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GOING FOR THE GOLD
by Linda Tozer

Determination. Preparation. Vision. Performance. And, the ability to marshal (conserve) resources to outpace the competition. Fueled by more than 75 years of building tradition on Florida's Gulf Coast – River Ridge Homes committed to achieving Gold just as the fourth generation of their legacy takes its place.

  The Boyce Family
 

Taking up the challenge of building to SunBuilt Gold and Energy Star standards, Mike Boyce, President of River Ridge Homes spoke philosophically. "Our mission at River Ridge is to make solar and energy efficiency as convenient as any other product, providing customers with the long-term environmental and economic benefits of those choices."

With the River Ridge motto "Close to Nature. Close to Perfect." you sense that their commitment is more than academic. "I believe in building each home as if my own family were going to live in it," Boyce stated. "My grandfather, father and now my sons are a part of this building tradition. Living and working in the community makes client satisfaction more important than anything we do. We want our homes to be beautiful and comfortable to live in. And, we want to help our homeowners use their financial resources best. So, we are constantly refining our floor plans and incorporating new features to enhance life for our residents. Solar technologies and energy efficiency deliver more comfortable homes and put money in our homeowners' pockets every month. What could be better?"

The significance of River Ridge's energy innovations becomes apparent as, across Florida, shocked consumers opened utility bills this summer that were often twice the norm, sometimes more. Record-breaking heat, combined with last fall's electricity rate hikes and higher energy costs, fueled the increase. But consumers buoyed by federal tax credits and state rebates are not entirely up a creek without a paddle.

Federal Tax Credits

Homeowners are eligible for tax credits on qualified solar water heating and photovoltaic systems. Treated like a payment already made toward the taxes you owe, a tax credit provides a bigger financial reward than a tax deduction. You claim the credit when filing your tax return for the year the system is installed. The tax credit is for 30% of the cost of the system – with a cap of $2,000 per technology.

Builders can claim a tax credit of $2,000 for new homes completed in 2006 and 2007 – if those homes meet the new Department of Energy (DOE) standards for energy efficiency. Required to reduce energy use for heating and cooling by 50% when compared to the national model code, homes must be qualified using DOE-approved software and verified by a third-party inspector, certified according to DOE rules.

State of Florida Solar Rebates.

In Florida, the Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Florida Energy Office oversees the solar rebate program. For consumers who install solar water heating the rebate is $500. A $100 rebate is available for pool heating systems and a rebate of $4.00 per watt (up to $20,000) is available for solar electric systems.

SunBuilt Builder Program

SunBuilt rewards Florida homebuilders with a $500 rebate for each solar water heater they install in a new home. SunBuilt Gold Builders – whose homes meet the qualifying standards – can also receive a free solar water heater for their model or Parade home.

Links to rebates, tax credits and a list of SunBuilt Builders are available at www.sunbuilt.org.

Grandview Homes – Continuing the Boyce Family Tradition.
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