Cortlandt's Valeria Developer Wins Energy Star 2012 Award from EPA

AVR Homebuilders, the developer of  , a planned luxury green townhome community on nearly 700 acres in Cortlandt Manor, has been awarded top honors by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its commitment to protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the construction of ENERGY STAR-certified homes and promoting the ENERGY STAR program.

AVR Homebuilders was one of only two residential developers in the nation to be receive this honor.

"This award is a tremendous achievement for our company and is a testament to our ongoing commitment to building quality homes that are environmentally friendly and energy efficient,” said Mark Eickelbeck, Chief Operating Officer of AVR Homebuilders.

“AVR is proud to provide extra value to our customers by building energy-efficient homes that earn the ENERGY STAR certification." Eickelback esxplained that ENERGY STAR homes are more comfortable and ensure long-term savings on energy bills while protecting the environment.  

Valeria, a former resort that hosted the rich and famous beginning in the 1920s, will feature 147 luxury townhomes that will complement the existing 80-unit development at the property.

In the early stages of its plans to develop the Valeria townhome community, AVR Homebuilders realized the tremendous resource the property is to the region and helped forge an agreement that forever protects the expanse of habitat-rich forests and wetlands surrounding the property.

AVR, along with the Westchester Land Trust and its Cortlandt Land Trust chapter, the Town of Cortlandt and Valeria’s Dickerson Pond Homeowners Association, signed a historic conservation easement agreement. The 600-acre easement represents more than 90 percent of the Valeria property and is believed to be the largest conservation easement ever in the U.S.

The protected land includes the 43-acre Dickerson Pond and the 740-foot Dickerson Mountain. By protecting the land, AVR Homebuilders is ensuring that critical watershed lands, wildlife habitat and scenic vistas will remain forever undisturbed. 

All construction at Valeria will employ green building practices wherever possible, thus qualifying every home for New York State ENERGY STAR certification and LEED® certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. For more information about Valeria, visit www.valerialuxuryliving.com.

An ENERGY STAR partner since 2006, AVR was honored by the EPA for its work in building energy-efficient new homes that meet ENERGY STAR guidelines. To date, AVR has built a total of 374 ENERGY STAR-certified homes in the New York metropolitan region.

The 2012 Partner of the Year award winners were selected from approximately 20,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program. AVR, which won in the New Home Builder category, joins a host of major national and international corporations recognized by the EPA for their participation in the ENERGY STAR program including PepsiCo, General Motors, Boeing, Toyota, Samsung Electronics, 3M, Sharp Electronics, Merck and Colgate-Palmolive.

“As we celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the ENERGY STAR program, EPA is proud to recognize AVR Homebuilders with the 2012 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award for New Home Builders,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “AVR Homebuilders and all our ENERGY STAR award winners are building an energy-efficient future for America’s families by developing ENERGY STAR-certified homes that reduce energy costs and protect the environment.”

Eickelbeck noted that ENERGY STAR-certified homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating. Homeowners in ENERGY STAR-certified homes can expect to save about $200-$400 annually on their utility bills. Over the past 20 years, American families and businesses have saved nearly $230 billion on utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to those from more than 350 million vehicles with help from ENERGY STAR.

The goals and objectives of the ENERGY STAR program are implemented throughout every phase of the design and construction of ENERGY STAR Homes built by AVR which include high-efficiency features that conventionally built homes don’t have. The home’s exterior shell is made as airtight as possible using advanced framing techniques, and a combination of spray foam, rigid and batt insulation. Energy-efficient windows and doors are installed, along with additional caulking and sealing of all the joints and seams. Each ENERGY STAR Home built by AVR features high-efficiency heating and cooling systems with their own fresh air supply from the exterior which makes a more efficient and healthier home. 

Other important features included in ENERGY STAR Homes built by AVR are whisper green bathroom fans in every unit to help the home breathe and ventilate to the outside, and a complete water management system to protect the roof, walls, and foundation from water damage. The home is completed with installation of the required ENERGY STAR-certified lighting and appliances.

The final and crucial step in building an ENERGY STAR Home is an independent energy inspection conducted by a home energy rater certified by the EPA. When a home passes inspection, the results are printed on a familiar blue ENERGY STAR sticker that is presented to each homeowner.

AVR was recognized by the EPA for working with a “Home Energy Rater” to provide technical training for construction staff and subcontractors to ensure that its staff understands ENERGY STAR construction methods and quality controls.

The EPA also lauded AVR’s efforts in ensuring that its sales staff is well trained and fully versed on ENERGY STAR-certified homes. AVR sales personnel are trained to conduct hardhat tours of home models and to be able to point out the benefits of ENERGY STAR certified homes throughout the building process.

AVR Homebuilders, which is a division of AVR Realty Company, LLC, currently has six active home development properties, all of which are located in the greater New York metropolitan area and will be built to ENERGY STAR standards. In addition to Valeria, the communities include:

• Hudson Landing, a mixed-use master planned community with 1,750 residential units on over 500 acres of Hudson River waterfront property in Kingston, NY. www.hudsonlanding.com

• Overlook Pointe, featuring a total of 263 condominiums and townhomes on the Hudson River waterfront in West Fishkill, NY. www.overlookonthehudson.com

• Powell Cove Estates, a 202-unit condominium development being built on the East River waterfront in North College Point, Queens, NY. www.powellcoveestates.com

• The Meadows at Yaphank, a mixed-use master planned sustainable community with 850 residential units on 300 acres on Long Island that will include a mix of residential, retail, office/flex space, restaurants, and hotel. www.meadowsatyaphank.com 

• Southampton Meadow Estates, a planned community of 48-single-family homes on 52 acres in Southampton, NY. www.southamptonmeadowsestates.com