KB Home Plans to Build EPA WaterSense Labeled Homes in Drought-Stricken Southwest
KB Home, one of the largest home builders in the U.S., recently announced that every future KB home built in Arizona, California, and Nevada will be WaterSense-labeled and rated using the RESNET HERSH2O system for maximum water efficiency and performance according to standards outlined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Not only will EPA’s WaterSense program help homeowners save money on utility costs, but it will also help families minimize their carbon footprint and total energy usage, Business Wire reports.
KB Home hopes that by building water-efficient homes, it will help households preserve water to combat a growing drought in the Southwest. The WaterSense program was first piloted in the Las Vegas area, where KB's homes had a median water use of 44,000 gallons of water per year compared to the 97,000 gallons per year or more used by typical homes in the surrounding area, reducing water use by a total of 55%.
“Water is an essential part of our daily lives, and EPA’s WaterSense program helps residents and businesses conserve this vital resource,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “KB Home is a long-time WaterSense partner and seven-time recipient of the WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award. Their commitment to build homes in the Southwest that meet WaterSense criteria will help combat the megadrought in the West.”