SMUD TEAMS WITH LOCAL HOME BUILDERS AND THE SUN

SOURCE: SMUD Midyear Update 2001 [200 kb pdf]

SMUD has joined with local home builders to incorporate PV energy
roofs in new home subdivisions. Under SMUD’s Solar Advantage
Home program, production home builders are able to offer new home
buyers a commercially built home that comes with a PV energy roof as
a standard feature. To date, nine production home builders have com-
mitted to build 130 PV homes with 290 kW of solar energy. It is esti-
mated that approximately 150 kW of PV energy roofs will be completed
in 2001.

Morrison Homes kicked off the SMUD Solar Advantage Home program
with a July 13 th media event at their Bel Lago community. The event re-
ceived wide-spread coverage on local news, and set the stage for a
successful grand opening. According to Morrison Homes, four of five
homes sold during the July 14 th grand opening were SMUD Solar Advantage Homes.
Morrison also reported that the SMUD Solar Advantage Homes help increased subdivision traffic 40%.
In addition to Bel Lago, Morrison Homes will be featuring solar electric roofs in
both their Landing at Stonelake and Mariposa at Tributary Pointe communities
located in Elk Grove.

Beazer Homes, Sacramento’s largest homebuilder, has been actively preparing
for the sale of their Beazer “Powerhouse,” which combines a superefficient home
with a 3.3 kW solar electric system as standard equipment. Over 95% of the respondents to a Beazer
Homes web survey expressed interest in purchasing a solar electric equipped
home. A promotional video has been made for Beazer Homes to introduce
homebuyers to the Beazer Powerhouse and the SMUD Solar Advantage
Home program.
The solar group will also be working with the Building America program to further improve
future Beazer projects under the NREL Zero Energy Home program.
Morrison and Beazer Homes joins Prodigy Homes, the first production
home builder to offer PV energy roofs in the SMUD service territory.

In addition, Forecast Homes, US Home Corporation, Tim Lewis Construction,
Reyen & Bardis, R.W. Hertel & Sons, and Meritage Homes are joining
the SMUD Solar Advantage Home program.

For more information:
Mike Keesee
916-732-5244,
mkeesee@smud.org