Life's Good in Lake Country

It's no secret that we think Lake Country is a great place to live, but lately it seems like the word is really getting out there!  

Recently, the District of Lake Country received one of the coveted "5 Blooms" awards from BC Communities in Bloom, a program that "provides a framework for enhancing community liveability".  Based on criteria such as tidiness, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry, landscape, and floral displays, Lake Country was able to score top marks this year, earning the acclaimed "5 Blooms" rating and smashing the previous record of "4 Blooms" in 2012 and "2 Blooms" in 2011.  "I was very pleased with the judges' acknowledgement of the 'above and beyond' effort of our Parks team in making Lake Country an extraordinary community," said Steve Schaffrick, Director of Community & Customer Services.     

In addition to its ongoing commitment to beautification and instilling civic pride, Lake Country has also invested in the community's long term sustainability.  The 2013 "Our Sustainable Lake Country" report, commissioned by the District, provides a comprehensive set of goals for the community to achieve with respect to economic, social, cultural, and environmental issues.  According to the report, "all of [our] efforts seek the same outcome: to deliver an exceptional quality of life for our current and future residents while living in harmony with the natural environment".

Although the impact of many of the sustainability initiatives won't be realized within the community right away, some good news has already filtered out from the report.  Unlike neighbouring Kelowna, which had the highest crime rate in Canada for 2012, "the crime rate in Lake Country is falling faster than the national average."  In fact, the study has found that over the last three years, "violent crime in the municipality fell 35%, and property crime dropped 43%".  When compared to the national average of 4% and 14%, respectively, you can tell that whatever they're doing in Lake Country to reduce crime is certainly working.

So when you take into account the enhanced liveability of the community and the exceptionally low crime rate, coupled with the fact that Lake Country has the lowest property tax rate in the valley and provides you with ample opportunities for recreation, shopping, and travel, it's no wonder that more and more people are starting to call Lake Country home.

Life's good in Lake Country
and even better when it's lived at your own rhythm!

Links:

• Communities in Bloom
• Our Sustainable Lake Country
• District of Lake Country

SOURCE:  District of Lake Country Facebook 11/04/13

SOURCE:  District of Lake Country Facebook 10/17/2013

Energy Efficiency at Cadence

Cadence at The Lakes is dedicated to providing our customers with environmentally friendly, energy efficient homes that are designed for comfort, yet are easy on the pocket book.  That's why we're proud to announce our involvement with two well-known national energy efficiency initiatives:  Natural Resources Canada's ENERGY STAR^®  Builder Program and BCHydro's Power Smart New Home Program.

As a qualified ENERGY STAR Builder, Cadence has committed to building homes that maximize energy efficiency and promote better overall performance.  In addition to our geothermal ground source heat pumps, we spec the following ENERGY STAR certified products in all of our homes:  refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, windows, entry doors, sidelights, transoms, sliding glass doors, and compact fluorescent light bulbs, among other things.  According to Natural Resources Canada, "ENERGY STAR qualified new homes are designed to be approximately 25 percent more energy-efficient" and "reduce [greenhouse gas] emissions by approximately three tonnes per year" when compared to similar homes that are built to minimum building code requirements. 

In conjunction with the ENERGY STAR program, Cadence at The Lakes has also enrolled as a BCHydro Power Smart New Home Builder.  In order to qualify for the program, homes must be tested by a Certified Energy Advisor and score a rating of 80 or higher (out of 100) on the EnerGuide scale.  The EnerGuide Rating Service was developed by The Office of Energy Efficiency of Natural Resources Canada  and shows a standard measure of a home's energy  performance.   

To conduct the energy audits within our development, Cadence has partnered with Total Home Solutions Inc, an officially licensed home energy evaluator that operates across the country.  To date, our homes at Cadence have scored an average EnerGuide rating of 84.  According to Total Home, "for a brand new house, a rating of 80 or higher is excellent.  Relatively few houses achieve a rating of 80 or higher, and those that do represent the most energy-efficient houses on the market."  As you can see, anyone can claim that a house is energy efficient, but at Cadence, we have the ratings to back our claims up!          

Therefore, as a result of our involvement in both the ENERGY STAR and Power Smart New Homes programs, homeowners at Cadence can expect the following benefits:

• lower energy bills ü
• improved comfort ü
• lower impact on the environment ü
• government-backed quality assurance ü
• a higher resale value ü

Additional information on these programs can also be found at the following links:

• www.newhomes.gc.ca
• www.bchydro.com/powersmart.html

Life's good lived at your own rhythm!

Cadence Environmentally Friendly Initiatives

Cadence at The Lakes, one of Lake Country's newest residential communities, displays an outstanding commitment to environmental sustainability by incorporating standard green building initiatives into every home. The community will be fully heated and cooled with geothermal ground source heat pump systems. Homes will have Low E Energy Star appliances included. Low VOC paints and stains will be used, as well as formaldehyde free insulation. Engineered floor joist systems and engineered hardwood flooring help to offset demand on traditional lumber resources. Water saving features, such as low-flow toilets/fixtures and exterior xeriscape landscaping, are also included. In general, every effort is being made to create a sustainable, environmentally sensitive community complete with eco-friendly homes.