Very few bigâ€"ticket energy using items are considered good investments. For example, you buy the most fuel efficient car on the market, but it will still depreciâ€" ate in value significantly the moment you drive it off the dealer‘s lot. However, you can purchase security against the rising price of energy by buying an Râ€"2000 home, because it offers dramatic savings in heating costs. Râ€"2000 home is a wise investment **on selected lots * Prices are reduced by GLENWGDD. . . a great place buyer‘s cash discount Prices and Features correct at Press Time to raise your family "It‘s a Canadian home built for Canadians. Anyone in New Brunswick who is not building Râ€"2000 houses is making a mistake," says George Dashner of New Brunswick Power. "There is more to buying a house than just price. Râ€"2000 homes give you qualiâ€" ty and durable construction, lower heatâ€" ing bills, and a healthier more comfortâ€" able place to live," says Jack Cole, the Râ€" ho " 209M 99990 To qualifi f you‘re looking for outstandâ€" ing architectural designs, the most sought after features and andcrafted quality, Laurier‘s new community in River Oaks is the place to be. s Exc # 200E all brick homes on generous 40‘ 50‘ lots. central Oakville location. easy access to major highways. a community with neighbourhood schools and parks. â€" close to shoppin l% recreation centre and Glen Abbey golf course. The "R" in Râ€"2000 stands for resisâ€" tance to heat loss. And the "©2000" means that the technology is expected to be at the leading edge of energyâ€"efficient building practices to the year 2000 and beyond. A Râ€"2000 home has these key features: 2000 Program Manager at Energy, Mines and Resources Canada. Mon. â€" Thurs. 1â€"8pm Sat. Sun. 12â€"6pm Closed Fridays * a mechanical ventilation system that Laurier Homes GST Included* The Ontario Home Builders‘ Association represents 3,600 companies in the residential construction industry. Its members build approximately 80% of the housing in Ontario. McColeman also warned that the governâ€" ment might be overly optimistic in some of its growth forecasts. He said the predicted 57,000 housing starts is unlikely to happen. ""Something in the range of 48,000 is more likely," he said. What is even worse is the way the governâ€" ment has gone after individual tax payers. "By taking several thousand dollars out of the pockets of families, the treasurer is putting a struggling recovery in serious jeopardy." McColeman described reaching back to tax earnings over the first half of the year as unfair and dangerous. McColeman said the housing industry was looking for signs that the government was serious about containing costs. We see a litâ€" tle trimming here and there, but wasteful and ineffective programs like the government‘s nonâ€"profit housing program go untouched." Reflecting on the treasurer‘s comment that the issue was not whether to control the deficit but how, McColeman said the emphaâ€" sis should have been on spending cuts. "Ten years ago, the government was spending about half of what it is spending now. All we are getting is a bunch of hypothetical cuts. But the tax hikes are all very real." According to Phil McColeman, president of the Ontario Home Builders‘ Association, treasurer Floyd Laughren‘s $2â€"billion tax grab is the wrong way to deal with the deficit probâ€" lem. Budget blasted * passive solar energy gains in the house design. The Râ€"2000 Home Program is a coopâ€" erative effort involving several partners, including Energy, Mines and Resources Canada and the Canadian Home Builders‘ Association. keeps fresh air flowing throughout the house * efficient heating and domestic hot water systems Râ€"2000 homes are built to exacting technical requirements that go beyond those set out in current Canadian building codes and they are tested during conâ€" struction for their energy performance. Over the last 10 years, the energy effiâ€" ciency levels in all new homes built in Canada have increased by 50% or better and a lot of the credit for that goes to the Râ€"2000 program. It has raised awareness of being environmentallyâ€"responsible by using less energy in the heating and coolâ€" ing of homes. * careful sealing against air leakage with a continuous air vapor barrier * high levels of insulation to reduce heat loss, maintain more even indoor air temperature and help to cut down on outâ€" side noise