The Blue Heron Company of Las Vegas have been building in Las Vegas since 2004. They take a parcel of land in the middle of an already built up area and build these beautiful homes and enrich that community.

They are in the process of building the " New American Home" for the National Association of Home Builders set to run Jan 20-23rd at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This years theme is GREEN. "The New American Home" exceeds all standards set by the green building guidelines. They have found a way to incorporate technology that will save about 75% of heating and cooling costs compared to anything else built in Las Vegas.

This years project is The Marquis Las Vegas, a luxury semi-custom in the Southeastern part of the valley. This community consists of 14 half acre lots. Models range from 4,600 sq. feet to more than 10,000 sq feet. Price range is $1.1 million to $5 million. The model of "The New American Home" is no longer on the market. Though it was not disclosed how much it sold for it is said to be valued at $4 Million.

The home has water efficient landscaping and plumbing with a cistern that stores water underground and is later reused for the landscaping. What really makes this home most GREEN are insulated concrete walls and photovoltaic solar panels. These panels allow the house to make more energy than it uses, making it a Net Zero Home. The homes 56 solar panels will generate 12 kilowatts of electricity more than it will use in a year. Through an agreement with Nevada Power the house is allowed to draw from the grid and push it back to allow the house to get credits. The house will be able to draw on those credits should it need to.

The Blue Heron Company originally built a community called Stone Canyon in 2004, their name was Merlin Construction at that time. When they formed a partnership with two people Tyler Jones and Isola who had been friends here in Las Vegas since grade school and are still best friends. It is a good blend of the younger and the older.

There is an amazing place in Las Vegas called The Springs Preserve. I had the pleasure of spending some time at this wonderous place and I will tell you I will be going back. If my graddaughter lived in town I would buy a family pass and it would be well worth it. There is always something going on. In fact if you want to see more of this place visit a post I did on it recently. Springs Preserve

What I would like to tell you about today is The Green House. It is an exhibit that is here until December 29th and then it moves on. In the words of the Springs Preserve

"The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture and Design" is a first-of-its-kind traveling exhibition exploring sustainable, innovative residential design, exposing the beauty and advantages of going green at home.

The nationally acclaimed exhibit opens at the Springs Preserves Desert Living Center Patio Gallery runs through Dec. 29 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with extended hours coinciding with special events. Entry is included with general admission and free to members.

Organized by the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., "The Green House" is presented by The Home Depot Foundation with generous support from the ASID Foundation of the American Society of Interior Designers, Portland Cement Association, Benjamin Moore Paints, EPA/Energy Star, The Nathan Cummings Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy."

I have this over on the other article but if you want a smile you have to see this commercial. I want you to see it because Springs Preserve is run by a board but also by Nevada Water Authority. This commercial show what kind of inovative people run the Springs. BIG SMILE

Nevada is about to Celebrate 144 Years

Nevada Day is October 31st and will celebrate 144 years of Statehood. President Lincoln proclaimed Nevada the 36th state by telegram that took two days to reach Carson City at a cost of $4000.

Since 2000 Nevada Day has been celebrated it's birthday on the last Friday in October with parades and more celebration on the Saturday. For the first time in many years the last Friday of October is the 31st and Nevada will celebrate on it's actual birthday.

This years theme is Hollywood in Nevada...Television and Movies The Hollywood theme focuses on the glitz and glamour in our state. It began in 1897 with a film documenting the Nevada heavyweight prize fight between "Gentleman Jim" Corbett and British challenger Bob Fitzsimmons. Should be a fun theme

Other facts about Nevada: Our state bird is the Mountain Blue Bird, Our state flower is Sagebrush and our state animal is The Desert Big Horned Sheep.

Come and visit the Silver State.

Mountains Edge a master planned community in the way South West part of Las Vegas and Aliante in the way North part of Las Vegas are both planning Charity Events.

Mountains Edge events will run through out the rest of September and into October. The event called Discovery Days kick off is September 13th and will benefit the charity Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation.
This race/walkathon is now in its 18th year and benefits about 1,200 Nevada families with kids that have cancer. Their motto is Because Kids Can't Fight Cancer Alone. If you want to know more about this event or to donate to this cause here is the link

The second event will kick off September 19th and end on September 21st. This 3 day events is a mountain bike stage race and festival and will benefit The Animal Foundation and HERA Women's Cancer Foundation. The link for The Animal Foundation is here There has been so many pets abandon because of the foreclosure crisis that they could really use all the help that can be given to them. The link for HERA is here

On October 11th The American Heart Association Heart walk returns to Mountains Edge last year the walk raised $350,000. To find out about the event and all the events and festivites planned go here

Aliante's event while not on quite as big of scale is important also. This will be a day of family fun and actvities to benefit MEMRA short for Medtyme Emergency Medicial Relief Association and you can find out more about them here

This event will take place September 13th from 11am until 6pm at the Nature Discovery park in Aliante. This will be a wonderful event for the community and helping an organization that may help you sometime.

If someone had told me ten years ago that Las Vegas Nevada was really trying very hard to be the greenest state in the nation I would have laughed. Well everyday now I read new plans and see new green things in Las Vegas and her suburbs.

I had to take this second picture because the numbers reflecting off the building seemed amazing to me. What a beautiful building this is.

Many of the builders around town have earned the Energy Star Rating but Pulte Homes is building a whole community of Green Homes. Pulte Homes will have the first green built neighborhood. With four other builders to follow. Very exciting. I would love to be able to move into one of them so I will be watching the progress with great interest.

We also have Green car washes. The name may sound funny but Terribles Stations and car washes are all over the valley. They have made a promise to use environmentally safe products to wash the cars. They also have made a promise to be water smart.

As you can see they want you to know that they are GREEN

Sun City Summerlin has a 24 hour Security Patrol that drives around to keep us safe. They have gone to using Hybrid Cars.

There is a whole lot of Green going on in Las Vegas. I am proud to live here and will continue to watch the Green Growth.