Building industry celebrates quality and excellence at annual awards presentation

GREATER TORONTO, April 28, 2014 /CNW/ - The home-building and land development industry crowned the year's top builders, projects and marketing campaigns at the 34^th annual BILD Awards on April 25.

More than 1,100 industry professionals attended the event, which recognized the GTA's best in 47 distinct categories ranging from ad campaigns to architectural design and community building.

Mattamy Homes was honoured with the prestigious Home Builder of the Year award. This award highlights the builder who sets the standard for the rest of the industry by their leadership in improving the overall image of building and development in the GTA. A key component of the judging process is a customer satisfaction survey, completed by dozens of recent occupants of the builder's communities.

This year's Green Builder of the Year awards was presented to TAS and Empire Communities. This award recognizes the builder who demonstrates outstanding leadership in the implementation of green building practices from the site planning stage right through home design and construction.

In the high-rise category, TAS received top honours for its commitment to sustainability. The company has made a commitment to designing and building to a LEED Silver standard for all of its future projects.

Empire Communities received the Green Builder of the Year award in the low-rise category. The company is Ontario's leading ENERGY STAR builder with some of the most progressive green initiatives and user-friendly educational programs in the industry.

In a special presentation, Greenpark Homes Chairman and CEO Carlo Baldassarra was honoured with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. This recognition is the Association's highest honour and was presented as a tribute to Baldassarra's contribution to the building and development industry for more than four decades.

"It is a privilege to present Carlo with this prestigious award," said BILD President and CEO Bryan Tuckey. "He is an industry champion who has given so much to our association and to communities throughout the GTA."

Yonge+Rich by Great Gulf Homes was deemed the year's best high-rise project, while Urban Towns at Bayview by Treasure Hill Home Corporation was selected in the low-rise category.

For a complete list of award recipients, visit www.bildawards.com.

With more than 1,400 members, BILD, formed through the merger of the Greater Toronto Home Builders' Association and Urban Development Institute/Ontario, is the voice of the land development, home building and professional renovation industry in the Greater Toronto Area.  BILD is proudly affiliated with the Ontario and Canadian Home Builders' Associations.

SOURCE: Building Industry and Land Development Association

Aonghus Kealy, Manager, Communications, 416-391-3452 or 416-543-3903, [email protected]; Andrei Zaretski, Manager, Marketing & Media Relations, 416-391-3450 or 416-843-4898, [email protected]