Santa Clarita Real Estate

Ninety-six homes in the Patina neighborhood of the West Creek development will each be equipped with solar panels, a tankless water heater, a monitoring system and other energy-efficient features.

A Lennar regional VP is quoted from the Signal; "This is something that can really benefit homeowners," said Bob Tummolo, a Lennar regional vice president. "It’s great for the community and for the environment."
"This is taking advantage of an abundant resource we have in Santa Clarita," said Addison Marks, a sales manager for SunPower, which manufactures the solar tiles. "The sun shines here most days."
Eight of the solar-powered homes are finished and 16 are under construction at West Creek Village in Valencia.
Homeowners will be able to monitor via the internet how much power they are using and producing. Depending on their consumption, homeowners could see their energy bills cut in half, Marks said.

"Combining all these features together is going to give the homeowner a better house that is more energy-efficient, saves them money every month, (and) gives them lasting value and something they can be proud of," Marks said.

Maintenance is minimal, homebuilder officials say. The solar panels have a 25-year warranty and the other products have a 10-year warranty, Marks said. And homeowners could be eligible for a $2,000 federal tax credit.

"In the end," he said, "the benefit goes to the homeowner."