The City of Lancaster, BYD and KB Home announced the completion of a new earth-friendly prototype home utilizing BYD’s solar, battery and LED Lighting systems. During the grand opening event to be held today at KB Home’s Alamosa community in West Lancaster, the three parties, who began working on this futuristic home just a few months ago, will unveil the state-of-the-art technology that will potentially lead to more affordable solar electricity and energy storage options for Americans across the country.
The City of Lancaster has made the advancement and research of such green technologies a priority and continues to help drive innovation in its community. As such, Lancaster has waived all local municipal development fees for the project and fast-tracked it through the approval process, allowing construction to begin almost immediately.
“This remarkable new house is truly the home of the future,” said Mayor R. Rex Parris. “This type of cutting-edge initiative is precisely what happens when you combine the brain power of one of the nation’s premier homebuilders with one of the world’s most forward-thinking energy companies. The City of Lancaster is proud that our residents will be among the first to benefit from the cost savings and environmental protection offered by homes such as this. We look forward to building upon this successful collaboration with KB Home and BYD well into the future.”
KB Home began construction on the home in late March 2010 in association with BYD. BYD’s green energy technologies were incorporated into a new model home at KB Home’s Alamosa community in Lancaster. The home was built to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® guidelines and includes many earth-friendly features. BYD provided renewable energy-related materials, including solar panels, energy storage batteries, and LED energy-saving lights. KB Home also installed an electric vehicle outlet to demonstrate the home’s ability to charge BYD’s F3DM and e6 electric vehicles, which were on display at the home.
“At KB Home we are constantly seeking out new technology that will improve the quality of life for our homeowners,” said Steve Ruffner, president of KB Home’s Southern California division. “This collaboration has driven innovative thinking as we incorporate cutting-edge technologies so that future homeowners can enjoy the comforts of greener living.”
“BYD continues to be impressed with the support of City and County leaders in Lancaster and LA County to drive green policy and these energy-efficient technologies. These are real solutions for real people available today for mass-market adoption. BYD is ready and excited to deliver these green technologies at reasonable prices and our association with KB Home demonstrates that,” said Stella Li, Senior Vice President of BYD.
This home and four other KB Home model homes at Alamosa are now open to the public daily for tours.
