Pulte neighborhood to hold event

Pulte Homes' Terraza Amado in Summerlin's The Mesa village will celebrate the unveiling of new-home sites in an energy-efficient community 10 a.m.-2 p.m. today. The event will feature model home tours, refreshments, activities and opportunities to learn more about the environmentally conscious community.

"There are not many opportunities for new homes like these in this prestigious area," said Andy Lee, sales manager for PulteGroup's Las Vegas Division.

Pulte Homes recently announced that it purchased an additional 56 finished lots in Summerlin.

"Homes at Terraza Amado are especially unique because of the tremendous energy efficiency being offered at a great value," Lee said.

These homes can be as much as 54 percent more energy efficient than a typical new home and as much as 84 percent more energy efficient than a typical existing home.

The community uses the Home Energy Rating System Index, which is recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy.

A HERS score is reduced by one point for each percent of energy consumption - the lower the score, the more energy efficient the home.

The 2,467-square-foot Alder floor plan has a HERS rating of 46. A typical new home has a HERS score of 100 and a typical resale home has a score of 130.

The community is taking part in the NV Energy Advanced Building Techniques program, which aims to improve the energy efficiency of home construction in Southern Nevada.

"By taking part in our Advanced Building Techniques program, Pulte is demonstrating a strong commitment to build homes to the highest standard of energy efficiency," said Rob Stewart, senior vice president of customer relationship for NV Energy. "Differentiating their homes in this way will benefit their customers, who are also NV Energy customers, for years to come."

The low HERS rating of the new Pulte homes will save about 9,000 kilowatt-hours per home per year, said Lynne Martinez, program manager for Consol, the energy consulting firm that works with NV Energy to administer the program.

"Pulte Homes is leading the way with one of the most efficient building envelopes in the market, which is emblematic of Pulte's market leadership, quality and building science expertise," Martinez said.

Besides the environmentally friendly features, the homes offer many distinctive interior and exterior features, such as recessed lighting, ceramic tile in key areas, front-yard landscaping, dual-bowl vanities in the master bath and custom crafted kitchens with birch recessed-panel doors, granite countertops and stainless steel undermount sink.

The new neighborhood phase will offer four floor plans, ranging from 2,100 to 2,575 square feet with as many as four bedrooms and a mix of oversized and cul-de-sac lots.

The village has a resident-exclusive pool and park. Other amenities include miles of walking trails, ball fields, tennis and basketball courts and picnic areas that are adjacent to the federally protected Spring Mountains.

"This is an ideal location within Summerlin because it offers an intimate neighborhood that is still accessible to everything," Lee said, adding that the 35-acre Bishop Gorman High School is nearby. "Pulte Homes' thorough construction methods are designed to ensure that the homes will be built right. We handle the hard work so homebuyers can focus on the fun stuff, like choosing the perfect floor plan that fits their lifestyle."

Energy-efficient features include: blown-in cellulose insulation made from sustainable materials, low-flow fixtures that reduce water usage, Energy Star appliances, low-volatile-organic-compounds materials throughout, light-emitting diode and compact fluorescent light bulbs, condensing tankless water heater, R-19 insulation, 2-by-6 framing, 16 seasonal-energy-efficiency-ratio-rated air-conditioning system, energy-efficient gas furnace, low-emissivity dual-pane windows and fresh-air circulation system.

To visit, take the Las Vegas Beltway and exit Tropicana Avenue. Head west on Tropicana and follow the signs. For details, visit www.pulte.com or call
702-262-0270.