Judging from a 2006 survey, a remarkable number of U.S. homeowners have become interested residential solar energy in recent years.
As a result, more and more U.S. homebuilders are actively building out their solar-powered home offerings. Big-name builders like Pulte Homes, Meritage Homes and KB Home have all been jockeying for top spot as the provider solar-powered, energy-efficient homes.
KB Home is the latest to notch a success.
The Los Angeles-based homebuilder yesterday announced the grand opening of a solar home community in Lancaster, California. Situated in Antelope Valley, KB Home’s Arroyo community is the first in the area to offer solar energy systems as a standard feature on all new homes.
To be sure, the standard systems on offer aren’t particularly large. A single-story, three- to four- bedroom home is designed to accommodate a 1.35 kilowatt (kW) system, according to the press release, and carries an estimated monthly energy bill of $94. Homebuyers can upgrade to a 3.15-kW system to cut their estimated bill to $46 a month. Both sizes are well shy of the national average for residential solar arrays, which is closer to 5.5 kilowatts.
Regardless, with southern California’s abundant sunshine and high electricity prices — and the homes’ energy-efficient construction — buyers may see meaningful savings. A 2008 U.S. Census Bureau study found that Lancaster residents pay on average about $210 on gas and electric bills.
If these 1.35-kW and 3.15-kW systems aren’t doing it for you, don’t worry: an infinitely larger solar power project may soon be coming to Antelope Valley…
Photo courtesy of KB Home.
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