For more than fifteen years, EYA has demonstrated a firm commitment to environmentally sound business practices. And that means more than simply using eco-friendly materials. We support a holistic approach, considering what, where and how we build. The result is a collection of neighborhoods that are praised by local officials and community groups, consistently noted by national awards programs, and loved by the people who call them home.

“Going green” in your home is simpler than you think and the benefits are endless. Most green building practices do more than just help the environment. They can also help you save money on your energy bills and reduce home maintenance costs in the short and long term. Here is just a sampling of the ways EYA is working toward building a greener home.

Location

• EYA homes are situated in urban communities, where we put homeowners within walking distance of shopping, dining and other conveniences, reducing the number of cars on the road.
• Our neighborhoods are convenient to public transportation such as Metro, bus routes, and bike paths. We are also currently pursuing a relationship with car-sharing companies to provide onsite services.
• We choose to build where restoration and renewal will positively impact the community. As often as possible, we select sites with existing power, water and sewer lines, roads and infrastructure.
• Restricting development to these kinds of sites allows us to conserve resources, preserve open spaces and maintain our ongoing commitment to smart growth.

Style

• Rowhomes and condominiums maximize the use of valuable close-in land and reduce sprawl by building up rather than out.
• Live/work homes provide more opportunities for business owners to conserve energy and eliminate commutes and provide homeowners with access to the goods and services they provide – within walking distance.

Landscaping

• Through smart land planning, EYA makes every effort to protect as much existing vegetation as possible.
• As part of our professionally designed landscaping package, we plant native, low-maintenance trees and shrubs, reducing the need for watering and fertilizers.
• Green space preserves and pocket parks enable residents to enjoy the outdoors in a serene, natural setting.

Resource Conservation

• Our building techniques carefully conserve traditional building materials. For example, we utilize pre-fabricated wall panels and floor and roof trusses, which minimize on-site waste and saves trees.
• By using local building material suppliers, we minimize transportation-related costs and emissions (and help trim costs that we can pass on to our homeowners).
• Low-consumption toilets and available low-flow faucets help conserve water.
• As often as possible, we use renewable materials, such as bamboo flooring in our homes or soy-based ink on our printed materials.
• When choosing wood-based products, we use recycled materials when economically feasible, such as composite decking made from post-consumer recycled wood.
• Lighting solutions like recessed and halogen lights help conserve energy by reducing heat loss and condensation in ceilings. Our newest effort includes testing Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs, which use 75% less energy than traditional bulbs.
• Many of our communities feature Energy Star appliances – an important designation that will save EYA homeowners hundreds of dollars in utility costs and make a positive environmental impact.
• Even in our everyday business, we employ special processes to reduce our paper requirements, such as digital document management tools and recycling practices.

Our commitment to green-building and energy-efficiency extends beyond the final completion of our homes. We also ensure that homeowners receive training on how to maintain home systems, control costs, and make the most of their home’s energy saving features.

If you would like to know more about the green-building practices we employ, we invite you to visit any EYA community and speak with a sales manager or click here to send us an email.