Minto Communities Wins 2010 Aurora Award For Cascada At Monterra Model

July 19, 2010 - PRLog -- COCONUT CREEK, Fla. - The Southeast Building Conference has awarded Minto Communities its prestigious Aurora Award in the Energy Efficient Home category for the company’s Cascada at Monterra model in Cooper City, Fla.

The nationally recognized Aurora Awards honor builders, planners, architects, developers, designers, interior merchandisers and other housing-related professionals within 12 Southeastern U.S. states and the Caribbean.  The Aurora Award for Energy Efficiency is awarded to the Florida builder who best incorporates energy-efficient design and products into the homes they build.

“Our goal in designing Cascada was to transcend the state of the industry in meeting the needs of our customers,” states Jim Traxinger, Minto’s executive vice president.  “Today’s consumer demands improved energy performance in their homes as well as sustainable products that contribute to their health and well being. That was our mission at Cascada and we’re honored to receive the Aurora Award for our effort.”

Introduced under the MintoBlue program, the Cascada model was designed, constructed and certified to meet standards set by Energy Star, FPL Buildsmart, the Florida Green Building Coalition, the National Association of Homebuilders National Green Building Program and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

The homes’ features include:

•   Impact resistant, energy efficient, double paned Argon insulated low emissivity windows, sliders and glass doors for improved energy performance, comfort and savings

•   High efficiency central air conditioning and heating

•   Energy Star appliances and bathroom exhaust fans

•   Compact fluorescent light bulbs

•   Low flow plumbing fixtures and water saving water closets

•   Automated drip irrigation system using surface water with rain sensor, providing reduced consumption and savings

The Cascada homes, which opened for sale in June, are affordably priced starting in the low $200,000’s. Minto currently offers 148 courtyard homes within the 500-acre Monterra community space, ranging from 1,400 to 1,700 square feet.

For complete information on Minto Communities, please visit http://www.minto.com/buy-a-home-in-florida/projects.html.

About Minto Communities
Launched in 1955, Minto is a family-owned business that has built more than 65,000 homes and holds more than two million square feet of commercial space as part of its integrated real estate development, construction and management operations in Ottawa, Toronto and Florida.

Minto creates a wide array of award-winning new homes and resort-style master-planned communities, in addition to low, mid and high-rise condominiums to meet every lifestyle. The company has earned national awards and recognition by J.D. Power and Associates and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).