Fifteen independent volunteer judges comprised of architects, builders, interior designers, landscape architects and marketing experts toured the five custom Parade homes last Friday. Judging the homes in 12 separate categories, they designated their first, second and third place choices. A complete report is attached. Sarah Gore, Jennifer Gore Unlimited, Greenwood Village, chaired the judging committee. Clarence Hughes, chair of the 2007 Parade of Homes and owner of Renaissance Homes, Centennial, announced the winners.

Rocky Mountain Custom Homes, Littleton, captured second place, overall, winning second in 10 of the categories, with a first place for “Best Landscaping,” and third place for “Best Outdoor Living Area;” while Hollyberry Homes, Parker, won six third place categories. John Laing Homes, Denver, finished close behind, with one second place and five third place categories.

In the “Judge’s Overall Choice Awards,” Village Homes took first place; Rocky Mountain Custom Homes, won second place; and Hollyberry Homes finished third.

The Shore House
The award-winning Shore House is a 6,168 square-feet home emulating New England coastal living inside and out. The entry courtyard features a waterfall over sandstone sculpture with flume to a stream. Throughout the home, tumbled-stone flooring as well as hand-laid wood plank ceilings. The beach-style screened porch serves as an outdoor living room set off by sliding glass doors. The guest suite offers a private entrance and serves as a “her” study with adjoining bath and stairs to an open artist’s loft. The downstairs’ “multi-purpose activity room” features eight TVs, a billiards area, a large wet bar and seating for an entertainment center. The backyard’s reflecting lily pond continues the water theme and is within view of the lower level patio with ceramic glass fire pit, radial waterfall and an upper level observation platform.

Village Homes Construction Manager Trent Osborne, said, “This was truly a joint effort on everyone’s part and we were fortunate to have put together such a great team.”

Architectural design is by Knudson Gloss Architects, Boulder; Interior Design is by Hillary Reed Interiors, Littleton; and Landscape Architecture is by Nuszer, Kopatz Urban Design Associates, Denver.

Built Green® Awards
Two homes also received special Built Green® Colorado awards for their energy efficient construction. The “Energy of Excellence Award” was presented to Rocky Mountain Custom Homes for its “Hampton’s-style” inspired home that is the most energy efficient house in the Parade. The home exceeds regular code by a whopping 38 percent meaning it will save future owners thousands of dollars on utility bills over the years.

The other Built Green award, The “Award of Excellence,” was given to Hollyberry Homes which was highly rated for its energy and materials usage. It was rated at 192 points which far exceeds the minimum rating of 75. The home also is 26 percent more energy efficient than code.

All five Parade homes are certified Built Green meaning they were designed and constructed to comply with a rigorous checklist of more than 200 features in 22 categories covering energy efficiency, materials, health, safety and resource conservation. A Built Green home is more energy-efficient, requires less maintenance, provides cleaner indoor air quality, is built with higher quality materials and will save the home buyer money.

Vicki Pelletier, vice president of operations for the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver (HBA), said, “Every home in this year’s Parade is outstanding in terms of design and cozy livable indoor and outdoor spaces. I think visitors to this year’s Parade will be pleasantly surprised. Each home builder also did a fantastic job of designing water-inspired homes and utilized the latest technologies to make their homes energy efficient.”

The Parade of Homes
The Parade of Homes opens at 10:00 a.m., July 28 and runs through Labor Day (September 3). The Parade is located at Southshore, a new Laing/Village, LLC water-inspired community near E-470 and Smoky Hill Road in Aurora. The community overlooks the Aurora Reservoir.

This is the 22nd anniversary of the Parade of Homes, considered to be the largest luxury walking tour of custom homes in America. More than 90,000 visitors from throughout the region and the U.S. are expected to attend the event’s five-week run. The Parade also features “Little Houses on Parade,” a collection of whimsical doghouses and charming children’s playhouses that are for sale.

For more information about times, how to purchase tickets and directions, please visit www.ParadeOfHomesDenver.com.

The HBA created the annual Parade of Homes to educate consumers on the latest trends, technologies and design innovations in residential construction. The Parade also demonstrates Denver-area builders’ work while benefiting local charities. This year’s beneficiary is the Home Builders Foundation, the philanthropic arm of HBA.

The 22nd annual Parade of Homes is hosted by Southshore and sponsored by American Furniture Warehouse and Qwest Communications in association with Allstate, the City of Aurora, Built Green® Colorado, ColoradoNewHomes.com, 9NEWS, The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News. Playground Destination Properties Inc. and Renewal by Andersen are supporting sponsors of this year’s Parade of Homes.

About the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver
The Home Builders Association of Metro Denver (HBA) is a trade association representing approximately 1,300 businesses involved in the residential development, construction and remodeling industry in the eight-county Denver metro region. Members of the HBA include home builders, land developers and remodelers, as well as trade partners including architects, mortgage lenders, building material suppliers and sub-contractors. For more information, call (303) 778-1400, or visit www.hbadenver.com.

About the Home Builders Foundation of Metro Denver
Founded in 1993, the Home Builders Foundation of Metro Denver (HBF) is the philanthropic arm of the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver. Through the generosity of hundreds of professionals and tradespersons who work in the home building industry, the foundation is able to pool resources to provide housing accessibility and other services for victims of tragic circumstances. Its mission is to help relieve beneficiaries of physical and financial constraints, opening the door to happiness, independence and new opportunities. The InspirationHouse is the Foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year. For more information, call (303) 778-1400, or visit www.hbfdenver.org.

About Built Green® Colorado
Built Green® Colorado encourages home builders, suppliers and manufacturers to use technologies, products and practices to build homes that are better built and better for the environment. Colorado has the most successful green building program in the nation with more than 33,100 homes having registered with the program by the close of 2006. The statewide, voluntary program was introduced in 1995 through the joint efforts of the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver (HBA), The Governor’s Energy Office, Xcel Energy, and E-Star Colorado. For more information, call (303) 778-1400, or visit www.builtgreen.org.