OCR Solar & Roofing To Fit 2,000 Shea Homes With Solar Panels

VACAVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--OCR Solar & Roofing, through their relationship with global leader BP Solar, will install potentially 2,000 BP Solar Home Solutions® systems on Trilogy™ by Shea Homes communities in California, as part of Trilogy’s national solar power offering.

Trilogy will offer free solar power systems on new homes as part of its ongoing commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of homes in all of its Shea Homes Active Lifestyle™ Communities across four states.

“Trilogy’s national solar offering is a significant advancement within the sustainable building movement and gives California an even greater chance at achieving Governor Schwarzenegger's goal of building one million solar roofs by 2017,” said Aaron Nitzkin, OCR Solar & Roofing vice president. “We commend their decision to offer solar throughout the state and nationally and for choosing a team that offers a quality product backed by a 25-year warranty and installed by a team of solar roofing experts.”

In addition to California, solar systems will be free through August 31st to new homebuyers in Trilogy communities in Arizona, Florida and Washington. After August 31st the systems will be available as an upgrade option. Homeowners will be able to track how much power their system is producing, along with its environmental benefits, via a Web-based remote monitoring system.

“With the addition of solar in a home, we’re no longer just efficient users of electricity, we become producers. Integrating a solar system into a home during construction is less expensive than adding it later, making solar more accessible and affordable than it’s ever been,” said Rick Andreen, president of Shea Homes’ Active Lifestyle Communities. “Trilogy homes pass the true test of a ‘green’ home by integrating a mix of energy-saving and energy-generating devices that deliver immediate and long-term benefits for our customer.”

OCR Solar & Roofing will install BP Solar’s EnergyTile and Integra® systems. The EnergyTile roof-integrated solar electric system emulates the shape of common flat concrete tile roofs, making it one of the industry’s most aesthetically pleasing solutions for tile roof applications. The Integra system offers a low-profile installation, enhancing the look on asphalt shingle roofs.

The BP Solar Home Solutions® systems are estimated to reduce the homes’ electric bills by up to 60% per home, in addition to the approximately 30% energy usage reduction Trilogy homes already achieve with the Shea Green Certified™ standards for home building. Each home will be equipped with a 3-kilowatt solar power system, which helps provide security against electric rate increases, allowing consumers to hedge their future risks in the volatile energy markets

Shea Green Certified homes are built with a combination of the most important and cost-effective standards for green residential building set by LEED, National Association of Home Builders, and Environments for Living®.

In addition to solar power systems, standard features in Trilogy’s green homes include solar attic fans, blown-in insulation from recycled cellulose, wood from sustainable forests, framing techniques that use up to 10% less wood and save 5.5 trees per home, leak minimizing construction via sealed ducts and penetrations, satellite/weather-controlled irrigation systems, Energy Star-rated efficient appliances, dual pane low-e windows and motion and occupancy sensor lighting.