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banking and appraisal industries’ limited These appraisal efforts are particularly
awareness of the value of green building important in a state like California with such high
practices and how they affect the “total cost housing costs. Building professionals are on high
of ownership” benefits may make it harder for alert about any measure that can price people
buyers to secure mortgage loans for homes at — especially newcomers — out of the market.
the higher initial price, even though they will save “Affordability is such a big factor in California,
on monthly utilities. and it’s something we watch closely,” said
“Utility costs are less, but one problem is that Cassandra Cherry, a member of NAHB’s
lenders don’t recognize this,” said Mike Hodgson, Sustainability and Green Building Subcommittee
a member of NAHB’s Sustainability and Green and marketing director at Danielian Associates,
Building Subcommittee and president of ConSol, an architecture and design firm in Irvine, Calif.
an energy-efficiency consulting firm in Stockton, “While people are keen on incorporating green
Calif. “For buyers to be a better mortgage risk, technologies, millennials are not necessarily
we need to have the lenders recognize these willing to pay for those features in their homes.”
savings.” Raymer agreed, saying affordability often
This involves housing stakeholders emphasizing takes a back seat to other housing policies in
to appraisers and mortgage underwriters that California.
high-performance homes can save money over “We are happy with this outcome, but wish
time. These conversations may lead to better they [the commission] would have waited on
assessments of high-performance features, the mandate,” said CBIA’s Raymer. “You can’t
more accurate appraisals, and additional go a couple days without hearing how dire the
financing mechanisms that reward spending housing situation is here.”
upfront to save on long-term costs. NAHB JUNE 2018
San Antonio Solar Update Growing Solar as an Energy
Solution for the Future
CPS Energy, through power purchase
agreements with operators from across the
country, has 13 solar farms generating 497
megawatts of renewable power – the most in
Texas. These solar farms are located in and
around the San Antonio area, and regionally
in communities like Uvalde and Brackettville.
Today, San Antonio has the most solar
generation capacity in the state, while Texas
is a leader in solar capacity. We will look for
new opportunities to develop additional
solar power installations in the future.
We also are looking to make solar power
more accessible and affordable for our
For more information on how you customers. Through Simply Solar, two pilot
can participate in the local solar programs offer customers the opportunity to
initiative contact CPS Energy lease their roof for solar power generation or
or visit www.cpsenergy.com purchase a share of the sun power produced
a centralized solar farm.
WWW.CPSENERGY.COM
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JULY 2018 | GREATER SAN ANTONIO BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
