Photo: Whisper Valley
In the planned community of Whisper Valley near Austin, Texas, utility bills will always be low. "Depending on their energy behavior, it could be anywhere from nothing to maybe $50 per month," says Douglas Gilliland of Taurus of Texas, which is developing Whisper Valley. Homes are heated and cooled by geothermal heat pumps that draw heat from deep within the earth itself. They are equipped with solar panels for other energy needs and will have Tesla Powerwalls for energy storage. Whisper Valley homes have a Home Energy Rating System rating under 20 while new, traditionally heated homes typically reach 50 to 60. When complete, the community will have 5,000 homes and 2,500 rental units with organic gardens, dog parks, fitness centers, resort pools, miles of trails, and 700 acres of green space. Taurus plans to build more communities like it around the US.
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