There are net zero homes. There are resilient homes. And then there’s Sommers Bend, a new master-planned community in Temecula, California.
There you’ll find America’s first all-SHAWOOD community, a construction system created by Japan-based Sekisui House, the largest home builder in the world. The 57-home collection at Sommers Bend represents an artful blend of design, resiliency and sustainability that may be unlike any other production homebuilder in the world.
The first U.S. SHAWOOD home was introduced as a concept home at the 2020 NAHB International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas. Attendees inspected a proprietary construction system designed from the ground up to withstand natural extremes, including earthquakes and wildfires, with on-trend style and grace.
“SHAWOOD basically means wooden house in Japanese,” explains Joel Abney, vice president of operations for SH Residential Holdings. “The homes reflect the belief you can improve society through housing.”
Grid-Free Up to Six Days
Part of that vision is how the home respects the environment. “Sekisui House has built over 93,000 SHAWOOD homes, 75,000 of them net zero,” reports Abney. “All SHAWOOD homes at Sommers Bend are net zero. Yet we don’t aggressively promote that. Our goal is to build a home people love to live in. The homes just happen to be net zero.”
And amazingly resilient.
Standard with each SHAWOOD home at Sommers Bend is an integrated battery storage system, with up to 27 solar panels and one EV charger. An even more robust solar energy system is available that powers the home grid-free for up to six days. It’s a wise precaution for a region subject to blackouts, storms, earthquakes and wildfires.
Abney knew the power component had to match the SHAWOOD brand, which includes seven home styles starting at $1.7 million. That meant teaming up with a solar energy partner that could live up to the company’s rigorous performance standards.
The Right Partner
“Finding the right partner is critical,” Abney says. “We applied three tests to the solar power vendors we investigated.”
1. Financial Stability. “Many solar power companies have come and gone over the years,” observes Abney. “You want someone that’s going to be around for the long run.” Abney singles out one company for financial peace of mind: Sunnova Energy, an industry-leading Texas-based adaptive energy services company.
2. High-Performing Technology. Abney and his team personally vetted solar power vendors and the technologies they represented, like photovoltaic panels and power inverters. “I personally visited Sunnova’s quality control center in Texas to verify their standards. Their new Adaptive Technology Center is a state-of-the-art testing and innovative facility,” reports Abney.
3. Best In Class Warranty. “Sunnova goes the extra mile to vet and procure exactly the right equipment from top manufacturers,” notes Abney. “Our home buyers are protected for 25 years with the Sunnova Protect Platinum plan, the best warranty in the business.”
Sunnova Energy checked all the boxes for Sekisui House. “Sunnova is easy to work with. They knew our concerns and worked hard to meet our requirements. Plus, they back their equipment and service for 25 years,” the home builder says. “A SHAWOOD home isn’t a transaction. It’s an investment in a lifestyle, a belief the home is a happy and resilient sanctuary. Sunnova helps us keep that promise.”
Learn more about a solar power system home buyers value and home builders trust.