National homebuilder PulteGroup has built a “living laboratory” to explore how homeowners will live in the not-so-distant future. Located in Fort Myers, Florida, PulteGroup has unveiled two model homes that are testing the latest, and in some cases, not yet commercially available, sustainable home technologies.
Credit: PulteGroup
These model homes are integrated with photovoltaic solar modules installed by Sunrun and the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning vehicle to create backup power and energy management solutions.
“Among our core values is foresight for the future, where we are thinking, planning and testing for how people will interact and live within their homes,” said Ryan Marshall, president and CEO of PulteGroup. “At Innovation Way, we are making the future right at home with cutting-edge technology and homebuilding strategies that represent a new era of smart, comfortable, healthy and sustainable living. Over time, the performance of these homes will provide valuable insight into how we innovate our homes and delight buyers well into the future.”
Once plugged in, a fully-charged F-150 Lightning can provide the home with power for up to three days during an outage, or as long as 10 days when used in conjunction with rationing or solar power.
“Ford is committed to leading the electric vehicle revolution with new features that can make people’s lives better and more rewarding. We will continue to work with innovative companies like PulteGroup to demonstrate how the future may look…today,” said Matt Stover, Ford Global Director of Charging and Energy Services. “The ability to showcase, test and learn from the energy storage capabilities of F-150 Lighting in a real-life home setting provides us with valuable knowledge for how electric vehicles can help drive performance, capability and productivity at home, as well as on the road.”
The homes PulteGroup builds are between 2,400 and 3,600 sq ft. They’re equipped with electric appliances, low-flow plumbing, energy-efficient HVAC and additional battery storage backup.
Over the next two years, Florida Power & Light (FPL) will collect, analyze and compare the homes’ energy consumption data, with the goal of “identifying the most relevant and impactful innovations in sustainability” for homebuyers. Through this data collection and analysis, PulteGroup expects to find which features and combinations are viable on a larger scale.
“Through the design, construction and unveiling of these trailblazing homes, we have been fortunate to collaborate with partners that share our commitment to innovation and quality,” said Richard McCormick, Florida Area president of PulteGroup.”
News item from PulteGroup
A lot of EVs will feature bi-directional charging where the EV can also ‘charge’ the house, so shouldn’t solar applications take this into account?
“Once plugged in, a fully-charged F-150 Lightning can provide the home with power for up to three days during an outage, or as long as 10 days when used in conjunction with rationing or solar power.”
Interesting, a developer is pushing ahead on specifications and promises by an automobile manufacturer that doesn’t have a retail product coming off an assembly line. IF all else fails will Sunrun install a GENERAC PWRCell system for resiliency?
Where is Pulte building these homes in Ft Myers or other locations in Florida?