Pulte unveils eco-friendly community

Dual-pane windows, water-saving toilets and energy-efficient appliances can be found in Pulte Home's newest subdivision, Cabrillo Point in Peoria.

The home developer will unveil its first master-planned, certified green community in the Valley Saturday, making it easier for homeowners to live eco-friendly and save money on their energy bills at the same time.

"Our goal with building these homes is to help preserve natural resources and save energy every step of the way while helping our customers save money and feel good about the homes they live in," said Chris Kelly, vice president of operations for Pulte Homes.

Kelly said the homes, located just south of Bell Road and east of 75th Avenue on Grandview Road, are designed to increase energy efficiency by 30 percent, reduce water consumption by 20 percent and reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent.

"We're trying to raise the bar on how houses are being built," he said.

The homes are equipped with dual-flush toilets that save up to 50 percent of water, and feature more accurate climate controls and green fiber insulation.

There will be 69 homes built on the site with no back neighbors and a tree-lined 2-acre park in the center of the community. Models range from 1,479 square feet to 2,436 square feet and are priced from the low $200,000s.

Pulte partnered with the APS Energy Star Homes Program and Environments for Living Certified Green Program, a third-party program that guarantees efficient and predictable energy for every home built in the community.

Tom Hines, APS Energy Star Homes Program manager, said Pulte is one of 30 home builders involved in the project and the first to build an entire community.

Since July 2006, more than 2,000 houses have been built for energy efficiency. He expects 20,000 to be constructed in the next two years.

Hines said homes are tightly built but have enough space to keep out unwanted heat, dust, pollen and "all of the other things you don't want in your home."

Between $200 to $300 could be saved on an energy bill, Hines said, if a homeowner bought one of the homes.

"If you can own a home and lower the environmental impact as well as reduce the cost, then I don't know why you wouldn't want one," he said. "Everybody is talking about being more green and these should be the standards now as new homes get built."