Preston Development and Southern Energy Management Partnership Announced for Newest Community of Homes at Chatham Park

With even more expansion set to begin for the preparation stages at Chatham Park, it appears that the three major areas of focus of the Preston Development team for the new community are conservation, efficiency, and clean technology. The Chatham Park team has placed such emphasis on these areas in hopes of attracting both businesses and people to its community who likewise seek better ways to conserve resources and live a clean and “greener” lifestyle. Thus, to ensure both perspective homes and offices in the next wave of construction at the community, Preston Development has teamed up with Southern Energy Management, who will implement their ecoSelect Plus program to provide those moving in the ultimate in quality control, support, consumer confidence, and energy efficiency.

A six-time Energy Star Partner of the Year, Southern Energy Management (SEM) has made it a top priority to help improve and assist people in how they use and make energy. They do this through a strict commitment to using building methods in their aforementioned program that use only the highest performance utilities. The eco Select Plus program is actually a new adaptation of the company’s ecoSelect that is specifically customized with extra requirements that are specific to Chatham Park. Seeing as though that is a somewhat general description, a prospective tenant interested in moving to Chatham Park would obviously have several follow-up questions. The number one inquiry they might have I would think is,” so, what is it exactly that sets ecoSelect Plus apart from Southern Energy’s original program? Luckily for those seeking answers, with the recent announcement of the Preston and Southern Energy partnership, SEM explained the ecoSelect certification process thoroughly in an article published on the official Chatham Park website. They listed eight main components of the program included in upcoming construction unique to Chatham Park, which are explained below.

• • A high-performance building envelope that will allow insulation to keep the heat out during warm, summer months and keep it warmer in the wintertime.
• • Programmable thermostats in each unit that will keep occupants comfortable remotely
• • Quality assurance due to third party inspections
• • High-efficiency HVAC units that once installed are tested to ensure efficient and quiet operation
• • Solar evaluation to help incoming buyers more easily take the next step toward energy independence
• • Energy-efficient lighting that will provide 75-80 percent energy savings and have longer life spans than the traditional lightbulb
• • Reduced water usage from ecoSelect fixtures that still provide maximum performance while conserving water
• • Fresh air ventilation that removes stale air and introduces new air by way of a controlled system

After a Southern Energy Management energy rater has tested a completed home in this next upcoming new home community at Chatham Park and the certification process is finished the home receives an official SEM energy rater label. This label includes what energy-efficient features are included in that home or office, the average estimated monthly energy cost, and the HERS index. For those unfamiliar with the HERS index, the official description from the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) is as follows. “The HERS index is the industry standard by which a home’s energy efficiency is measured. It’s also the nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home’s energy performance.” Basically, a low HERS index score ensures you that your home or office is more affordable and is using less energy. As a matter of fact, the homes constructed thus far in the Chatham Park community are on average 34 percent more energy efficient than code homes due to the ecoSelect Plus program. As if all of these great features resulting from this customized program for Chatham Park aren’t enough, it also helps to ensure that the builders be eligible for local initiatives that raise standards even higher. These initiatives, like Duke Energy Progress’ DEP HERO even further address areas like indoor air quality and water efficiency. On top of achieving maximum efficiency and more easily living a clean and “green” life, SEM is always looking to update and improve their ecoSelect program. Always aiming for total customer satisfaction, new additions or updates the company has made just in the past year include:

• • Advanced framing and insulated corners
• • Lowering the duct leakage maximum
• • Simplifying the EnergyStar appliance requirement
• • Increasing the efficient lighting requirement

As these expansion plans eventually see the next new community at Chatham Park become closer to reality, it’s obvious that by Preston Development teaming with SEM the quality standard of these new homes in Chatham Park is at an all-time high. Originally setting out to attract buyers with a focus on conservation, efficiency, and clean technology, it appears not only that these goals are being met, but that Preston Development Company has risen above and beyond expectations to deliver the ultimate resident experience once again.