WASHINGTON (Map) - 1,800-acre Master-planned Community Wins Top Green Award from National Association of Home Builders

WASHINGTON, May 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today awarded its prestigious "National Green Building" award to Del Sur, naming it "Mixed Use Development of the Year." Nationally recognized as a model for sustainability and environmental preservation, the Del Sur "green" community features nearly 3,000 eco-friendly homes in San Diego, Calif.

"What makes Del Sur unique is the size and scale of the community and the affordability of the 'green' features Del Sur offers to homebuyers," said Ray Tonjes, chairman of NAHB's green building subcommittee. The annual NAHB National Green Building Conference is the only national conference targeted to green home building for the mainstream residential building industry.

When complete, Del Sur will include 2,500 market-rate homes, 469 low-income homes, business and commercial space, a transit center, fire station, two schools and more than 1,900 acres of dedicated open space shared with sister community Santaluz.

"We're thrilled to serve as a national model for community development that is environmentally sustainable, yet also makes economic sense for builders and home buyers alike," said Fred Maas, president and CEO of Black Mountain Ranch LLC, founder of Del Sur. "We firmly believe that smart, sustainable design and construction represent the future of housing development in America."

Del Sur mandates that almost every home incorporate drought-tolerant landscaping, tankless water heaters, hot-water-on-demand systems, and water-saving landscape irrigation systems among a core set of sustainable features. Additionally, more than 92 percent of construction waste communitywide has been recycled as part of the mandatory collective recycling program. So far the community has diverted close to 10,000 tons of construction waste away from landfills. Once completed, the community is projected to save over 100 million gallons of water annually, and over 5 million kWh of energy each year, the equivalent of nearly 9,000 barrels of oil.

The NAHB honor is the latest in a series of significant recognitions bestowed on Del Sur. Most notably, the U.S. Green Building Council in 2007 awarded Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification to The Ranch House at Del Sur, the community's information center. It is one of the most highly rated LEED-certified buildings of its kind in the United States.

Designed in consultation with environmental and civic groups, the 1,800-acre community of Del Sur represents the leading edge of comprehensive, smart, sustainable development and environmental preservation. With its Platinum LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the Ranch House at Del Sur -- the community's 3,000 square foot welcome and information center -- sets the standard for green building design and construction. Del Sur opened in June 2006 and is approximately 20 percent complete.

For more information about Del Sur, visit www.delsurliving.com. For more information about the NAHB National Green Building Award, visit www.nahb.org.