Santa Fe, NM – A New Mexico builder is sowing the seeds of technology that will make adding solar heating and cooling options to new home construction easier and more cost effective than ever.

SunCor New Mexico, Inc., the residential home builder developing the 10,000 acre Rancho Viejo community just south of Santa Fe, is creating new solar options for homebuyers who desire to take advantage of cost savings and federal tax credits.

The south side Santa Fe community developer recently completed construction of a new house with a solar heating and cooling option that is as easy for buyers to choose as the color of carpet.

“We are committed to being at the front end of what could become a solar revolution at Rancho Viejo,” said Isaac Pino, president of SunCor New Mexico, Inc. “For the first time in New Mexico, a major developer is making solar power an option that’s as easy to order as fixtures, flooring or a two-car garage.”

The majority of solar powered homes in Santa Fe are custom built or retrofitted. According to R.C. Hammond, project consultant from Cedar Mountain Solar Systems, the company that outfitted the home with its solar components, the main advantage of having a developer install solar heating systems is that it is much less expensive to install the system in new construction rather than to try to retrofit it later.

In the 1,321 square foot solar home at Rancho Viejo, a solar-powered system will heat the two bedroom, two bathroom home during winter and provide cooling in the summer. It is estimated the solar system will save the new homeowner between 40 and 80 percent of heating and cooling costs. Besides using a solar panel system for air and water heating, the solar house has an underground cistern and a drip irrigation system that will use non-potable runoff water to sustain the xeriscaped landscaping.

All of the homes in the Rancho Viejo development, including the solar house, are Energy Star rated, fit with double pane windows and insulation that exceeds city code requirements. Rancho Viejo is currently providing a $36,000 credit that can be applied toward a solar purchase or other amenity. Additionally, a federal tax credit ranging from $9,000 to $10,000 is available to those who build new homes with solar options.

"In Santa Fe, it's critical for developers to view their projects with a long-term commitment to preserving and maintaining natural resources,” said Pino. “SunCor is committed to building energy-efficient homes and making them available to everyone. Constructing the first solar house at Rancho Viejo is another demonstration of our building a sustainable community that is also committed to incorporating progressive ideas in energy and water conservation."

Rancho Viejo is entering the solar home market on the heels of a recent Environment America report that singled out the state of New Mexico as a “rising star” due, in part, to the state’s advances in solar power.

Solar power is more than just an attractive energy option for New Mexico residents. According to www.environmentnewmexico.org, solar is also good for the community. The construction of solar power systems creates 20 times the jobs per megawatt than are created by the construction of gas and coal plants, and more jobs per megawatt than any other energy source.

Approximately 12,000 new homes are built each year in New Mexico. Each home and building constructed without solar power is a missed opportunity for the state to tap into its year round sunshine and give the economy a boost, according to the environmental monitoring service.

"In today's market, more and more buyers are coming to us with straightforward expectations that their new homes be designed and constructed with a strong emphasis on energy conservation," said Pino. "As developers, we have a responsibility to protect both the land and natural resources. We’re accountable to consumers who want the latest ‘green’ technology in their homes."

To learn more about solar options available at Rancho Viejo, call (505) 473-7700.