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NEWS ARCHIVE 2010

A chronological archive of all news and announcements for the year.

February, 2010
It has been a very active month: Work on 9 homes has been completed, 6 houses are under construction, and 4 more homes are under contract for acquisition. Prospective buyers are viewing our homes and we are proud to announce that the first 2 sales contracts have been signed. Clients already on our wait list will be given first opportunity to buy energy-efficient H2O homes.

February 8, 2010
H2O homes receive Department of Energy Home Performance certification.
Prior to the H2O program, only 2 homes in Arizona had received this certification. All 9 H2O homes completed do this date have received this certification under the Energy Star program.
     By the end of this month, work will begin on 8-10 homes. The five qualified contractors are being assigned groups of houses by estimated rehab cost. This will happen in “round robin” order. Rehab schedules are being assigned at 21-30 days based on the home.
     Six buyers are finalizing re-approval and will be shown houses starting next week. Currently we have 113 interested buyers and 33 applications returned. Budget is being adjusted to increase outreach allocation. Round Table discussions with all area NSP determined that our program is ahead of others, but all programs are struggling to get interested Buyers. A large majority of our interest list have been as a result of direct contact efforts.
January, 2010
Rehab work includes energy efficient appliances.... Contractors have commenced work on upgrading a dozen H2O homes. This work includes some general repair, new appliances and energy conservation features. The latest appliance selected for H2O homes is the Ruud Electric Heat Pump Water Heater, a fantastic piece of equipment. It is a 50 gal, multiple mode, state of the art system that cuts heating bills dramatically. At $1200 each, it is an investment that will save big bucks for the homebuyer.  
Heating water for showers, loads of laundry and dishes, and other household needs can account for up to 25 percent of the average home’s total energy cost, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Heat-pump water heaters are common in Japan, but rare in the US. In heat-pump technology, heat is transferred from the air to water stored in an insulated tank. In simple terms, heat pump water heaters work much like a refrigerator in reverse. The heat pump extracts the heat from warm air, intensifies the heat with a compressor, delivers the heat to the water, and exhausts the cooler air. Because it uses the warm ambient air temperature to do most of the work, it is a very efficient way to heat water. Heat pump water heaters typically offer twice the efficiency of standard electric water heaters. It is estimated that this new appliance will use 2,300 kilowatt hours annually, about half that of a standard electric water heater. Once again H2O is taking the lead in bringing the latest green technology to Valley homes.


High-efficiency Washers and Dryers. H2O is putting some of the highest rated appliances in our homes. Among the models selected are the Samsung Washers and Dryers. These machines consistently receive the some of the highest ratings for easy of use, energy effiency and quietness. Samsung Washers and dryers use Vibration Reduction Technology to give you the peace and quiet you deserve. These machines will save water, cut the electric or gas bill and get your clothes super clear in a short amount of time. H2O washers and dryers are to be supplied by Lowes. Note that H2O had to petition the government to allow washers and dryers to be pre-installed in H2O homes.

For other past activities and news postings, see also the 2009 News Archive

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Updated: 2/22/2010