NAPLES, Fla. (Jan. 8, 2001) - The Bonita Bay Group has received the first-ever Green Advantage Outstanding Corporate Commitment Award for "exceptional organizational commitment to green development policies." Ten out of 12 participating builders in Mediterra have completed a two-day "Build Green & Profit" seminar, a continuing education program for builders that pivots on sustainable development. Mediterra is the 1,697-acre master-planned community in North Naples being developed by The Bonita Bay Group.
Susan Hebel Watts, vice president of The Bonita Bay Group and general manager of Mediterra, Dennis Gilkey, president/CEO of The Bonita Bay Group, and Steve Pietrzyk, Mediterra's general manager of community operations, accepted the award from Dr. Pierce Jones, director of the Florida Energy Extension Service at the University of Florida.
"This is outstanding participation, and it's clear from the test results that these builders took the program seriously," said Jones, who traveled to Southwest Florida to confer the award. "Only half the builders who participate in the program state-wide choose to take the exam, and it's not a simple test. Of the 50 percent who take the test, about 70 percent pass. In the case of Mediterra, all of the builders who completed the course took the optional exam and 100 percent of them passed the test," he said.
"The mission of the Green Building Project is to foster environmentally sustainable and healthy building, housing and landscaping practices in Southwest Florida," said Florida Gulf Coast University President William Merwin. Sustainable development refers to meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. "The Bonita Bay Group is a national leader in the creation of sustainable and environmentally sensitive communities, and from the level of Mediterra builder participation in the 'Build Green & Profit' program, it's clear they have chosen participating builders who share their values and sense of environmental responsibility."
The Build Green program is one of a series developed by the University of Florida fashioned after the Green Advantage project based in Virginia, which initiated the special recognition. The area builder-certification program is being presented through Florida Gulf Coast University's Green Building Project under the umbrella of the university's Renaissance Academy.
According to Watts, the community's participating builders were urged to take advantage of the program, which teaches building and landscape techniques that are environmentally friendly and reduce energy usage. "We are very proud - but not surprised - that Mediterra's participating builders not only embraced the sustainable-development concepts presented in the seminar, but they volunteered to take it a step further and sit for the certification exam. As Dr. Jones pointed out during his presentation, the participants take their commitment to sustainable development very seriously."
"The Bonita Bay Group understands the importance of sustainable development, they encourage this level of participation in others, and we chose to formally recognize that level of commitment," said Jones. "Their participating builders take the program and the information seriously because The Bonita Bay Group takes it seriously. That level of commitment and the test results are unprecedented in this state."
Mediterra participating builders who completed the program are Boran Craig Barber Homes, Inc.; Frey & Son Homes, Inc.; Harbourside Custom Homes; Harwick Homes Construction, Inc.; Hunt Construction Co., Inc.; Kurtz Homes, Inc.; London Bay Homes; R & D Companies, Inc.; Landmark Development Group; and Taylor Woodrow Communities.
"The program provided new information about building energy efficient homes, landscaping in environmentally friendly ways and other methods to meet the needs of new-home buyers while protecting - and in many cases enhancing - the environmental treasures of the area," said Barry Frey of Frey & Son Homes. "The Build Green seminar was an outstanding opportunity for us to learn new techniques that have the potential to influence the aesthetic, environmental and real value of the homes we build."
Doug Schwartz, project manager with Taylor Woodrow Communities, participated in one of the University of Florida's "Build Green & Profit" programs offered in Orlando. "The program adds new dimensions to the considerations builders make when developing customer friendly and environmentally sensitive homes," he said. "The methods taught influence how a site is treated, the orientation of rooms in a home and building materials. The methods don't necessarily cost more money, but they allow us to be smarter in our home designs." Before the award notification arrived in early December, The Bonita Bay Group had already expanded its commitment to environmental sensitivity and participation in Build Green.
"As a company, we have been employing the principles of sustainable development since before the term was created and the concept embraced," said Dennis Gilkey, president/CEO of The Bonita Bay Group. "We are very impressed with the quality of, and the information provided by, the Build Green project. Hence, we are now requiring as part of our builder approval process at TwinEagles that all participating builders complete the program." TwinEagles, the newest member of The Bonita Bay Group's family of master-planned communities, is a 1,115-acre community in North Naples.
Jerry Snell of Snell Construction, Inc. is a TwinEagles participating builder. "We are committed to the Build Green principles. In our construction plans, we look for ways to incorporate building innovations and environmentally sound practices that help us create a better product. This includes landscaping the homesites with native plantings to enhance wildlife habitat and employing the principles of Xeriscape to reduce water usage. It's a win-win outcome. Our homebuyers enjoy the benefits of an environmentally friendly and energy efficient home, and the environment remains healthy, which benefits everyone."
The Bonita Bay Group's flagship community, Bonita Bay™, received the development industry's highest international honor when it was named the 1999 Outstanding Large-Scale Community of the Year by the Urban Land Institute. Earlier this year, the community was the only Southwest Florida recipient to earn top honors in the Outstanding Performance category by the Council for Sustainable Florida. Mediterra is being created with the intimacy, charm and classical style of the Mediterranean region of Europe. The overall master plan includes less than 950 residences and more than 1,000 acres of open space
The Bonita Bay Group is a diversified company involved in the planning, development, sales and management of master-planned communities and free-standing recreational facilities throughout Southwest Florida. The company launched the 1990s with a single community, one golf course and 200 employees. Today, The Bonita Bay Group employs more than 1,000 people and operates divisions that include numerous master-planned communities, an amenities division that operates private golf clubs and a marina, and several operating businesses that support the company's core business interests.
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