AWARDS LIST: 2009 Parade of Homes winners
The annual Parade of Homes kicks off this weekend, showcasing new homes by builders in the Richmond and Tri-Cities area.
In all, 71 homes by 36 builders will be open for viewing the next three weekends from noon to 5 p.m.
This year's event is pared down from last year, when 130 homes by 60 builders were on display, as the housing slump continues to hammer the industry.
"We're fortunate to have this many entries," said Victoria Moody with the Home Building Association of Richmond, the parade's organizer.
The annual Parade of Homes has been held since 1951. This year's 71 houses mark the fewest number since 1984, when 68 homes were open for touring.
"This is your best opportunity to see every type of new home imaginable, showcasing the latest in designs, construction techniques and materials, at prices ranging from $170,000 to $1.5 million," according to promotional material.
This year's tour includes one of the country's first houses for entry-level buyers certified for energy savings by the National Association of Home Builders through the National Green Building Program.
The house, built by First Richmond Associates, is on the market for $209,500. It is certified at the bronze level, the lowest of four levels.
"We chose to do bronze because it's a work force home for the entry-level buyer," said John A. Nolde Jr., president of The Nolde Co. Inc., parent company of First Richmond Associates.
Higher designations would involve such energy savers as geothermal heat pumps and roofs used to grow vegetation, making the home too expensive for a first-time buyer, he said.
Only one tree was taken down to build the 1,452-square-foot, two-story house, and it was turned into mulch for the yard. Insulation is blown cellulose, not fiberglass, which is used in most new houses.
"The most interesting thing in the house is a radiant barrier on the roof," Nolde said. Heat from the sun is reflected, not absorbed.
It cost 1.5 percent to 2 percent more to build the house, Nolde said. The estimated energy savings is 20 percent to 30 percent, he said.
The house, located at 7701 Chamberlayne Ave. in the Vaughan Heights neighborhood in Henrico County, won recognition from the local builders' association for having the best bath and best kitchen in the $170,000 to $220,000 range in the unfurnished category.
In all, 118 awards in 26 categories will be presented this morning at a members' meeting.
Contact Carol Hazard at (804) 775-8023 or chazard@timesdispatch.com.
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