Harvard Communities, Inc., one of Colorado’s semi-custom homebuilders, announced that all Architect Collection homes in the Stapleton redevelopment will now come with photovoltaic (PV) solar power as a standard feature. Called the “Harvard Solar Advantage,” the initiative is the first announced by any semi-custom homebuilder in Colorado. For Architect Collection homeowners, the solar PV panels will provide approximately 30% of their home’s electrical power needs. The solar PV system will integrate seamlessly with the home’s electrical service, allowing excess power produced to be sold back to the utility company.
The solar PV panels being installed in the Architect Collection homes are much leaner than their predecessors – just 1.81 inches thick. These homes will include state-of-the-art triangular panels which conform closely to the roofline creating a sleek, elegant aesthetic.
Current Architect Collection homes already use 40% less energy for heating and cooling than an average new home built to code. Adding solar PV panels to these already energy-efficient homes will result in additional energy savings, making them 50% more efficient than the average newly built home.
Harvard Communities is partnering with Namaste Solar Electric, Inc., a solar design and installation company operating in Denver and Boulder, for the Harvard Solar Advantage program. “Since Amendment 37 passed, we’ve been flooded with interest from home owners, office buildings and local governments about how to utilize solar power,” said Blake Jones, President of Namaste Solar. “Utilizing solar energy in new home construction just makes sense when you live in a state that gets as much sun as we do in Colorado.”