~ Green energy systems grow in popularity among the community’s custom homes
The verdant hillsides framing the community of Covenant Hills reflect just one shade of green that’s growing in the exclusive, southern Orange County neighborhood. Green construction practices are now more prevalent as many homeowners are electing to incorporate sustainable, energy-efficient systems, building materials, and construction methods within their homes’ designs.
Because Covenant Hills is an Energy Star neighborhood, the homes are designed to exceed California’s Title 24 energy efficiency standards by 15%. If a home passes the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) inspections, the homeowners qualify for significant rebates based on kilowatts of solar power generated, increasing the importance of selecting a builder familiar with the ratings and certification process.
Among the custom homes currently under construction in Covenant Hills, one entered the design process with a sustainable focus, with the homeowner asking from the start, “What can we do that’s green?”. According to Robert Rodgers, a CalCERT builder with Anthony Everett Development Inc., “This client is truly Mr. Green.” Rodgers explains that this eco-conscious homeowner’s natural process was to extend the sustainable practices he’s established within his organic business operations, to his home’s design and construction.
As a result, the home includes a full complement of energy saving and sustainable source elements ranging from the roof’s heat block shield in it’s rafter boards, down to low-volume and waterless bath fixtures supporting greater water conservation. The garage is prewired with the proper amps and circuitry for electric car charging. All the cabinets are from hardwoods and finished with low VOC stains. LED lights are used throughout the home and all the interior walls and between the floors have been double insulated. These elements were integrated into the home’s plans during the early planning stages of the design review process with the Covenant Hills Design Review Board.
Three types of solar panels provide electricity as well as water heating for the home and pool. Rodgers notes that the Sanyo glass reflective panels are twice as as effective as many other panels due to their capacity to absorb sunlight from both above and collect light reflected from below. He explains, “The solar heated water is transferred from the roof to a holding tank at a higher temperature than normal, so when the demand is sent to the tankless Bosch water heater it only needs to be heated about 30 to 40 degrees, reducing the amount of energy needed to fully heat the water.”
For Jonathan and Kristen Croxton, incorporating sustainable, energy efficient systems in their custom family home currently under construction made sense on several levels. Their choices will allow them to benefit from federal and state tax credits, regional rebates, and decades of continued energy cost savings. “We were personally motivated to do what we consider our share, environmentally.” explains Jonathan adding, “We looked at the options about a year ago and now the market is even more competitive and we found that the benefits and rebates have also increased significantly.”
However, the Croxtons also found the certification process to be complex. Here they realized another valuable aspect of their building contractor, Grady-O-Grady Construction and Development, who led the Croxtons through the application and verification submissions which ensure their home’s rating is in compliance with codes to maximize these benefits. “There’s just no way a layperson could know all the information needed to work through the process.” says Jonathan. As green-builder certified contractors, Grady-O-Grady kept the Croxton’s home on track, constantly relaying relevant details and helpful information to the homeowners.
To qualify, the Croxton’s home includes an array of energy-wise and cost saving systems. Their kitchen is lit by LED lighting, and they have installed control systems throughout the house. The Armstrong HVAC system boosts climate control efficiency to 95%. The Eternal Hybrid water heating system is another high efficiency system reducing energy costs. Exterior, interior and between-floor insulation “seals the envelope” on the home’s heat emissions. The home’s fireplaces were installed to the zero heat emission level. Other green-minded details include filling seals in the home’s rough carpentry, and installing foam layers between cabinets and flooring as an insect and air barrier, which also increases wood preservation. The Croxtons selected Jeld-Wen windows after comparing with other brands and learning that the Jeld-Wen offered windows rated to handle high winds of 40 mph without seam penetration. This is a great feature to face southern California’s seasonal Santa Ana winds. Attention, forethought, and coordination even went into digging the Croxton’s basement. Their plans for retaining the soil on site eliminated truckloads of travel to export and import soil.
Above all, atop the Croxton’s Spanish style home, they’ve installed 22 Canadian Solar photovoltaic solar panels which will provide an estimated 5 kilowatts of power that translates to an estimated $250. monthly savings or credit on the their power costs. The panels were easily incorporated within their home’s design plans as the low profile panels sit 2’’ lower than their roof tiles. Jonathan adds, “You don’t even know they are there.”
Recognized as one of the most unique and exclusive family-oriented communities in southern Orange County, homeowners are drawn to Covenant Hills for its open space and natural beauty. The extraordinary environment for relaxed family living which Covenant Hill’s offers is exemplified in its numerous parks, private recreation facilities, and hiking trails. Surrounded by more than 1,600 acres of pristine, protected ridgelines, many are surprised by how easily accessible Covenant Hill’s Ladera Ranch location is to Orange County’s beaches and shopping destinations. This combination of unparalleled lifestyle in such a panoramic setting is a true distinction of living in Covenant Hills at Ladera Ranch.