Two in 2000 for R-2000 awards

Impact! Staff Writer

David Poupore of Guildcrest Homes and Pinkney and Gardiner Construction have been recognized by national and provincial bodies, respectively, as being amoung the top R-2000 builders.

The year 2000 was a great one for two local builders who both won awards as top R-2000 builders.

David Poupore of Guildcrest Homes was named the national R-2000 Builder of the Year, as judged by a panel of 8, one of whom was OCHBA executive director, Richard Lee.

"David continues to be one of the leading R-2000 builders in the country," says Lee, adding that Guildcrest were nominated for the same award in 1997, but were not successful in their bid. "He has been all over Canada and the eastern United States promoting the R-2000 program."

The two main criteria for the award were that the builder stand out in the field of R-2000 construction and that he advance the use of R-2000 technology in the industry.

"Guildcrest had ne of the highest percentages of R-2000 built homes to traditional homes, which helped his entry and he has contributed a lot personally to advance the industry," says Lee.

In fact, Poupore sits on the board of directors of EnerQuality Corporation, which manages the R-2000 program in Ontario. He is also a past president of the Manufactured Housing Institute and has helped other Canadian builders train in R-2000.

"It was a very close competition this year, but David's work in the field stood out in the judges' minds as the best," says Lee. "Other builders may construct more R-2000 homes in a year, but none promote the industry as much as David and that's the reason he won for 2000."

Poupore could not be reached for comment on the award, as he was away on vacation as this issue of the Impact! went to press.

Guildcrest Homes itself was named the winner of EnerQuality Corporation's R-2000 award for Technical Merit.

Michael Lio, chair of EnerQuality's board of directors, a past judge for the Technical Merit award, explains that the award recognizes the builder who demonstrates a full understanding of the R-2000 technical requirements.

"It's not only in terms of adopting the R-2000 standards, the award also recognizes the builder who extends the principles of R-2000 construction."

In terms of envelope construction, that may mean higher levels of air tightness and innovative approaches to framing and insulation. Mechanically speaking, that might treat indoor air quality and combining heating and hot water usage in a home.

Guildcrest's use of R-2000 technology as a manufactured home builder also helped set them apart from the competition.

Not to be outdone, Pinkney and Gardiner Construction, a custom home builder just east of Ottawa, won EnerQuality's award for the "Tightest House" in the province, another R-2000-related award.

"We were certainly surprised and proud to learn that we had won this award," says Alf Gardiner, of Pinkney and Gardiner.

The home, located on Spruce Ridge Road in Carp was actually rated two-thirds more energy efficient than the minimum standard set by the R-2000 criteria.

"It's nice to win an award, especially when it's not something you concsiously set out to do in the first place," Gardiner adds.