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OSPREY CUSTOM HOMES WINS 2008 AURORA AWARD FOR ITS 'SOLAR' KINGSTON MODEL AT BRAEMAR
August 11, 2008
Contact: John H. Jolinski, jhjcomm@bellsouth.net or (407) 281-0074
(08 AURORA AWARDS 1)
GOTHA, FL - The sun beamed brightly on Osprey Custom Homes at this year's Southeast Builders Conference (SEBC) in Orlando.
The award-winning, family-owned company whose roots go back more than half a century added another accolade to its portfolio with a 2008 Aurora Award for best Solar Home Design.
At a time when "building green" and "energy conservation" have become the industry buzzwords, Osprey Custom Homes captured top honors in the Solar category for its Kingston model now under construction at Braemar, an exclusive enclave of 54 energy efficient homes now underway in Gotha in southwest Orange County.
The Aurora Awards, regarded as the Grammy's of the Home Building Industry, honors the best in new home construction and design from 12 southeastern states, including Florida, and coincides with the annual SEBC which recently celebrated its 29th year. This year's extravaganza, held August 2, featured 300 entries in more than 70 different categories from builders, planners, architects, developers, designers, interior merchandisers and other industry professionals.
"Winning an award as prestigious as this against some of the country's leading building professionals is something we'll savor for quite some time," says Osprey Principal and Builder Anthony Lightman. "Osprey takes great pride in building homes of distinction and the Kingston, without question, is one of the finest designs we've ever built. We're delighted the judges agree."
The Kingston, priced at $1.795 million, is a dramatic 8,401 square-foot (6,015 under air) Mediterranean-styled estate home featuring private gated entryway, five bedrooms, five baths, two half baths and a host of energy-saving features and environmentally friendly materials.
One of the key energy features cited were the new generation of smaller solar panels built into the tile roof for harnessing free hot water. The system, which has an electrical backup, is more efficient than even tankless hot water heaters. Also enhancing the home's energy efficiency and environmentally friendly features were the use of Andersen double-pane windows and doors and Demilec's superior and green Sealection 500 spray foam insulation.
While judges cited the Kingston for its eco-friendly features, there were many other standout design features as well, including extensive use of granite and marble, a spacious gourmet kitchen with eat-in cafe, an adult media room with wet bar, upstairs children's play room with wet bar and balcony, private six-seat home theater with 92-inch screen and surround sound, complete security system, central vacuum system and upgraded custom designed pool with lanai and summer kitchen.
The home is expected to be completed within the next 90 days, according to Lightman.
In 2004 Osprey captured a MAME Award (Major Achievements in Marketing Excellence) for Best Overall Design for its Beardmore, a luxurious $2.4 million, 7,500 square-foot estate home on the Butler Chain of Lakes in Keene's Pointe in Windermere and over the years has won several awards in Central Florida's annual Parade of Homes showcase.
Osprey Custom Homes has been one of the area's most productive builders, posting more than $100 million in sales over the past 11 years. Besides Braemar and Keene's Pointe, the company also is building in The Reserve at Belmere and Lake Hancock Reserve at Independence.