Largest Zero Energy Home Community in Sacramento Region Opens

The Grupe Company announced that PowerLight's SunTile solar products will be a standard component integrated into 144 new GrupeGreen homes being constructed at the company's Carsten Crossings development at Whitney Ranch in Rocklin, California. Grupe's Carsten Crossings will be the largest Zero Energy Home Community in the Sacramento region and the second largest in the United States. GrupeGreen homes combine today's most advanced, energy-efficient design features with on-site solar electricity, producing on average one half of the electric energy that they use. As a result, homeowners will see annual utility savings of up to 70%. These homes are currently available for purchase.

"We are pleased to be partnering with PowerLight — a proven leader in deploying solar electric systems — to incorporate solar power as a standard feature in our homes at Carsten Crossings," said Grupe Senior Vice President Mark Fischer. "We've taken homeowners' concerns about energy costs and environmental issues to heart. The launch of GrupeGreen homes is the next step in demonstrating our commitment to the environment and to improving the economics for our homebuyers. PowerLight's solar roofing tiles, combined with advanced, energy-efficiency features, dramatically reduce a home's utility bill, generating significant positive cash flow for the homeowner."

The combination of energy efficient features and solar included in the Carsten Crossings homes was crafted with the help of consultants Davis Energy Group and the support of the Department of Energy's Building America program.

"Thanks to California's forward-looking renewable energy policies, thousands of Zero Energy Homes will be constructed around the State by visionary homebuilders such as Grupe," noted PowerLight Executive Vice President Howard Wenger.

"Harnessing California's abundant sunlight by outfitting new residences with solar power will provide clean, reliable, emissions-free energy," noted CEC Commissioner Jackalyne Pfannenstiel. "The combination of solar power and energy efficiency on new homes will help California meet its growing energy needs and reduce our dependence on imported resources."

GrupeGreen homes are designed to put homeowners in control of their energy consumption, reduce month utility costs, and enhance comfort, quality and the overall value of their home. Each home features a PowerLight SunTile (2.4 kW) roof-integrated solar system — the most efficient and advanced solar electric residential product on the market today. SunTile solar panels seamlessly interlock with roof tiles and shingles, while they virtually disappear into the home's roofline. The SunTile product also features natural ventilation, enabling the solar array to maintain optimal performance in high temperature climates. The state-of-the-art energy efficiency elements also incorporated in GrupeGreen homes include: tankless hot water heaters, energy efficient windows, high-efficiency furnaces and air conditioning systems, SmartVent automatic night ventilation cooling with continuous fresh air ventilation, energy-efficient lighting, enhanced attic insulation, a foam-wrapped building envelope and a radiant barrier to reduce cooling costs.

In addition to qualifying for the California Energy Commission's Zero Energy New Home (ZENH) Initiative, GrupeGreen homes qualify for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program. As such, every home exceeds California's strict 'Title 24' mandated standards for energy efficiency. "The Grupe Company has been the most aggressive builder we have worked with under the Building America program," said Bill Dakin, a Davis Energy Group senior engineer. "The Carsten Crossings project will provide a model that we hope other builders will follow."

PowerLight has recently entered the residential market with a focus on new homes that strive to achieve 'zero energy consumption' through a combination of solar power and energy efficiency. In 2005, PowerLight Corporation secured a $2.7 million award with the California Energy Commission (CEC) through its Zero Energy New Home (ZENH) initiative.

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