What will make land developments competitive in the years ahead? Several new concepts are taking shape: a shift to electric vehicles, solar roofs, technology for home-based productivity, and personal amenities that support an integrated sense of well-being.
Builders are now choosing internet-connected heating and cooling. Buyers are touring homes with sensors and voice control technologies to turn the lights and entertainment systems on and off. And, especially since the pandemic, we’re seeing in-home fitness equipment that keeps track of our exercise and health data, allows us to take virtual hikes any place in the world, and even connects us virtually with live coaches.
Some of the most intriguing innovations involve housing — and entire developments — becoming energy producers. Let’s take a closer look at some trendsetters at work.
Homes Are Becoming Connected Systems.
Alset EHome International Inc., based in Bethesda, Maryland, creates “sustainable healthy living systems” for single- and multi-unit properties. Key features include purified air and water, remote working tech, access to trails, parks, and organic, farm-fresh foods, plus travel and entertainment apps. The company also offers a real estate investment trust (REIT) for shareholders.
Alset (read it backwards) clearly has a focus on Tesla®, too. It puts a Tesla Powerwall in each home. That’s a home battery that stores and supplies the electricity generated from a solar roof. Plus, Alset homeowners receive Tesla cars and their own electric vehicle (EV) charging systems if they buy into Northpark in Porter, Texas. The homes and Tesla products will be sold separately.
“We are delivering what we believe will be the model housing ecosystem of the future,” stated Alset CEO Charley MacKenzie in a June 2021 press release. MacKenzie points to increasing customer demand for sustainable elements in homes, and Alset strives to make early adoption easy.
Who Else Is Rolling Out Smart Home Communities? Tesla itself.
Tesla Energy, in collaboration with Brookfield Asset Management and the real estate development company Dacra, is building a solar home cluster within a planned community in southeast Austin. Completed homes will sport solar roof tiles, Powerwalls and car charging gear.
In Tesla’s solar neighborhood, homes will supply their own power, yet produce backup power to support the grid. Brookfield will manage local electricity integration, while Tesla Solar will oversee individual home energy subscriptions.
The initiative, tentatively called SunHouse at Easton Park, is well timed. Greater Austin is short on housing in the midst of a record-setting year in home sales and prices. And after the deep freeze and mass power outage of February 2021, local leaders are keen on the energy-efficient project.
Homes Are Starting to Function as Power Stations.
Tesla is inviting its California customers to join in the largest-ever distributed battery system. The idea is to support the state’s grid, and avoid dependence on non-renewable electricity sources. Tesla’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) will begin sending participants’ extra energy to the grid in peak times, reducing the occurrence of blackouts in California. As of July 22, 2021, eligible Powerwall owners can enroll in the Tesla Virtual Power Plant using the Tesla app version 3.10.14.
Are we seeing the rise of neighborhoods as power stations? Energy networks whose residents can share in the profits for offering their surplus power with the public? This could turn out to be a new factor in the economy of home ownership.
Seattle Wants to Keep the Bluest Skies You’ve Ever Seen.
This year, Seattle is putting a stop to the use of natural gas HVAC hookups in commercial construction, including large apartment buildings. Buildings can have cooking gas connections, but they must be supplemented with electrical connections so owners can make the switch. The city says its new rules will keep building emissions 12% lower than they’d otherwise be in 2050 — Seattle’s carbon-neutral target date.
The new codes do not impact individual homes or rowhouses, which may continue to use natural gas. The natural gas sector has warned that a complete shift could overcome the electricity grid. This tension helps explain why many home buyers are considering solar power generation as the way forward.
Here’s What Homeowners Need to Know About Going Solar.
Solar installation and equipment prices average around $15,000 to $25,000 — but there are ample federal tax credits, corporate rebates, and state or local incentives available. Solar energy now equates to higher home values, lower electricity bills, and energy options for keeping the lights on during storms and times of peak energy use.
Homes with the highest energy costs tend to benefit the most from switching over. A south-facing roof with unobstructed exposure helps, too.
You can buy or lease. Leasing is less expensive. Buying a system is the better option if your aim is to boost your property value and take advantage of solar credits.
What are some of the best options? Andrew Sendy of SolarReviews.comhas created a list of leaders, with their pros and cons. In a nutshell:
- The Tesla Powerwall is popular. As of 2021, Tesla sells the Powerwall only as a package deal with roof panels or tiles. Expect a wait before you can get the system.
- LG Chem RESU produces a lithium-ion battery to compete with Tesla’s.
- Chinese company BYD is known for its stock being held by Berkshire Hathaway. It produces the B-Box lithium iron phosphate battery.
- For homes of modest size, the sonnenCore offers an indoor-only battery made out of safe lithium iron phosphate, too.
- Panasonic offers some good options for the homeowner looking for a fully off-grid power solution.
- Electriq Power offers the cobalt-free PowerPod 2 solar battery. Its warranty for 70% power generation after 10 years is up there with the best in the field.
Before you choose, research questions like whether a system works with the grid or can stand alone, the strength of its warranty, and terms of yearly maintenance.
Finally, Eco-Friendly Housing Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All!
While many home shoppers will be drawn to smart controls and leading-edge energy systems, don’t feel left out of the trend if they aren’t in your budget at the moment. Going high-tech isn’t the only way to go green. Downsizing is another way to shrink your carbon footprint. Energy-efficient appliances and well-sealed homes make a big difference too. So does carpooling, living near public transit options, or choosing a walkable town. Indeed, choices that don’t rely on new land development may compare favorably to the trendiest eco-housing concepts.
Whether or not “energy neutral” homes preserve the environment in the fullest sense, we’re certainly witnessing major new trends in housing manufacturing and marketing. And we’re seeing cities hastening the shift to renewable energy sources. Change is underway.
Supporting References
Release from Brookfield Asset Management, Inc.: Tesla Energy, Brookfield and Dacra Announce the Development of Large-Scale Sustainable Neighborhood in Austin, Texas (Jul. 9, 2021).
Emma Freer for Austonia: Tesla Will Build “the Nation’s Most Sustainable” Solar Neighborhood in Southeast Austin (July 9, 2021).
Christian Spencer for The Hill: Changing America – Elon Musk Is Building the First Solar-Powered Town in the United States (Jul. 14, 2021).
Karn Dhingra for The Real Deal: Tesla, Brookfield and Dacra to Build Energy-Neutral Housing Development in Austin (Jul. 9, 2021).
Chris Wack for Dow Jones / Morningstar: Alset EHome in Strategic Agreement With Tesla for Solar Panels, EV Chargers (Jun. 21, 2021).
Hal Bernton and David Gutman for the Seattle Times: Seattle City Council Passes Measure to End Most Natural Gas Use in Commercial Buildings and Some Apartments (updated Feb. 4, 2021).
Andrew Glickman for Industry Week: Smart Devices Need Even Smarter Design Teams (Jul. 7, 2021).
Lauren Schwahn for NerdWallet.com: What Do Solar Panels Cost and Are They Worth It? (Jul. 1, 2021).
Tesla Support (2021): Join the Tesla Virtual Power Plant (Beta).
Photo credits: torstensimon and bixusas.