DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - ICI Homes, which ranks as one of the nation's largest luxury community developers, launched a new strategy earlier this year designed to promote more energy-efficient homes. Now an ICI Homes EFACTOR PLUS model home at Woodbridge Estates in Plantation Bay Golf & Country Club is about to receive one of the lowest energy efficiency ratings ever.

Steve Reeger, special projects coordinator for ICI Homes, said the model home was independently tested simultaneously against the rigorous standards maintained by Energy Star, the Florida Green Building Coalition, Environments for Living Green and Florida Water Star. Aaron Davenport, a certified tester at Environments For Living, told Reeger the tests revealed that the model homes rates a HERS index of 31, and could be one of the lowest ever recorded in the State of Florida.

Reeger said HERS index 31 rating is so low it qualifies the home for a $2,000 federal tax credit. "The HERS rating indicates that our model home is 69 percent more efficient than the 2004 standards set by the International Energy Conservation Commission (IECC), said Reeger. "Needless to say we are delighted."

Reeger said ICI Homes is committed to building a net zero energy home - ZEH - that requires a HERS index rating of zero. "We'll get there," Reeger said. "A zero energy home is possible with today's technology, and new technology that's being commercialized right now will make net zero energy more affordable," said Reeger.