Olson Homes Village Walk Community in San Lorenzo Receives U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Certification for Building Green Homes

San Lorenzo, CA (PRWEB) March 4, 2009 -- Today, The Olson Company's new home community Village Walk in San Lorenzo was awarded LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for achievement in green homebuilding and sustainability. Green homes have substantially lower utility bills and may qualify for advantageous financing, lower insurance rates and government incentives. Through their commitment to green homebuilding, The Olson Company is helping to keep homeownership affordable while maintaining an environmentally sustainable living environment.

"Great design and green features were definitely reasons why we decided to buy," said Fran and Lee, new residents at Village Walk. "The solar panels, energy-efficient features and saving money every month on our utility bill were all very appealing to us; we are now more aware of our impact on the environment than ever before, and these Village Walk features make it easier to live green."

LEED-certified homes, like those at Village Walk, complete a technically rigorous process that includes a home energy rating and on-site inspections to verify that the home is built to be energy and water efficient, environmentally sound, and a healthier place to live.

"The U.S. Green Building Council is proud to help celebrate The Olson Company's commitment to greener living," said Michelle Moore, Senior Vice President of Policy & Market Development, U.S. Green Building Council. "Their leadership demonstrated at Village Walk is at the national forefront of quality; and their example can help us all to live better by reducing our environment footprint, cutting our utility bills, and coming home to a healthier place to live."

Village Walk features eco-friendly, two-story condominiums with two floor plans ranging from 1,463 to 1,769 square feet, three to four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and attached two-car garages. Village Walk homes are specially designed to help make residents' carbon footprint as small as possible with homes that are among the most energy efficient available. Homes offer low energy and water bills, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and less exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins.

Village Walk green features include integrated solar panels, low-emittance windows, tankless water heaters, pre-fabricated walls, ENERGY STAR® appliances, sustainable community design and planning, and green landscaping, just to name a few. As a result of incorporating energy saving products and technologies, Village Walk has achieved a LEED for Homes certification.

"We believe good green building starts with smart home design, sustainable building materials, eco-friendly home features and renewable energy like Village Walk's integrated solar panels," said Bill Holford, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales at The Olson Company. "Village Walk homes use less energy, water and natural resources, create less waste, and are healthier and more comfortable for residents. In fact, Village Walk homes can provide up to 50 percent in energy savings."

Located in San Lorenzo, Village Walk is within walking distance of public transportation, shops and other conveniences. The community also offers close proximity to the greater East Bay and Silicon Valley, the Bayfair and Hayward BART stations and I-880, 238, 580 and the San Mateo Bridge. Nearby recreational activities include restaurants, shopping, entertainment and parks, including Southland Shopping Center, Bayfair Mall, San Lorenzo Community Park, Marina Park and Skywest Golf Course.

For more information on Village Walk please visit the sales center located at 1306 Bockman Road at Via Chiquita in San Lorenzo or visit Village-Walk.com. From San Francisco: Take 80 east / Bay Bridge. Merge onto 880 south toward San Jose. Take the Lewelling exit toward San Lorenzo. Turn right on Lewlling Blvd., left on Washington Ave., continue on Via Alamitos. Turn left onto Bockman Road. From San Jose: Take 880 north, exit 29 for A St. toward San Lorenzo. Turn left on West A St., left on Hesperian Blvd. and right onto Bockman Road. Interested homebuyers can also visit the companies' website at Olson Homes (http://www.olsonhomes.com).

About The Olson Company:

Established in 1988, The Olson Company is nationally recognized for creating unique in-town neighborhoods in urban communities throughout California. Headquartered in Seal Beach, Calif., The Olson Company has successfully partnered with governmental agencies and private landowners to create innovative housing solutions designed to fulfill the lifestyle needs of today's buyer. The company works diligently with community and neighborhood groups to build a high level of awareness and broad-range community consensus around its neighborhoods. The Olson Company was awarded the prestigious "Builder of the Year" award by Professional Builder Magazine and the National Association of Home Builders. Contact The Olson Company at (562) 596-4770 or Olson Homes (http://www.olsonhomes.com).

About LEED® for Homes:

LEED® for Homes is a third-party certification system for high-performance green homes. Developed and administered by USGBC, LEED for Homes awards points to projects in seven categories of environmental performance: Location & Linkages, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, Energy & Atmosphere, Homeowner Awareness, and Innovation and Design. To date, more than 540 homes have been LEED-certified, and over 13,000 have been registered and are under development. For more information, visit Green Home Guide (http://www.thegreenhomeguide.org).

About the U.S. Green Building Council:

The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Since UGSBC's founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 14,500 member companies and organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building rating systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry's popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org), and a network of 77 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups. For more information, visit USGBC (http://www.usgbc.org).

The Olson Company / Olson Homes Web Contact:

Bill Holford

The Olson Company

562-596-4770

bholford (at) theolsonco (dot) com

http://www.olsonhomes.com

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