Greening Austin Daily

Solar Neighborhood in South Austin Under Construction

24th August, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

A few weeks ago there was this story about planned net-zero developments in East Austin.  In more housing news, over the weekend the Statesman had this article about a new neighborhood in South Austin named Las Casas Verdes, near Brodie Lane, which will feature 20 semi-custom single-family homes that use the sun to generate electricity and heat water. Here’s an excerpt from the article:

David Martin, the architect, builder and developer of the project, set out to show that mid-priced, ecologically responsible, solar-powered homes are a realistic option. He says Las Casas Verdes will be the first all-solar development in Texas. One home, which has received a five-star rating from the Austin Energy Green Building program, is complete. Construction is expected to begin on a second home this month…

The home’s airtight design and energy-efficient systems earned it a home energy rating of 31, which means it is 69 percent more energy-efficient than a conventional comparable-sized home, Dochen says…

“We are moving toward zero energy,” Martin says. “This was a good opportunity to show Austin what could be done in a middle-income neighborhood. It’s a working model. It looks like any other home, … it’s just that this house works for you … to help pay your utility bills. It has passive and active solar. The collected rainwater is saving you water and sewer bills. If (you) are in a house that has basically zero energy bills, you could apply that (savings) to the mortgage – and you’re saving the environment by not using natural resources.”

Prices range from $335,000 to $385,000.

Photo from the Statesman. See more of the Statesman’s photos of the completed house here.