Meritage Homes unveils ‘deconstructed’ model

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, Meritage Homes is unveiling what the builder believes to be the "greenest" production homes ever built in Southern Nevada.

To educate buyers about its new "Extreme Green" homes, the company is inviting the public to today's unveiling of its "deconstructed" model home and learning center at Northern Terrace, within the Providence master-planned community in the northwestern portion of the Las Vegas Valley.

The specially designed model home features see-through areas in the walls, ceilings and floors, showing the energy-saving features that are built into these new homes.

For example, the model has been "deconstructed" to reveal the fast-forming spray foam insulation that seals in air conditioning while keeping dirt and pollution out.

These new homes can save homeowners up to 50 percent on their utility bills when compared to a typical existing home, according to the builder.

Meritage Homes officials will be on hand today to explain the innovative and energy-efficient technologies now being built into all its homes at this and future communities at no additional cost to the homeowner.

Meritage Homes officials said the first 20 homebuyers at the builder's five communities in Providence and Mountain's Edge master-planned communities will be able to add a state-of-art solar/thermal energy system that saves homeowners even more on their utility costs, up to 80 percent, according to company officials.

For around $54 per month, home buyers can get more than $50,000 in included features not available in the resale home market, according to C.R. Herro, vice president of environmental affairs for Meritage Homes.

He said the company has spent years developing this new approach to building the most energy-efficient homes available. He said one of the primary challenges -- making homes much more energy efficient without substantially raising prices -- has now become one of the builder's proudest accomplishments.

'What's really revolutionary about this approach is it's focused on providing more value to the customer without having to choose between energy efficiency and affordability," Herro said. "Of course, these homes will save homeowners energy and thousands of dollars over time. But it's not just about energy efficiency. It's about adding value and building a better home that is more quiet, more comfortable and more valuable."

The deconstructed home is located at 10549 Galleon Peak Lane, at Northern Terrace in Providence.

Meritage Homes is building three communities in Northern Terrace: Andover, Brookline and Concord.

To visit, take the Las Vegas Beltway to Hualapai Way and exit north. Turn left at Farm Road, right on Crescent Mountain Street and left on Silver Run Peak Drive. Model homes are on the corner of Silver Run Peak Drive and Galleon Peak Lane.

Meritage Homes is also offering "Extreme Green" learning centers at its two communities in Mountain's Edge, at 10160 Arch Bluff St. in Great Falls and at 7855 Red Rock Ridge Ave. in Summer Trail.

To visit from the Las Vegas Beltway or Blue Diamond Road, exit on Buffalo Drive and head south past Mountain's Edge Parkway and turn right on Starr Avenue. Go through the gate and turn right onto Red Rock Ridge and look for the sales office on the right.

Prices for the builder's new "Extreme Green" homes at Northern Terrace start in the $150,000s.

Homes at the builder's Great Falls and Summer Trail communities in Mountain's Edge are priced from the mid-$100,000s and high-$100,000s, respectively.

Sales centers are open daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. To find a Meritage community near you, go to www.meritagehomes.com.

Meritage Homes Corp. is the ninth largest homebuilder in the United Sates, based on homes closed.

The company offers a variety of homes across the Southern and Western states with base prices starting from less than $100,000.

As of Dec. 31, 2010, the company had 151 actively selling communities in 12 metropolitan areas including Houston, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio, Texas, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson, Ariz., Las Vegas, Denver, Orlando, and the East Bay/Central Valley and Inland Empire of California.

Last year, Meritage celebrated its 25th anniversary, launched a new Simply Smart Series of homes, a 99-day guaranteed completion program in certain communities and has built homes that are 100 percent Energy Star qualified in every home started since Jan. 1.

Meritage has designed and built nearly 70,000 homes in its 25-year history.

To find a Meritage community near you, go to www.meritagehomes.com.