Built Green Canada Announces Winners in Maverick Awards

Niche awards program profiles trailblazers in sustainability

EDMONTON, AB, March 31, 2025 /CNW/ – In conjunction with title co-sponsors, Jayman BUILT and SkyFire Energy, Built Green Canada announces winners in their second annual Maverick Awards, out of an impressive selection of worthy finalists. There are three categories offered for the impact of sustainability leadership in the built environment—for Ambassadorship, Innovation, and Transformation—which received entries from British Columbia through to Ontario. The judges were deadlocked on the Transformational category, so this year, four winners are announced!

The Ambassador Maverick award, sponsored by Sustainable Forestry Initiative, is awarded to Jim Zsiros at J. Zsiros Contracting Ltd in Courtenay, B.C.: recognizing leadership in advancing sustainable building. Jim Zsiros exemplifies the power of hands-on ambassadorship: with years of leadership, in-depth industry engagement, and active knowledge sharing, he’s created a ripple effect that’s elevated green building standards, particularly Built Green, across the region.

For their EVE Park development in London, Ont, s2e Technologies Inc. wins the Innovation Maverick award, sponsored by Excel Homes: recognizing creativity in advancing sustainable building. Aiming for a net zero residential development, EVE Park is an innovative rethinking of suburban living, addressing high performance buildings and smart parking towards greater green space and development guided by the BUILT GREEN^® Communities program.

And this year, the judges had a tie for the Transformational Maverick award—so we have two winners! This award recognizes the significant impact of sustainability practices and is sponsored by Alberta Real Estate Foundation.

Best Builders is presented with the Transformational award for their Phoenix House in Abbotsford, B.C. Following a devastating fire, this home is a remarkable rebuild setting a new benchmark for low-carbon renovations, while addressing resilience and holistic sustainability in a multi-generational home—it’s also Canada’s first Zero Carbon certified, BUILT GREEN^® Net Zero Energy+ home.

Canmore, Alberta’s Spring Creek Mountain Village also wins the Transformational award! Spring Creek has transformed from a mobile home park into an impressive multi-phase community largely fueled by geo-exchange, which has prioritized performance, walkability, green space, and local businesses—embracing social, environmental, and economic sustainability: a community certified BUILT GREEN^® Platinum.

“We get to work with builders, renovators, restorers, and developers who voluntarily choose to integrate sustainable business practices far beyond code requirements,” says Built Green Canada’s Chief Executive Officer, Jenifer Christenson. “It’s a privilege to learn how these creative problem solvers apply their ideas and solutions to their projects. And in this year’s four winners, we’re proud to recognize some standouts who represent our mission to progress industry toward more holistic sustainable building practices—these are our trailblazers.”

These awards don’t culminate in an event—rather, marketing communications will roll out, including a series of assets about the winners that will inform the campaign.

The Maverick Awards are another step forward in Built Green Canada’s mission to progress sustainability practices through the recognition of leadership. Originating 22 years ago, Built Green formed when builders wanted a means to progress and showcase their sustainability efforts through third-party certification programs—voluntarily choosing to do more than building code. From this, they created the non-profit organization, Built Green Canada, with founding member, Jayman BUILT, in collaboration with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the Alberta Research Council, Natural Resources Canada, Climate Change Central, and other key stakeholders. Today, their certification programs address pathways towards energy efficiency as well as improvements in seven other key areas of sustainable building.

The Mavericks were judged by industry experts chosen to bring their extensive knowledge to the process, while their diversity in experience and geographic markets brought unique perspectives to the panel.

A huge thanks to our sponsors, those leaders who are supporting sustainable building: Jayman BUILT, SkyFire Energy, Alberta Real Estate Foundation, Excel Homes, and Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

SOURCE Built Green Canada