Lennar Bay Area Homebuilding Creates Solar And Interactive Residential Community In Danville
San Ramon, CA - Lennar Bay Area Homebuilding, the developer of residential properties in the East Bay, has created the Bay Area community that enables homebuyers to leap into the 21st Century of home ownership, with a roof integrated solar electric system from PowerLight, a subsidiary of SunPower Corporation and a complete interactive, digital electrical system, supplied by Interactive Home. The new 77-home Milano community, with homes ranging in size from 3,673 square feet to 4,243 square feet, has just opened for sale.
Aimed at establishing California as the nation's leader in solar energy, in 2006 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation (Senate Bill 1) which put the finishing touches on his Million Solar Roofs Plan. The plan provides incentives to builders and homeowners who install solar power in new homes and convert to solar energy in existing homes. The bill, which provides tremendous support to Lennar's existing solar energy initiatives, is just part of a broader effort to push green energy alternatives throughout the state.
Although the incentives from the program will not take effect until 2011, this solar-powered community in Danville puts Lennar in the forefront of forward-thinking builders who have their eye on the future and a concern for the environment. The Milano homes equipped with a solar energy system can generate considerable savings on annual utility bills in addition to a one-time $2,000 federal tax credit.
"These homeowners will actually produce renewable power to help supply their own needs while protecting the environment," said Helen Burt, PG&E's Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. "Any surplus power appears as a credit on the homeowner's utility bill and is provided back to the PG&E power grid. We subtract the energy supplied back to us from your monthly bill. By using solar power, customers can see tremendous savings on their energy bills and help combat climate change."
Unlike solar panels of the past, elevated above the roof, the SunPower SunTile® solar electric system integrates seamlessly into each home's roofline.
"The SunTile® systems we are providing to these communities feature the world's most efficient solar cell, ensuring that homeowners achieve maximum savings on their utility bills each month, while contributing to clean air and a better environment," said Howard Wenger, Vice President of Global Business Units for SunPower.
Clearly the wave of the future, the solar energy systems are just one of the many advantages that Lennar home buyers enjoy with the purchase of a new Milano home. Lennar has long regarded Bay Area consumers among the most technologically sophisticated in the country. To satisfy this demand for tech, Lennar is giving the Milano customer total control over their electronic needs with the GE SmartCom® Home Automation System, controlling home security, music, intercom, climate control, lighting and energy management. With keypads located in the kitchen, master bedroom and living/dining room area, one-touch activation is available from virtually anywhere in the home. The cornerstone of the Interactive Home package is the latest in home theatre technology featuring a 46" Sony Bravia® flat screen HDTV included in each home.
"The Sony Wall Station DVD/CD player, combined with the 46" flat screen TV and integrated sound system creates a viewing experience second to none," said Greg Barker, Vice President of Interactive Home.
Lennar's 21st Century homes in Danville don't stop with solar energy and digital home systems. The company has also focused on other key details designed to improve the customer's life within the home. Milano homes are pre-plumbed and pre-wired for a Dirt Devil Whole Home Cleaning System, enabling a more powerful and quieter system that eliminates dust, dirt and allergens significantly better than traditional vacuum systems. Additionally, all Milano homes have been designed with the TAEXX Pest Defense® system, a fully integrated system providing protection where pests hide, inside the walls of the home, while protecting the family and pets from the dangers of traps and poisons.
Recognizing the importance of healthy landscaping to a home's overall appeal and value, Lennar has also included a sophisticated award-winning irrigation system from ET Water™. The ET Water system employs Internet technology to access local weather data on a daily basis and computer a tailored watering schedule that is sent to the home's irrigation controller. The weather-based watering adjustments promote healthy plants while reducing water waste. The ET Water system was recently chosen as the winner in the Environment category of the Wall Street Journal's Technology Innovation Awards, which recognize technological breakthroughs by individuals, companies and organizations.
"We anticipate the needs of the current homebuyer based on research and input we've received from our customers," said Dale Billy, President of Lennar Bay Area Homebuilding. "Solar power is certainly the direction the state of California is going and these buyers will be well ahead of the pack. The interactive system gives our tech-savvy homeowner complete control over every power-driven aspect of their homes. Not only is it of value in day-to-day living but it also offers the added advantage of long-distance control. For example, if a family decides to extend their vacation, they can go online and instruct the system to continue vacation mode, so that the gardens stay watered and the heat remains off. We've become such a technology driven culture that this seemed a natural extension to the Everything Included package that Lennar currently offers to all of its customers."
Lennar's Everything Included package takes the surprise out of the bottom line at close of escrow by simplifying the buying process. Rather than offering upgrades that cost extra, Lennar researches what customers want and value in a new home and includes those items as standard in each and every home.
"It's a matter of economies of scale," Billy states. "By automatically providing upgraded features in all of our homes like front landscaping, granite countertops, high-end appliances and other amenities that other builders charge extra for, we are able to take advantage of volume buying and save substantially on labor costs. In the end, our customers get luxury features and the benefit of these savings. It's what makes the ‘Everything's Included' program such a tremendous value for Lennar homebuyers."
SOURCE: Lennar Bay Area Homebuilding