Having a connected home is no longer a science-fiction fantasy. Today’s smart home technology can help us feel more like the Jetsons than ever before. You can use your phone to unlock your door, adjust the lights, and even turn on the air conditioner. You can answer the door even when you’re not at home. And robots can vacuum your living space. It’s easy to ...
When it comes to being eco-friendly, our first thoughts are of the “big R’s:” Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. But did you realize that working from home is also environmentally sustainable? It’s true! Not having to drive to the office daily has lessened the environmental impact of working. But with a few additional tweaks, you can make working from home more efficien...
Just ask the residents at SummerHill's latest sustainable living community - Satake Estates in Mountain View.    Each home at the environmentally friendly Satake Estates showcases a beautiful Rain Garden in the front yard.  This is just one of the many features used to achieve the Build it Green's GreenPoint Rating...
The 3rd party rating for green at Redwood Gate by Build It Green are coming in at 106 GreenPoints!* Energy efficient and environmental friendly is one of the most important features of homes at Redwood Gate.  To qualify for GreenPoints, builder needs to build homes at least 15% above the already high California energy efficient code.  Tha...
During a planning meeting yesterday morning, our ceiling started to shake as if the financial corporation upstairs were having an astro jump party without us. My co-worker asked, “Hey, what IS that? Is it an... an earthquake?†to which someone quickly responded, “You think ONLY the roof would shake if it were an earthquake- oh come onâ€. Little ...
As Americans, we’ve historically had a love affair with our lawns. Visions of pastoral bliss are conjured up with fantasies of the open plains, the Wild West, and the grand estates of English and French country sides. During the first half of the 20th Century, we were building homes with a majority of the outdoor landscape devoted to lawns. Plus we devoted a l...
Green is HOT! Green is all the rage right now. Most builders are using Energy Star certified appliances and some builders (like yours truly), have Build it Green and USGBC certified communities. One way SummerHill is going green this year is by switching some of our communities from Copper plumbing to PEX. (more…)......
Redwood Gate has been buzzing with excitement for the model grand opening.  Located in a tranquil setting, these 45 homes offer a rare opportunity to live in a new home in prestigious Palo Alto with outstanding Palo Alto schools.  (more…)......
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, one of the nation's leading advocates for green and sustainable building practices, held a press briefing to showcase the city’s new green building policy at Parkwood by SummerHill Homes in West San Jose on Monday, October 6th. (more…)......