Green Homes Las Vegas Undressed

Green Homes Summerlin

At the suggestion of Brain Plaster, Signature Custom Homes, I visited the Villa Trieste Community in Summerlin. Brain had told me that Pulte Homes was building LEED-platinum certified homes in Summerlin. Brian and Signature Custom Homes were one of the first builders to join the Southern Nevada Green Building Partnership. I will have more on Brian and the LEED platinum certified home that he is building. You can see the progress he is making by viewing the photos at the top of the page.  

The Villa Trieste Community is located just west of 215 across from The Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa. This is a great location due to the proximity to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. You can explore, hike or climb one of the must beautiful sites on the West Coast and get there in 5-10 minutes!

My son Mitchell worked for Pulte Homes in Scottsdale so I acted on the coincidence and drove over to the site. There I met Andy Lee a salesperson for Pulte Homes. I was most impressed with the energy that Pulte Homes is putting into to its’ green home effort. This is more than just a normal tour of model homes. They have four models and one of those is dedicated to educating the consumer on what green homes are all about.

A couple of things hit home with me. The use of blown in cellulose insulation from recycled newspaper provides a tighter building envelope and reduces sound to a significant degree. You could look into the attic area and you could see that the temperature in the attic was the same as in the home; this is due to the insulation in the design of the roof. The wires that you see in the photo below is part of a UNLV green monitoring program.

The Sun Tile, on the roof, converts solar electricity for household use. An electric meter connects the system to the energy grid and spins backward when production exceeds usage. The homeowner can also monitor their energy usage and production before the electric bill arrives!  

The square footage on these homes runs from about 1500 square feet to about 1800 square feet. It is true that the cost per square foot is higher than non LEED- certified homes. What you are getting will benefit you in the long run with tighter construction, energy efficiency and environmentally sound design and construction. You will be able to provide a healthy living environment to your entire family.

You can tell by the photos that these are wonderful homes. The prices range from $227,990 to $266,990. Model homes have all the bells and whistles; you can upgrade the construction of your home to suit your individual taste.

Homes in Las Vegas are definitely becoming more affordable. Here is a photo of a home in the Freemont area of Seattle for $275,000.

You be the judge!