BZH Beazer Homes USA Inc New

Beazer Homes (NYSE: BZH), one of the country's top-10 home builders, is pleased to introduce high-performance, energy-efficient "green" homes in Indiana with the grand opening this week of its new eSMART Green showcase home at South Avalon Estates. Located at 12541 Bellingham Blvd., in Fishers, Beazer will host a special preview open house event for the public on Thursday, Sept. 2, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with guided model home tours, green building presentations, interactive demonstrations, complimentary refreshments and door prizes.

"Our eSMART Green homes are designed to maximize savings while minimizing the overall environmental impact of building and maintaining a home," said Bruce Craig, president of Beazer's Indianapolis new homes division. "We've built in greater efficiency from the ground up and the result is significantly lower energy bills for our homeowners."

Innovative construction methods, advanced air sealing techniques and an array of energy-savings features combine to make Beazer's eSMART Green homes in the Indianapolis area up to 44 percent more energy efficient than comparably-sized houses built 10 to 15 years ago, according to research conducted by the NAHB Research Center. Beazer's high-performance eSMART Green homes also incorporate features that help conserve water usage and provide for healthier indoor air quality.

In developing the eSMART Green series, Beazer's planning and design team has taken a whole-house systems approach to ensure all of the multiple components work together for optimal performance. Specifications were developed following extensive collaboration with energy experts, building scientists and a partnership as principal investor in Imagine Homes, a two-time National Association of Home Builders' award-winning "green" residential builder based in San Antonio, TX.

"The key to optimizing the performance of our eSMART Green homes in the cooler to more moderate climate zones comes from better air sealing, increased insulation and maximizing the efficiency of the HVAC system," said Craig. "We've created a nearly impenetrable seal around the envelope of our eSMART Green homes, which greatly reduces energy loss."

The new eSMART Green showcase home at South Avalon Estates combines R49 blown-in cellulose insulation in the attic, R19 on exterior walls and high-efficiency low-e windows with additional sealing around exterior penetration points to create a highly-efficient air barrier between the indoor and outdoor environment. Additionally, the high-efficiency furnace and all of the home's ducting for the 16 SEER HVAC is located in conditioned space, which greatly improves the operating efficiency of the system.

"Roughly half of a home's energy usage goes to heating and cooling. By placing the entire HVAC system in conditioned space, we're able to gain much greater operating efficiency. Less energy is wasted, which drastically cuts heating and cooling costs," said Craig. "And, the temperature inside our homes is more consistent and comfortable throughout."

Additional energy-saving features incorporated into the eSMART Green model home include ENERGY STAR appliances, a tankless water heater, programmable thermostats, compact fluorescent light bulbs and a home energy monitor.

To help conserve water, the home features a manifold plumbing system that operates more efficiently by delivering water directly to individual fixtures rather than routing it through the foundation. Water-saving faucets and showerheads and dual-flush toilets are also featured and the exterior landscaping utilizes regionally-appropriate plants. To address indoor air quality, high-grade MERV 10 air filters, fresh-air ventilated ducts, and low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions paints, and carpets are included.

To better illustrate the eco-friendly features, superior construction methods and building science principles that are incorporated into its eSMART Green homes, Beazer's showcase home at South Avalon Estates features interactive product displays and cutaway sections that allow visitors to see "inside the walls."

"The building science community is pleased to see a national builder implement the essential elements of a high performance home as demonstrated in Beazer's Indianapolis green project," said Gord Cooke of Building Knowledge Inc., a national building science company. "Beazer's eSMART program is based on the best available cost-effective measures to improve the energy efficiency, comfort, health and durability of today's new homes."

Priced from $189,900, there are 221 home sites at South Avalon Estates, and Beazer offers six distinct floor plans, including three-, and four-bedroom homes ranging in size from 2,084 to more than 3,400 square feet. Beazer's New Home Information Center and models are open 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. For more information on new homes in the Greater Indianapolis area, contact 317-485-6866 or visit www.Beazer.com.

For energy-saving tips, follow Beazer Homes on Twitter at @BeazerHomes.

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Contact: Mandy Holton Brooks mbrooks@beazer.com