Youths tour Pulte's `Water Smart' home at Escala

Members of the Southern Nevada Water Authority Youth Advisory Council were the first to tour Pulte Homes' "Water Smart" model home, which is located in the builder's new Escala neighborhood in The Paseos village in Summerlin.

The council, comprised of area high school students, helped design the home as part of its mission to learn about water issues and help inform the community about water usage and the benefits of desert landscaping. The home will be open to the public in February.

Fifteen students toured the two-story residence, which was in its final stage of framing, with Casey Bowen, a superintendent for the builder. The tour included a site-safety orientation and overview of the construction process, as well as highlighting where the Water Smart features will be located.

Components of the home include low-flow showerheads, low-flush toilets, a high-efficiency washing machine, water-efficient dishwasher, recirculating hot-water system, a solar-powered pool cover, soil improvements, drip irrigation, desert landscaping and synthetic turf.

Three single- and two-story plans are available, ranging from 1,900 to 2,410 square feet. Presale pricing starts from $380,990 to $470,990.

The homes also feature the builder's Platinum Series Environments for Living technology; have been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as Energy Star homes for being at least 30 percent more energy efficient than standard homes; and offer a three-year heating- and cooling-cost guarantee.

Information is available at the builder's Hillstone neighborhood in The Vistas village. To visit, take Interstate 215 to Far Hills Avenue, go west to Carriage Hills Drive and turn left. Turn right on Vista Run Drive and follow the signs. The sales office is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Monday, when it opens at noon.

The builder, based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., operates in more than 40 markets nationwide and offers 19 new-home neighborhoods in the Las Vegas Valley. Its Del Webb brand is a leading builder of age-qualified communities.

In addition, it operates a mortgage division.

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