Century Communities recently announced that it has committed to LEED certification for all new homes in its current and upcoming developments. The LEED-certified homes will save homeowners up to 40 percent on energy and water bills and qualify for the company’s Efficiency Promise Program, which provides a two-year limited guarantee that energy used to heat and cool the home will not exceed a specified value.
Here, BUILDER talks with Justin Cox, vice president of operations at Century Communities, about the costs and benefits of the new program.
Why have you decided to expand your LEED program
in Austin and San Antonio?
At Century Communities, we feel it is important
to offer a comprehensive, verified, and certified energy efficiency program to
as many home buyers in these markets as possible. Homes offering energy efficiencies
benefit our buyers tremendously through ongoing cost savings as well as a higher
resale value when the time comes to sell. The decision to expand our
LEED-certified program in Austin and San Antonio was made in the hopes that we
could benefit more of our buyers.
How does your Efficiency Promise work?
Our Efficiency
Promise is a two-year heating and cooling guarantee, using the confirmed Home
Energy Rating System (HERS) rating of an address-specific home. The HERS rating
is based on the type of fuel used in the home, such as natural gas for the
heating and electricity for the air conditioning. The rating also takes into
account the cost per kW and BTU of the servicing utility for the subdivision.
Are buyers in your marketplace asking for
green-certified homes?
Buyers are definitely becoming more aware and
interested in the green features offered in our Austin and San Antonio homes.
Increasing costs, environmental changes, and more readily available information
about the importance of implementing energy efficiency measures make the desire
for green-certified homes even more widespread.
How much does the LEED program add to the cost
of each house?
The LEED certification program is rigorous and
comprehensive. Each home is evaluated by industry experts at various stages of
construction to ensure that all LEED certifications are being met. The nominal
added cost to conduct this extensive testing throughout the construction
process ensures that each of our buyers benefits from the additional energy
efficiencies and higher resale values.
