Mar 12 2008
Pinn Bros. Fine Homes, a leading Bay Area homebuilder is making history by building San Jose's first solar powered and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified single-family neighborhoods. The new home communities, Orchard Heights and Falcon Place, will open to the public Saturday, March 15th.
"Our decision to develop the first solar and LEED projects in the area was based on business and environmental strategies. We are confident that San Jose will react favorably to a solar and highly-efficient new home option and are proud to do our part in aiding the world's energy crisis," said Pinn Bros. Vice President of Land Development Greg A. Pinn.
Pinn Bros. is partnering with OCR Solar & Roofing to install BP Solar's roof-integrated EnergyTile solar modules as a standard feature on each home. The solar-powered homes will produce a total of 231,000 kWh per year in solar power and reduce greenhouse gases by 6.6 million pounds, which is equivalent to driving a car around the earth 240 times.
"We at OCR are excited to work with builders and developers like Pinn Bros. in an effort to exceed California's goal of 3,000 megawatts of new, solar-powered electricity produced by 2017," said Aaron Nitzkin, Vice President, Solar Division for OCR Solar & Roofing. "This effort is exciting for California, and we see a future where home buyers will come to demand energy efficient, solar homes like these."
Pinn Bros. inclusion of the following energy-saving features result in homes that are up to 35 percent above California's Title 24 Energy Standards - - setting them apart from all other single-family builders in San Jose with a LEED designation by the US Green Building Council.
- Low-emittance (Low-E) dual-pane vinyl windows which have virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on the window glazing surface reducing heat loss by suppressing radiative heat flow. Programmable setback thermostats allow the heater to set itself up and down at specific times saving the homeowner money and protecting the environment with energy used only when needed.
- R-30 attic insulation and R-13 wall insulation saves homebuyers from losing almost half of the warmth in their homes. According to California's Flex Your Power campaign, 45% of a home's heat loss comes from inadequate insulation.
- Dry cycle dishwashers include an air-dry option which is often able to save 15 to 50% of the appliance's energy used.
- Quick recovery 75-gallon hot water heaters allow homeowners to obtain hot water immediately which is one of the easiest ways to decrease energy output and lower bills.
- Full weather stripping on exterior doors helps to keep interior air in, thus saving energy with heating and air conditioning.
- Water-saving shower heads and toilets lower household water usage and energy costs, which according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is responsible for as much as $500 per year.