702-898-8787
broker@transformrealestate.com

Offering the best in high-end luxury homes and condos built with green eco-friendly tech-
nology and materials. In Las Vegas we represent: CityCenter, Sullivan Square, Green Valley Lofts and our own signature Transform Green Listing.

Don't miss your opportunity to experience this exclusive lifestyle.
REGISTER HERE

LENNAR PLANS 1,254 MORE SOLAR HOMES

By Jim Wasserman - Bee Staff Writer

Published 12:00 am PDT Saturday, March 17, 2007
Story appeared in BUSINESS section, Page D1

Weeks after unveiling plans to build 650 solar-powered homes in Roseville, Miami-based Lennar Corp. said Friday it will build 1,254 more in the Sacramento region.

The houses will start construction this year and continue through 2010 in the communities of Anatolia in Rancho Cordova, Village Greens in Natomas and Laguna Ridge in Elk Grove, said Jim Kauffman, vice president for purchasing at the home builder's Sacramento division.

Friday's announcement propels Sacramento to the forefront of solar home construction nationally, said Kauffman, officials from a San Jose solar panel manufacturer and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.

"It's a national breakthrough," said Alice Perez, SMUD manager of residential service.

The size of the building plan also will make the metro area a top solar player in a state where the technology has become a major government priority. California lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have declared a voluntary goal of 1 million new solar rooftops within a decade and set aside more than $2 billion to lower solar installation costs.

California has about 2,000 new homes built with solar panels. The nation's largest existing solar community is 466 homes in Orange County's Ladera Ranch area.

SMUD's board of directors finalized the deal Thursday, approving $10.8 million in rebates to Lennar for installing 1,254 systems costing about $20,000 each. SMUD has 230 solar systems installed on new homes and 680 in place on existing homes, Perez said.

Lennar is getting $5.2 million from another public utility, Roseville Electric, to install the homes with solar panels in Roseville.

Solar systems are said to cut energy bills by up to 50 percent. The Sacramento region boasts about 320 days of sunshine yearly.

Lennar's Kauffman said the newly announced plan "definitely is the biggest in the nation. We are getting national attention for it, even from our own company.

"Hopefully, we'll see the marketing advantage of doing it in every home," he said.

Lennar is one of the nation's largest home builders and last year ranked second in the Sacramento region with more than 1,100 sales. The firm plans to start the first 174 homes this year.

Despite a global shortage of polysilicon, a key ingredient of solar panels, Lennar will have no problem getting its supply, said Bill Kelly, who manages the new home division of San Jose-based SunPower Corp. The company will provide the panels.

At least three other regional builders have started or built more than 300 solar homes in Sacramento, Roseville and Rocklin, including Premier Homes and Treasure Homes, both in Roseville, and Stockton-based Grupe Development.

Los Altos-based Edenbridge Homes also is building a 47-home solar community in Vacaville, and Seastar Communities of Escondido is building an 84-home solar neighborhood in Redding.