Austin Business Journal reports, "A new homebuilder is working in one of East Austin’s most technologically advanced housing developments.
Denver-based Richmond American Homes will build 121 homes in the 2,067-acre Whisper Valley development, according to an announcement. The homebuilder is active in 16 states, according to its website, and joins several Central Texas homebuilders and one international builder already active in Whisper Valley, which has been an epicenter for innovation in sustainable housing in Central Texas.
Richmond American will build 21 homes in the current, fourth phase of development in Whisper Valley, and 100 more in the next phase. The new homes will be available in three- to five-bedroom floor plans ranging from 1,950 square feet to 2,950 square feet.
Richmond American’s model home will be complete in December, and the homes will be available in January. The single- and two-story homes will start in the low-$400,000 range.
Other builders active in Whisper Valley are AHA Dream Homes, GFO Homes, Pacesetter Homes, Thurman Homes and Terrata Homes. Kosovo-based InstaBuilt is also active in Whisper Valley, bringing its first U.S.-built homes — which are manufactured off-site and assembled on-site in eight to 12 hours — to the burgeoning neighborhood.
“People are taking notice of Whisper Valley,” stated Douglas Gilliland, managing partner at Taurus Investment Holdings, the developer of Whisper Valley. “With the addition of Richmond American to our list of award-winning builders, we are proving that quality and sustainability can be accomplished on a larger scale. This community is rooted in eco-friendly principles, centered on healthy living and enhanced by technology that improves everyday life."
What makes Whisper Valley so advanced?
Whisper Valley is a zero-energy capable neighborhood, meaning homes there come close to producing as much energy through renewables as they consume. Whisper Valley accomplishes this through the use of geothermal technology and solar energy systems.
While Whisper Valley is connected to the state electric grid, each home comes equipped with solar panels and the option to install more, in addition to an energy storage system.
It also uses geothermal heating and cooling systems, another standard feature of each home. While air temperature can swing wildly from extreme heat to bitter cold, the temperature of the Earth is relatively constant, so the underground geothermal systems are more efficient at cooling during the hot Texas summers and heating during the winter.
How is Whisper Valley coming along?
Whisper Valley encompasses about 2,000 acres, and buildout will take time.
There are over 500 families living in Whisper Valley now, Gilliland said in July. Today, there are 560 homes built, according to a representative of Taurus Investment Holdings.
New schools also are coming to the neighborhood. In January 2023, the Del Valle Independent School District paid more than $25 million for 149 acres in Whisper Valley to build an elementary, middle and high school. The high school is set to open in September 2026."
Source: Austin Business Journal
Written by: Cody Baird
Published: November 14, 2024
Posted by Grossman & Jones Group on
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