Get the latest delivered to your inbox
Privacy Policy

Now Reading

2007 a "Green" Banner Year for California New Home Community

2007 a "Green" Banner Year for California New Home Community

Published 12-20-07

Submitted by Black Mountain Ranch

SAN DIEGO, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 12/20/07 -- For one new Southern California master-planned community, going green brought home the gold. This year, Del Sur in northern San Diego captured a slew of coveted national and regional awards for smart-growth planning and environmental stewardship.

Raising the bar in the building industry, Del Sur's 2007 green building awards include:

-- Governor's Award for Environmental & Economic Leadership (GEELA) for Comprehensive Land Use Planning;

-- San Diego's first Platinum certification for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED), for the Ranch House at Del Sur;

-- 2007 California Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) winner;

-- 2007 Recycler of the Year, presented by the city of San Diego;

-- 2007 Sustainable Communities Champion, presented by San Diego Gas & Electric;

-- Sustainable Community of the Year, presented by the Building Industry Association of Southern California;gies were cited by San Diego Gas & Electric in naming Del Sur a 2007 S

-- 2007 President's Award, American Society of Landscape Architects, San Diego chapter;

-- 2007 San Diego Excellence in Energy (SANDEE) Award, runner-up for Special Achievement by a Small Business, presented by the California Center for Sustainable Energy (formerly San Diego Regional Energy
Office)

Capping the year was the November presentation of California's most important environmental award -- Governor Schwarzenegger's Environmental & Economic Leadership Award (GEELA). Del Sur was honored in the category of comprehensive land use planning, which GEELA defines as a project demonstrating "social equity and adequate housing; cost-effective infrastructure and transportation; water and energy efficiencies; and open space conservation to protect forests, agriculture, watersheds and other ecosystem values."

In July 2007, the Ranch House at Del Sur, the community's information center, earned Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification for a newly-constructed building from the U.S. Green Building Council, which sets the national standard for smart-growth, eco-friendly design and building practices. The Platinum certification is LEED's highest designation for green design and construction. Earning 59 out of a total 69 points in its category, the Ranch House is currently the second-highest-rated green building of its kind in the United States, and one of fewer than 30 such buildings in the world. The Ranch House is open to the public as an environmental resource center and features many of the sustainable design and construction practices built into the homes of Del Sur.

Construction recycling is a key component of the Del Sur environment ethic, with nearly 92 percent of construction waste communitywide recycled as part of a builder-mandated program in 2006. For these efforts, Del Sur in 2007 was named a winner of the Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP), presented by the California Integrated Waste Management Board. The city of San Diego also named Del Sur a 2007 Recycler of the Year, following a 2006 award in the same category.

Prolific energy- and water-saving features -- from photovoltaic (solar) systems in at least 20% of homes community-wide, to weather-based irrigation, tankless water heaters and drought-resistant landscaping in nearly every home as well as common-area applications -- are a central component of the Del Sur sustainable design, construction and living philosophy. These conservation strateustainable Communities Champion and by the California Center for Sustainable Energy (formerly the San Diego Regional Energy Office) in acknowledging Del Sur in the 2007 San Diego Excellence in Energy Award (SANDEE) program. The President's Award, the highest honor from the American Society of Landscape Architects, San Diego Chapter, also was presented to Del Sur in 2007.

The developer of the 1,800-acre community of Del Sur is Black Mountain Ranch LLC. The community eventually will include 2,500 market-rate homes, 469 low-income homes, business and commercial space, a transit center, fire station, two schools and more than 2,000 acres of dedicated open space shared with sister community Santaluz. Del Sur opened in June 2006 and is approximately 20 percent complete.

In addition to the award-winning homes by some of the region's top builders, Del Sur provides a distinct lifestyle and abundance of amenities. Neighborhoods offer a wide variety of residential styles that borrow their grace from San Diego's architectural heritage. Tree-lined streets, a town center, expansive parks with swimming pools and 18 miles of trails shared with sister community Santaluz, all surrounded by acres of natural open space, are planned to create a rich living experience for beginning, growing and mature families. Del Sur is open for model home and community tours daily 10am to 5pm. Call 858-481-4200 or click onto www.DelSurLiving.com to learn more.

Black Mountain Ranch

Black Mountain Ranch

More from Black Mountain Ranch

Join today and get the latest delivered to your inbox