Meritage Homes Opens Its Most Energy Efficient Community In Florida

Jan. 28, 2011 - PRLog -- Orlando, Fl. – Meritage Homes Corporation, a top-10 U.S. homebuilder, is proud to announce the opening of their newest energy saving community, Lake Todd Estates located at 978 Counts Crest Circle in Apopka, Florida.   On Thursday, January 27th from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Meritage Homes’ management, local dignitaries and many of Meritage’s trade partners will be taking part in the Grand Opening event to launch their latest energy efficient “green” homes in the Florida market.  These new high-performance homes can save homebuyers over 65% in energy use as compared to existing homes, according to standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy.  All the energy saving features will be included in each home as standard elements, with no additional cost to the homebuyer.  

Meritage Homes was the first national homebuilder to exceed the EPA’s ENERGY STAR™ qualification requirements in every home the Company has built since January 1, 2010. All Meritage homes are at least 20% to 30% more energy efficient than a typical home built to the current International Residential Code. Meritage subsequently launched their next generation of advanced energy saving homes in the Arizona market last June, which go well beyond ENERGY STAR standards to save 40-80% or more in energy consumption.

The Company will soon  offer similar homes in other communities across the U.S.  Following the launch at Lake Todd Estates, the Company is planning to offer these energy-wise homes in many of their other communities in Florida including Winter Garden, East Orlando, Windermere, Winter Springs and Oveido.

Homes at Lake Todd Estates were designed from the ground up to go well beyond the standard energy performance program of any other production homebuilder’s community in the Orlando area.  Each new Meritage Green Home at Lake Todd Estates comes with all of the following advanced building science practices, including:

o   Spray Foam Insulation
o   Double Vinyl Low-E Windows
o   Energy Efficiency CFL Lighting
o   Weather Sensing Irrigation
o   High Performance Water Saving Plumbing Fixtures
o   15 Seer Air Conditioning Unit

“These new high performance homes will offer some of the most advanced energy efficient features available today,” said Fred Vandercook, Southern Division President of Meritage Homes.  “We continually strive to provide our buyers with homes that offer versatile home designs, built to the highest level of craftsmanship. We are also incorporating some of the latest proven energy saving technologies available, without sacrificing style and comfort.  We are very excited to offer our high performance homes at Lake Todd Estates, a community that offers style and luxury in a quiet setting, just minutes from great dining, entertainment and retail options. These high-performance, energy saving homes will not only save our homeowners money on their monthly utility bills, but will reduce energy consumption and save scarce resources for future generations.”

Located just minutes from bustling Orlando, Lake Todd Estates is located in the growing Apopka area.  Its proximity to both Lake Apopka and Wekiva Springs State Park make it a smart choice for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy biking, hiking, camping, fishing and kayaking.  

There are six different floor plans available at Lake Todd Estates, two single-story and four two-story plans.  Homes range from 2,480 to over 5,000 square feet of innovative living space, with base prices from $199,990 to $282,990.

“We believe this is the way homes should be built going forward. They are not only more energy efficient, but more comfortable, cleaner and safer for our homeowners than other new or existing homes,” said Steve Hilton, chairman and chief executive officer of Meritage Homes. “Meritage Homes is a leader in energy efficient homebuilding, and this is a key component of our strategy. We are committed to advancing green building practices throughout the industry.”

About Meritage Homes Corporation
Meritage Homes Corporation is the 9th largest homebuilder in the U.S. based on homes closed. Meritage offers a variety of homes across the Southern and Western states designed to appeal to a wide range of home buyers, including first-time, move-up, luxury and active adult buyers, with base prices starting from under $100,000. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had 151 actively selling communities in 12 metropolitan areas including Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Tucson, Las Vegas, Denver, Orlando, and the East Bay/Central Valley and Inland Empire of California.
In 2010, Meritage celebrated its 25th Anniversary, launched a new Simply Smart Series™ of homes and a 99-day guaranteed completion program in certain communities, and is the only large national homebuilder to be 100% ENERGY STAR® qualified in every home started since January 1, 2010. Meritage has designed and built nearly 70,000 homes in its 25-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction and positive customer experience. To find a Meritage community near you, go to www.meritagehomes.com.