LA Times reports: KB Home hopes building green turns luxury condo sales red hot

By Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times

May 17, 2011

KB Home, a major home builder, is hoping energy saving, eco-friendly features will help drive sales of luxury condos.

When it opens Tuesday, the company’s Primera Terra residential development in Playa Vista will include a host of green essentials: A white “cool roof” to deflect sunlight and heat, electric vehicle charging stations in the garage and storage space for bicycles.

The condo complex with 52 units also has its own community garden. Each condo has a tankless water heater and hi-tech showerheads that save as many as 2,700 gallons a year.

Residents can save more than 40% on their energy bill compared with a typical new home of comparable size, executives said. Condo owners can monitor energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and electricity costs through their computer, iPad or iPhone using a device connected to each unit’s electrical panel.

The construction was also environmental friendly, company executives said. More than 95% of the waste generated during construction was recycled. Builders used nontoxic paints and carpeting.

KB Home said Primera Terra is among the largest residential communities in the state to be awarded Platinum certification — the top rating from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, program.

The complex is among the first of its kind to land the certificate without including solar panels in the design, executives said.

In February, KB Home launched its Energy Performance Guide, a label included with all model homes that displays the new property’s expected energy efficiency and estimated electricity bill.

This entry was posted in Industry Updates and tagged , , , on by .

About CSLS

Contractors State License Service (CSLS) is the largest school in California devoted to the Construction professional. For over 23 years, CSLS has helped its students pass the exam to become licensed contractors in the State of California, licensing more students than any other school. From our main offices in Southern California, CSLS operates over 25 locations with full-service support and classrooms. We have grown to this extent by providing quality, professional services. In comparison, this provides 7 times the number of convenient locations than the second largest contractor school. Contractors State License Services is one of the only contractor schools in the state that is run by educators, not lawyers or people mostly interested in the bonding and insurance business. Contractors State License Services formerly operated under the oversight of the State of California's Bureau for Private Post Secondary and Vocational Education. As of January 1 2010, the new Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) came into existence replacing the BPPVE. CSLS now operates under the provisions of the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 (CPPEA), Article 4 Section 94874(f). Our Mission is simple; We can help you pass your California Contractors License Exam. Celebrating our 25th year, CSLS has helped over 120,000 students pass the California contractor licensing exam to become licensed contractors in the State of California. Additionally, we offer complete home study and online contractor’s license programs to help you pass your California contractors license exam. CSLS offers licensing classes for all types of contractor licenses, including General Engineering Contractor, General Building Contractor, Specialty Contractor, Insulation and Acoustical Contractor, Framing and Rough Carpentry Contractor, Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry Contractor, Concrete Contractor, Drywall Contractor, Electrical Contractor, Elevator Contractor, Landscaping Contractor, Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Contractor, and many others. For a complete list of contractor licenses, visit www.MakeMeAContractor.com and tuned for more informative posts.