Bosch and the real estate development company Taurus Investment Holdings are partnering together to outfit a new 7,500 home “master-planned” community outside of Austin, Texas, with geothermal heat pumps, solar energy systems, and energy-efficient appliances, according to a recent press release.
The community — dubbed Whisper Valley — will feature 7,500 “net zero ready” single- and multi-family homes and apartments, in addition to a fair amount of retail and office space. All structures in the community will be outfitted with geothermal + solar — and thereby be capable of achieving the “Net Zero energy” standard adopted by the City of Austin’s Municipal Building Code.
As it stands, this new community is set to be one of the largest ones of its kind in the US. Homeowners in the community will be subject to no upfront costs for the geothermal system, as the ground loop infrastructure is pre-installed throughout the community. There will, reportedly, be no maintenance costs for the first 3 years — and a flat energy bill of ~$175 a month, covering the geothermal, solar PV system, LED lighting system, etc.
“Whisper Valley is a very significant project for Bosch in North America and we are delighted to partner with Taurus,” stated Mike Mansuetti, president, Robert Bosch. “It’s a perfect blueprint for new energy-smart communities with a keen focus on conserving resources. Families who live in the Whisper Valley community will save energy and have a reduced carbon footprint. The children who grow up in these homes will inherently help promote a more sustainable future.”
“The alliance with Bosch is essential to delivering affordable, reliable and sustainable technologies to homeowners across the US,” agreed Lorenz Reibling, Chairman and Founding Partner of Taurus Investment Holdings. “EcoSmart, in conjunction with Bosch, is providing a complete one stop solution package to meet Zero-Energy Standards. Homeowners will benefit from increased value for each home. The program is an insurance against rising energy costs.”
Prices for homes in the community will reportedly begin at $175,000 a home — and go at least as high as $300,000.
Source: CleanTechnica. Reproduced with permission.
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