Meritage Homes launched one of the nation’s most energy efficient production home communities with its Lyons Gate community in Gilbert, Ariz., outside Phoenix. To help the homes achieve high energy efficiency, the company partnered with
PVT Solar's Echo solar system.
“Lyons Gate is the first energy-efficient community in the United States where our standard home is approximately 80% more energy efficient than a normal home built to code, and still priced competitively to the market,” says C.R. Herro, Vice President of Environmental Affairs for the Top 10 builder. “We looked at everything from the ground up, and we did everything that made sense, starting with including Echo in each and every home. And it’s working – homes in Lyons Gate are selling over three times faster than our competition. We’ve provided our customers with extraordinary value and they’ve responded.”
On the strength of these impressive sales results, over the last three months Meritage Homes has rolled Echo out as an included feature in 12 communities across Arizona, from Phoenix to Tucson to Green Valley.
“We’re very pleased at the response from home buyers,” says PVT Solar CEO Vikas Desai. “When home buyers learn that Echo delivers more than twice as much energy as a basic solar electric system, and that it’s an included feature in every home, their typical reaction is: ‘At last!’”
According to Meritage's website, the community gets its homes to 80% more efficient than the competition using these advanced building science practices:
- ECHO Solar Electric/Thermal System
- Meritage Home Performance Wall System
- Spray Foam Insulation
- Super-High Performance Windows
- Energy Efficiency Lighting
- Weather Sensing Irrigation
- High-Performance Plumbing Fixtures
- 14 Seer Air Conditioning Unit
All of these features are included in homes from approximately 1640 square feet to 3062 square feet and ranging from $174,900 to $229,900.