Georgia — PulteGroup has built a living laboratory to explore how homeowners will live in the not-so-distant future.
Located on “Innovation Way” within Babcock Ranch, America’s first and largest solar-powered town near Fort Myers, Florida, PulteGroup has unveiled two model homes that, while not yet for sale, are testing the latest, and in some cases, not yet commercially available, advancements in sustainable new home technologies and innovations.
PulteGroup says the home models include integration with the new, 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 Chief Executive Officer 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.”
PulteGroup is collaborating with Ford and Sunrun to test how the Ford Intelligent Backup Power system of the F-150 Lightning can serve as a critical lifeline to homeowners during power outages. Both the Home Integration System and the Charge Station Pro are built right into the Pulte home.
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. The truck can also optimize the home’s energy usage when bidirectional power is combined with other lower-carbon energy sources to help manage energy costs and consumption.
“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.”
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 the homebuyers of tomorrow. Through this data collection and analysis, PulteGroup will receive actionable insights into which specific 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. “In addition to Ford, FPL and Babcock Ranch developer Kitson & Partners, we are grateful to our collaborators at Moen, Whirlpool, Lennox, Sonos, Broan, Sunrun, Rheia and all of our many supplier partners for embarking on this exciting journey with us.”
Comments