AUSTIN – (Realty News Report) – The Tesla brand is plugging into the home building business.
A branch of the Austin-based car manufacturer has aligned with home builders that employ solar and other advancements in green building with a label called Tesla Energy Certified Homebuilders.
Austin-based AHA Dream Homes, which recently announced its Tesla Energy certification, is building houses in east Austin with solar panels, battery units that allow storage of power and, of course, chargers to replenish electric vehicles with power for the commute to work tomorrow morning.
Living Net-Zero in Hellish Texas Heat
The homes point the way to the energy nirvana of home building – net-zero homes, which are houses that produce as much energy as they use.
Living through Texas summers and being able to “power your life without the hefty carbon footprint” is an attainable goal, said Fred Herrejon, President of AHA Dream Homes.
“With a commitment to environmental responsibility, our zero-energy capable homes provide residents with a budget-conscious, yet uniquely eco-savvy lifestyle,” Herrejon said. “In a real estate industry dominated by cookie-cutter builders, this certification is a commitment to world-class living spaces and eco-friendly innovation.”
Herrejon’s firm is building in the Whisper Valley community east of Austin, not far from Tesla’s massive Gigafactory, which is producing thousands of electric vehicles monthly.
Geothermal Power: No High-Wires Required
The 2,063-acre Whisper Valley master planned community is blazing a trail in eco-friendly development with its geo-thermal power supply that taps into energy 200 feet below the earth’s surface. With a substantially reduced dependence on the ERCOT power grid, the likelihood that the community would be subject to brown-outs or failures is also dramatically decreased.
Going deeper into the green lifestyle, Whisper Valley residents have access to communal organic gardens, so they “can enjoy fresh produce while simultaneously reducing the community’s carbon footprint,” promoters of the project say.
AHA Dream Homes is not a massive production homebuilder. Subject to 2023 market conditions and higher mortgage rates, AHA’s sales will total less than 20 homes in 2023. However, Herrejon, who has followed his father’s footsteps into the home building business, is pleased with the advancements his firm has made in green building.
The Tesla Solar Panels on AHA’s houses create options for energy savings. With the installation of Tesla Powerwall units, excess solar energy can be stores use during non-sunlight hours, while the Wall Connector ensures efficient and rapid charging for electric vehicles, enabling sustainable and self-sufficient energy consumption.
Historical note: On Oct. 21, 2021 Tesla CEO Elon Musk, announced Tesla would move its headquarters to Austin from Palo Alto, Calif.
Jan. 4, 2024 Realty News Report Copyright 2024
Photo by Ralph Bivins, Realty News Report copyright 2024
Caption: Fred Herrejon, President of AHA Dream Homes, a Tesla Energy Certified Builder
THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT PODCAST
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT podcast with Edward Griffin of Griffin Partners
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT podcast with Michael Scheurich of Arch-Con
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT podcast with Mark Taylor of CBRE
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT podcast with Stephen Meek of StreetLights Residential.
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT podcast with Carlos Bujosa of Transwestern
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT podcast with Kris Larson of Central Houston Inc.
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT podcast with Mike Spears of Lee & Associates Houston
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT podcast with Maria Perez of Gensler
File: Becoming a Tesla Energy Certified Home Builder