08 Aug 08 Shea Homes Provides Free Solar Power

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to New Homes Section's Blog. Thanks for visiting!

Homebuyers at Shea Homes’ Victoria Gardens, in Rancho Cucamonga, California, will receive free solar power systems through August 31. The nationwide homebuilder is working with BP Solar, a global leader in solar energy, as part of their ongoing commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all Shea Homes Active Lifestyle Communities.

“By providing our buyers with free solar energy systems, we’re taking efficient energy use a step further by actually creating energy,” stated Jeff Gersh, Area Vice President of Victoria Gardens. “This provides both short-term and long-term benefits for our customers in the form of significant cost savings, and it also makes a positive impact on the environment.”

Victoria Gardens’ homes are already Shea Green Certified; however, with the BP Solar Home Solutions systems, electric bills are estimated to be reduced by up to 60 percent. In addition, the 3-kilowatt solar power system offers residents security against utility rate hikes and allows the homeowner to track how much power their system is producing.

“With the addition of solar in a home, we’re no longer just efficient users of electricity, we become producers. Integrating a solar system into a home during construction makes it more accessible and affordable than it’s ever been. Victoria Gardens’ homes pass the true test of a ‘green’ home by integrating a mix of energy-saving and energy-generating devices that deliver immediate and long-term benefits for our customer.”

The good news is that new homebuyers in Shea Active Lifestyle Communities in California, Arizona, Florida, and Washington will also receive free solar system upgrades through August 31. After August 31, homebuyers can add the solar system as an upgrade option to their home.

For more information on Shea Homes and Shea Active Lifestyle Communities new home incentives, visit them online.

Tags: active adult homes, bp solar, california green homes, energy efficient homes, green homes, jeff gersh, new homes, rancho cucamonga, shea active lifestyle communities, shea green certified, shea homes, victoria gardens

04 Aug 08 Green Building and Materials

Green building is the process of creating houses, offices, and other structures with the least amount of negative impact on the environment. For example, a green home is often built of renewable materials, using the least amount of natural resources, and designed to conserve water and energy when occupied.

What comprises Green materials?

(i) Are typically low in toxicity – materials with reduced toxin levels or nontoxic products that avoid using carcinogenic compounds and ingredients.

(ii) Give off minimal emissions – low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

(iii) The use of recycled materials and materials that can be recycled at the end of their useful life, or reused (salvaged).

(iv) To be resource efficient – products designed to conserve energy, minimize waste, and reduce green house gas emissions.

Did you know?

(i) Every day we use an average of 140 – 170 gallons of water per person.

(ii) 27 percent of our domestic water use is from bathing/showering.

(iii) If every American home had a leaky faucet, that dripped once every second, a total of 928 million gallons of water would be wasted every day.

(iv) Every toilet flush uses 6.5 gallons of water – close to 900 gallons per week by the average household.

(v) Allowing the water to run while brushing your teeth wastes about 5 gallons of water.

For more water conservation and usage facts, visit Sunnyslope County Water District Water Conservation Facts and Tips.

Tags: carcinogenic compounds, cfcs, chlorofluorocarbons, efficiency, energy reduction, green building, green homes, green materials, recycled materials, salvaged materials, sunnyslope county water district, vocs, volatile organic compounds, water conservation

29 Jul 08 Santa Fe, New Mexico Builders Going Green!

Last week several home builders, construction firms, and architects attended the Santa Fe Home Builders Association to learn about building more energy-efficient homes. With the demand for “green” homes steadily increasing, it is no surprise that this was the topic of discussion as Kim Shanahan, the association’s president, and other Santa Fe home builders addressed the conference attendees.

The overall consensus is that energy efficiency can be improved upon, while reducing green-house gases, without jeopardizing the quality or affordability of homes. In fact, members discussed proposed changes to Santa Fe’s building code, that would require new homes to meet green building standards.

One proposed change would require new homes to meet a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 70 points, at most. The standard new home, built to code, has a HERS rating of 100. A HERS of 70 signifies a new home is 30 percent more energy efficient than today’s standard home.

Santa Fe builder – Bob Kreger, stated that a house with a HERS of 60 or lower qualifies for significant tax credits.

Dalinda Bangert, a HERS rater, explained to the audience that the difference between a HERS of 100 and a HERS of 70 could result in up to $900 a year less in utility fees for the average homeowner.

Tags: bob kreger, dalinda bangert, energy efficiency, Go Green, green homes, green-house gases, hers, Home Builders, home energy rating system, kim shanahan, new mexico, new mexico home builders, santa fe home builders, santa fe home builders association