Meritage Homes’ Jackson model, priced at $301,990, is one of the most stylish of the dozens of designs the company offers in Orlando. At 3,179 square feet, the two-story home boasts five bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms with a downstairs master suite.
WHAT'S THE FORECAST? FOR MERITAGE BUYERS, THE OUTLOOK IS SUNNY
The forecast is sunny at Meritage Homes. More accurately, the forecast is sunny for anyone who buys a new home from the company during 2016.
Meritage, the seventh-largest publicly owned builder in the U.S., recently announced that it will install high-efficiency SunPower solar panels on all its to-be-built homes in the Orlando area.
That means the company’s homes will now harness the same sunshine that has made the region such an appealing place to live, says Brian Kittle, division president for Orlando.
“We’re proud to make this commitment not only to our homebuyers, but also to the future of our environment,” adds Kittle.
Each two-kilowatt SunPower solar electric system is valued at more than $10,000. And the systems may qualify buyers for a tax credit of up to 30 percent.
In addition to providing clean electricity and lowering energy bills, the systems will enable buyers to track their solar production and estimate their savings through a computer or mobile device.
“Meritage is helping lead the way to a clean energy future for their customers and communities by making solar power a standard feature,” says Howard Wenger, SunPower president, business units.
SunPower solar panels deliver the highest efficiency available, and are designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions, including extreme heat and humidity, which make them ideal for Florida rooftops.
“As a result, we expect our solar panels to have a useful life of more than 40 years,” says Wenger. “That allows Meritage homeowners to reap the rewards of their systems for decades to come.”
Compared to conventional solar panels, SunPower solar panels can produce 70 percent more energy from the same space over the first 25 years, and are backed by the industry’s best combined product and power warranty during that time, adds Wenger.
Meritage, in addition to being one of the largest builders in Orlando, also has a major presence in California, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia.
The company has built more than 90,000 homes in its 30-year history, and has a reputation for distinctive style, quality construction and customer satisfaction.
Meritage received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
SunPower Corp. provides solar solutions and services for homes, businesses, governments, schools and utilities around the world. The company is based in California’s Silicon Valley.
For more information about solar power systems, visit sunpower.com. For more information about Meritage, visit meritagehomes.com.