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KB Home's Alamosa community
is the model of sustainability
and energy efficiency thanks
to a partnership with BYD, the
leading manufacturer of advanced
battery technologies. The city of
Lancaster generously waived all
local municipal fees, which quickened the approval
process and advanced the research of green
technologies, such as solar electricity and energy
storage options. Construction for the project began
in late March of 2010, and the trio unveiled the
prototype home in July.
The Lancaster, Calif. community will offer five
homes that will include BYD's solar panels, and one
of those will utilize BYD's battery storage system.
Not only was the home built to the Environmental
Protection Agency's Energy Star guidelines, but it
also includes eco-friendly additions
such as an electric vehicle outlet.
Additionally, the home includes
concrete roof tiles from MonierLifetile,
a Boral Roofing Co., the first ever in
the U.S. to reduce air pollution. "We
incorporated a revolutionary, ecofriendly
concrete tile system on the
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home which literally cleans smog
from the air," explains Robert Pacelli,
marketing communications manager
for Boral Roofing, the world's most
sustainable roofing manufacturer. "This
cutting-edge technology will appeal
to both builders and homebuyers
looking to reduce their environmental
footprint," he said.
KB Home hopes to expand the
photovoltaic option into other
communities and markets. Craig
LeMessurier, director of corporate
communications for KB Home, said,
"The installation of this technology has
provided all parties with valuable information
that will hopefully lead to more affordable
solar options in the future." Upcoming plans
for KB Home include becoming the first
national homebuilder to construct homes
with WaterSense labels, which use 20 percent
less water than conventional new homes,
according to the EPA.
Annum Khan is an editorial assistant at
Builder and Developer magazine and may
be contacted at akhan@penpubinc.com.
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