04 Sep 08 
Green Products for Green Builders
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McGraw-Hill Construction has released their latest newsletter highlighting many of the latest “green” products currently available for use by green home builders and those who wish to convert their existing home into a green home. The monthly newsletter features Stratica Eco-Polymeric flooring, Kirei Board, Country Estate vinyl decking and railing, and KEMIKO Stone Tone Sealer.
Stratica Eco-Polymeric flooring has several environmental benefits, which is why it is being used in the construction of many new hospitals, healthcare facilities, schools, and offices. Stratica is chlorine-free, contains no plasticizers, and emits virtually no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Moreover, Stratica minimizes foot fatigue and noise levels, while qualifying for FloorScore and Greenguard Indoor Air Quality certification.
Kirei Board is a substitute for wood that is lightweight, durable, and environmentally friendly. Manufactured from reclaimed sorghum straw and manufactured with no-added-formaldehyde, Kirei Board uses include cabinetry, furniture, casework, and interior design elements. Being comprised of 90 percent recycled material, rapidly renewable materials, and low-emitting composite wood, has earned Kirei Board a LEED Green Building credit.
Country Estate vinyl decking and railing is created from PVC and is a highly durable and price competitive alternative to using redwood. The 100 percent virgin PVC offers uniformed color throughout and will not suffer the same effects that weathering has on wood substitutes. Builders can choose from three colors white, almond, and gray and can rest assured knowing chemical cleaning and preservation treatments are not required maintenance.
KEMIKO Stone Tone Sealer offers ultra-low VOC, from its waterborne, water viscosity, single component, coalescing acrylic urethane polymer materials. KEMIKO is a stain resistant, user-friendly sealant, that cures to a hard resilient film. In addition, KEMIKO is UV resistant and can be used on concrete, plaster, wood, and metals.
For additional information on green building and green products on the market, visit McGraw-Hill Construction online.
Tags: country estate vinyl decking, eco-friendly homes, energy efficient homes, floorscore, green home builders, greengaurd, kemiko stone tone sealer, kirei board, LEED green building, mcgraw-hill construction, pvc, stratica eco-polymeric flooring, vocs, volatile organic compounds
22 Aug 08 Brand New Real Estate in Arizona
If you are looking to buy a home… why not buy a brand new home? There are tons of benefits to buying a new home over an existing home. Let’s see, where do I start…? Well… first off, as the buyer of a new home you have the peace of mind knowing that your home is absolutely in tip-top shape. In other words, no worries about out-dated design features, appliances nearing their life expectancy, or insect infestation and damage i.e. termite damage to studs and rafters; especially if your new home is constructed of steel framing.
One such home builder in Arizona – Primary Systems Services Group (PSSG) – does construct their residential homes with steel framing. PSSG focuses on building quality custom homes, built to order, in the Flagstaff and Sedona region of Arizona. If you’ve never visited Sedona, or are planning on moving to Arizona, please go and experience what so many before you already have. Simply put… Sedona’s majestic views are a remarkable gift of nature.
Back to the benefits of buying a new home…
Maybe you’re one of those people who just wants to own a home that you know is your own, a home that no one has ever resided in before you. Please don’t get me wrong, this isn’t bad or even a slightly selfish wish for you and your family… it’s merely a common desire of home shoppers today. Many people find a genuine comfort in knowing that they are the first inhabitants of a new house. I mean, after all… you don’t have to worry about animal odors emitting from the carpet (or anything else for that matter) or, worst case scenario, a house previously used as a meth-lab. Let’s not forget that you don’t have to concern yourself with regular wear-and-tear from flooring, lighting fixtures, wiring, plumbing, ventilation (including the air-conditioning unit), appliances, and just about everything else fixed to the house!
Perhaps in today’s day-in-age, the biggest attraction home shoppers have towards a new home is the energy saving benefits that many new homes provide. That’s right! “Go-Green” is the mindset that many buyers are taking to heart when looking for their next home. The majority of newly built houses are equipped with energy saving appliances and fixtures. Some home builders even offer new home communities with houses that are certified “green”. Green homes will often offer features such as solar panels (Arizona may just be the state that benefits most from this!), dual-pane windows, water conservation and recycling, low flush toilets… and are commonly built out of recycled materials and products that avoid ingredients that produce green-house pollutants.
If the above reasoning isn’t enough to sway you towards buying new… I would strongly recommend visiting a few new-home builder’s spec homes before making up your mind. Once you’ve found the home of your dreams, I don’t think you’ll be surprised to realize that it was a brand new home in the end!
If looking to buy in Arizona, let me help you get started…
Valley-wide builders - Cachet Homes, Shea Homes, and K. Hovnanian Homes.
Up-north - Bison Homes, and PSSG.
Tucson region - K. Hovnanian Homes.
For more information on new homes for sale in Arizona, be sure to visit our main site: NewHomesSection.com.
Tags: arizona, Arizona Real Estate, energy efficient homes, flagstaff, green homes, new home buyers, new homes for sale, primary systems services group, pssg, sedona, steel framed houses
08 Aug 08 Shea Homes Provides Free Solar Power
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
