In Florida, the proprietors of RE Properties Ltd. -- Alan and Dexter Avney -- are known for their "over the top" luxurious and energy efficient design.

Now they plan to bring their technology to the Bahamas, as the duo of father and son plan to revolutionize the building industry in Grand Bahama when they complete their first state of the art custom home in March 2009. “Our vision has been to bring revolutionary Green Block building technology to the waterways of the Bahamas” remarks an excited Dexter Avney. The Avneys’ began construction on a spacious five bedroom, five and a half bath, 7000 sq.ft. custom home in 2008. The home is being built on a gorgeous Grand Bahama canal lot in the prestigious Fortune Bay. But, what really excites Mr. Avney is that “It will be the first custom home built to LEED Standards on Grand Bahama.”

What are LEED standards and why are they important to Grand Bahama? The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

According to RE Properties President Alan Avney, “LEED certified buildings use key resources more efficiently when compared to conventional buildings that are simply built to code. LEED certified buildings provide healthier work and living environments, which contributes to higher productivity and improved comfort.”

“On the outside an RE Properties LEED Luxury home may look like any other ordinary house, but if you look beneath the surface you'll see that RE Properties walls are far superior to conventional construction methods”

What’s their secret? “Our secret,” says Alan, “is the cutting edge technology, Green Block insulated concrete form (ICF) that RE Properties has introduced to the Bahamas. As the exclusive distributors for Green Block, we believe that it will revolutionize the building industry.”

Green Block is an interlocking block system that forms solid walls. The centers are then filled with reinforced steel re-bars and concrete. This gives them 11" thick walls that are insulated on both sides of the concrete wall. Remarks Alan Avney, “These walls will continue to cure for years ensuring a hardening of the concrete and continuous strengthening, in comparison to the standard light weight block walls presently used in a conventional building in the Bahamas.”

Adds Dexter, “The USGBC has compiled a long list of benefits of implementing a LEED strategy which ranges from improving air and water quality to reducing solid waste. These benefits are reaped by anyone who comes into contact with the project which includes owners, occupants and society as a whole.”

“RE Properties is bringing to light not only how a beautiful house should look like, but also how it should be built!”

Luciano's presents its Bahamas New Year's Eve Menu for 2008:

Amuses Bouche (Hors d’œuvre)

Assiette de Fruits de Mer
(Jumbo Shrimps, Stone Crab Claws, Lobster, and Oysters on the half Shell)
or
Oysters Rockefeller
or
Foie Gras du Périgord (Duck Foie Gras)

***

Caesar Salad

***

Tournedos Forestière
(Sautéed Filet Mignon Served with wild mushrooms and a delicious Madeira Sauce)
or
Rack of Lamb en Croûte d’herbes
(Roasted Rack of Lamb with Herbs Crust)
Potato Suzette-Feuilletté de Lègumes
(Stuffed Potato-Vegetable Strudel)
or
Langouste a l’Americaine
(Lobster Cooked in a Rich Seafood,Tomato, Cognac and Tarragon Sauce Served wit Buttered Fettuccine and Vegetable Strudel)

***

Marquise au Chocolat
(Sumptuous Chocolate Dessert Flavored with Old Rum and Served with silky coffee custard)
Mignardises

Bahamian Coffee

Menu $140.00+15% per person.

Book your reservations now as this event always sells out.

Bimini Bay Resort has joined forces with the Bimini Ministry of Tourism spearheading an island clean-up campaign to “Make Bimini Beautiful” and attract attention as the possible host for the 2009 Weather Conference.

On November 3 & 4, Island officials, residents of Bimini and staff of Bimini Bay Resort spent the entire day cleaning the streets of the island, removing old boats and discarded vehicles from the shorelines and other debris with heavy duty equipment donated by Bimini Bay Resort.

“Bringing the Weather Conference to Bimini is a vital contribution to the success of our economy,” said Island Administrator Sherrick Ellis. We are ready to introduce Bimini to the entire world and want the process to run smoothly throughout.”

The Weather Conference is a vital crisis communications program created by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism in an effort to create awareness of particular concerns and geographical features of the Islands of the Bahamas . The signature event has earned many awards and is an important Pre-Hurricane forum for Bahamian and U.S. meteorologists to attend annually.

The most recent effort was nothing new for the resort. Previous cleanup efforts in Bimini have helped to eliminate a variety of discarded waste along the shoreline including an abandoned barge and more than 50 junked cars. Keeping the island clean is an important factor that helps to sustain the environment of Bimini. With the help of tourism and island residents, Bimini will continue to stay beautiful and attract visitors worldwide.