half of the 87 lots were sold to the public. The remaining 44 were sold to four local Built Green certified builders and it is their show homes that are now available for viewing.

“Oxford is exciting because it offers new housing opportunities for Edmontonians and demonstrates that more environmentally sustainable homes can be built without giving up the extra features we all love,” says Mayor Mandel.“The people who will someday live in Oxford will also have the added pleasure of lower utility bills and more comfortable homes.”

Four contractors are building the Oxford showhomes: Imagine Built Homes,Vivid Homes, Encore Master Builders and Park Royal Homes.

Oxford will contain a variety of housing styles from single family to duplex and homes with secondary suites. The homebuilders in Oxford can access Cornerstones grants to help construct the secondary suites while the Office of Environment is offering a grant for those who construct homes that are rated EnerGuide 80 or above.

With the success of Oxford, the City’s Corporate Properties branch now intends to require environmental standards on homes and businesses built on any land it sells.

“We hope that other developers will follow the Oxford example and all new Edmonton neighbourhoods will strive for higher environmental efficiency,”says Bill Covey, Director of Property Sales.

For more information on Oxford visit www.edmonton.ca/landsales and click on “Oxford” in the left navigation bar.

About Edmonton:

This is a city alive with energy and boundless opportunity - a growing economic powerhouse where business thrives and more than a million lives enjoy the freedom to explore, experiment, experience, excel and expect the most out of every day. A place like no other, Edmonton is filled with surprises great and small and a calendar packed with artistic, sporting,theatrical and cultural celebration.

For more information on Edmonton, please visit www.edmonton.ca and www.edmontonstories.ca

For additional information, contact:

Name Title Department Phone

Bill Covey Director of Property Sales Corporate Properties, City of Edmonton 780-496-6245