Building ‘Green' is a Success in New Menlo Park Homes Being Marketed to Bay Area Teachers. Oct. 5, 2005, Press Release

Skip to: Content | Footer | Accessibility

California Integrated Waste Management Board

Building ‘Green' is a Success in New Menlo Park Homes Being Marketed to Menlo Park Teachers: State partnership with Sunset Publishing proves environmentally friendly design and construction no longer exclusive to custom-built housing

MENLO PARK—Affordable homes for teachers is something every California city cares about and in Menlo Park, that inspiration has become a reality—with special benefits for the environment.

In partnership with San Mateo County and various State of California agencies, particularly the Integrated Waste Management Board, Sustainable Building Task Force, California Department of Health Services, and the California Energy Commission, Sunset Publishing has devoted the newest debut of its highly successful "Idea Home" program to a 47-unit development in Menlo Park.

The single-family houses are all being constructed as "Green-Built" Idea Homes featuring environmentally preferable building materials, energy efficiency, water-conserving landscaping, and more. Located off Willow Road near Highway 101, "Hamilton Park" is constructed by Clarum Homes and each house is earmarked for sale to a Menlo Park teacher.

"The ‘Green-Built' Idea Homes demonstrate the ability to provide green, environmentally friendly homes and still maintain affordability," said Board Chair Rosario Marin. "I am pleased to see the leadership taken by Sunset Publishing and their partners in the development of these green homes and to show that once again, California ingenuity is alive and strong when it comes to finding solutions to environmental issues."

The new homes will open to the public on October 7, 2005. Call (800) 786-7375 or visit Sunset for more details.

Sustainable design, or building "green," is an opportunity to use resources efficiently while creating healthier buildings and homes. Landfill diversion, improved indoor air quality and lighting, more efficient energy features, and water savings are just some of the benefits realized by building with environmental sustainability in mind. Studies indicate "green" buildings cost less to operate and help improve human health and productivity. Planning and designing for sustainability also makes the best use of our natural resources and moves California closer to a zero waste future.

Special features of the "Green-Built" Idea Homes include numerous recycled-content building materials, kitchens equipped with convenient recycling options, tankless water heaters, dual-flush toilets, and moisture sensors with drought-tolerant native landscaping, to name a few.

During the building phase of the first two Sunset Idea Homes at "Hamilton Park," 90 percent of the construction and demolition (C&D) waste generated is being recycled and diverted away from landfill disposal. Eighty percent of these materials have actually been reused on site as landscaping mulch and soil amendment, according to the builder. C&D debris accounts for 22 percent of California's overall waste stream and represents an important part of what cities and counties throughout the state are working to address as they meet California's mandate to keep 50 percent of waste out of local landfills.

More information on sustainability and green building, including Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Sustainable Building Executive Order, is available online at the Board's green building Web site.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board is the State's leading authority on recycling and waste reduction. It promotes a zero waste California in partnership with local government, industry, and the public. This means reducing waste whenever possible, promoting the management of all materials to their highest and best use, and protecting public health and safety and the environment.