Grupe Earns Certification for Meeting Quality Green Building Standards at Carsten Crossings in Rocklin

The Grupe Company is one of the first builders in the U.S. to earn the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Grupe recently earned this recognition for its new Carsten Crossings community in Rocklin, and is the first builder in the country to commit to building all of its homes in one subdivision to LEED standards. The LEED certification is awarded to homebuilders whose homes meet special “green” or energy-conservation standards and criteria.

A nationwide residential program launched by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED provides independent verification that building projects meet the highest performance standards in five key areas of human and environmental health. These include sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

LEED’s Green Building Rating System™ is a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. The Davis Energy Group in Davis is the program administrator for California and Nevada.

The Grupe Company embraces green building principles in its homes at Carsten Crossings and other Grupe communities on the West Coast.

In fact, The Grupe Company has dubbed its energy-efficient efforts “GrupeGreen,” a term that demonstrates a commitment to the environment and to improving energy-related economics for homebuyers. GrupeGreen homes at Carsten Crossings exceed California’s strict Title 24-mandated standards and include on-site solar electricity, which can reduce electrical bills by up to 70 percent, as a standard feature. SunTile™ (photovoltaic) roof tiles by PowerLight, a manufacturer of advanced solar products, provide solar electricity.

Other standard GrupeGreen features are tankless water heaters, Low-E windows, enhanced (R49) attic insulation and foam-wrapped (R5) building envelopes.

“We are excited about being LEED certified,” said Mark Fischer, Grupe’s Sr. Vice President of Operations. “The Grupe Company believes that a deep respect for the land and the environment is always the first step in building a timeless community. That philosophy has led us to offer the exclusive GrupeGreen homes with energy-saving standard features at Carsten Crossings,” he said.

“Thinking ‘green’ is good for the environment and good for the long-term appeal and livability of Carsten Crossings. By continuing to develop and improve the GrupeGreen program, we feel we are protecting the environment and improving the living experiences of homeowners,” Fischer added.

Carsten Crossings features six distinctive home designs that range from approximately 2,168 to 2,755 square feet. Models showcase three to five bedrooms and two to three-and-a-half bathrooms. Flexible floor plans offer optional dens, offices, retreats, game rooms, super-sized family rooms, workshops and tandem garages (per plan).

In addition to the GrupeGreen features, the 144 homes at Carsten Crossings are filled with desirable amenities including gourmet kitchens, elegant living areas and spacious master suites. Homesites are a minimum of 6,000 square feet, and home prices begin in the high $400,000s.

Carsten Crossings is part of the 1,200-acre Whitney Ranch master-planned community, at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas in northwest Rocklin. It’s served by the highly rated Rocklin Unified School District, including the on-site Whitney High School and nearby middle and elementary schools, all of which achieved 800+ API scores in the 2005-06 school year. In the future, Whitney Ranch will also be home to two elementary schools on-site.

Residents of Whitney Ranch can enjoy a vast array of appealing amenities including a 40-acre community park with sports fields and play areas, an extensive network of walking and biking trails and acres of preserved natural open space.

Located in Placer County, Rocklin is home to two aquatics complexes and two golf clubs - Sunset Whitney Golf and Country Club and Whitney Oaks Golf Club. Folsom Lake and the American River Bicycle Trail are close by while Lake Tahoe, Reno, San Francisco and the coast are all within easy driving distance via nearby I-80.

Carsten Crossings is conveniently close to many newer services and shopping along Highway 65 and I-80. Four supermarket centers, some of the area’s finest restaurants, several major retailers, antiques shops and boutiques, Westfield Galleria and Creekside Center are just minutes away.

The Grupe Company, which has been building award-winning communities for more than three decades and is renowned for its masterful planning and commitment to innovation, has played a leading role in Northern California’s residential growth. In more than 12 master-planned communities, Grupe has established more than 400 acres of lakes and permanently preserved dedicated wildlife habitat areas and open space. The builder has created more than 200 parks, miles of trails and has planted more than 500,000 trees.

To reach Carsten Crossings from Sacramento, take I-80 east, turn onto Highway 65 and exit at Sunset Boulevard East. Turn left on West Stanford Ranch Road, left at Wildcat Boulevard and right at Ranch View Drive. The first left turn leads directly into Carsten Crossings.

For more information, contact the Carsten Crossings sales office at (916) 632-9744 or visit the Grupe website at www.grupe.com.