Smart Home

Taking Green Construction to the Next Level

Highlight Homes Atlanta Custom Homes, Luxury Renovations
Taking Green Construction to the Next Level

During the month associated with America Recycles Day on November 15, we felt it the ideal time to let you know that Highlight Homes can help you take your next whole home renovation or custom home construction to an entirely new shade of “green.” Ever since our inception in 2005, we have been devoted to environmentally-friendly practices. We are a certified Green Builder, meaning certain criteria must be met and recognized by third-party certification programs such as Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED), the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Building Program, Energy Star and Earth Craft House. Highlight Homes has achieved all of these. Our company founder – Tony Pourhassan – has sat on the Board of Directors for the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association’s Green Building Council, and our sister company – Vesmont, Inc. – has realized a number of unique communities throughout the Southeast that boast an abundance of beautiful Green Space.

But, what does this mean to you?  If protection of the environment features as prominently in your own life as it does in ours, you’ll be pleased to know that Highlight Homes… 

  •  devotes a terrific amount of energy to designing and building both homes and home additions that reduce energy consumption and material waste
  • disposes all construction debris from renovation projects to whole home construction through recycling
  • can incorporate the latest eco-friendly elements in your custom construction home or renovation

So – what ARE the latest eco-friendly elements appearing in home construction today?

  • Renewable materials such as recyclable metals, plastics, composites, concrete and more are on the rise in home construction for everything from carpet and countertops to composite lumber and durable steel beams.
  • Reclaimed materials such as distinctive barn doors or the weathered wood from an old structure could lend a lot of character to your home as you do your part to show you have great taste as well as a great desire to save the planet.
  • Plant-based composite materials are growing in popularity among green builders for roofing and insulation.
  • Cool roofing reflects heat back into the atmosphere, rather than absorbing it.
  • Low-E Windows help regulate the temperature inside the home by keeping the heat INSIDE the home during the winter and OUTSIDE the home during the summer.
  • SMART Home controls that aid in the daily management of power consumption through elements like air conditioning and heating, lighting, sound system, blinds, home security systems, garage doors and more – all with the click of a computer mouse or tap of a smartphone.
  • Solar panels and home energy storage through lithium-ion batteries are growing in popularity as ways to battle a global energy crisis at home.
  • Incorporating energy efficient appliances and low flow toilets have become the norm in recent years.

There are any number of ways Highlight Homes can help you create the Earth-friendly home of your dreams!  We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss your upcoming renovation or custom home construction. Contact us today to schedule your no-obligation consultation by emailing info@highlighthomesga.com, calling 678-873-9234 or filling out our convenient online contact form.

Celebrate National Home Security Month with a Smart Home Renovation

Highlight Homes Atlanta Custom Homes, Luxury Renovations
Celebrate National Home Security Month with a Smart Home Renovation

In the early 17th century, British politician Sir Edward Coke coined the phrase, “A man’s home is his castle.” It’s a sentiment that has resonated in all the centuries since. While most home owner associations would no doubt frown upon the construction of a moat around your own “castle,” there are a number of measures you can take to keep barbarians from storming the castle gates. In 2015, U.S. residents age 12 or older experienced an estimated 5.0 million violent victimizations – which includes rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault, according to the most recent Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). 7.60% of U.S. households (which may not seem like a lot until you consider that it represents 10.0 million homes) experienced one or more property victimizations that year. Although Highlight Homes is not a security company, we can build the base for a secure home through a smart home renovation or custom construction.

What is a Smart Home?

A smart home features special structured wiring designed to give home owners control of things like air conditioning and heating, lighting, sound system, blinds and – yes – even home security system through a mobile device or computer. Depending on which Smart Home Security System you elect to incorporate, you could operate an interior and exterior camera system, open or close the garage door, set off an alarm, turn on or off your lights, and even lock or unlock the doors – all with the tap of a button on your smartphone. The future is here!

Need a little more convincing to convert your current home a Smart Home or build your new Smart Home from the ground up? According to Coldwell Banker Real Estate, “whether you’re shopping for a first home, looking to sell your home, or planning home renovations to add value to your house, smart home technology should be at the top of your must-haves list. 54% of homeowners said they would install smart home products if they were selling their home and knew that doing so would make it sell faster. In fact, about 33% of agents said homes with smart features sell faster.”

Additional Security Measures Highlight Homes can integrate to your home renovation or custom home design:

  • The incorporation of landscaping designed for security, such as strategically placed thorny bushes and landscape lighting, to deter burglars from entering your home
  • The placement of motion activated lighting around potential points of entry, like the garage and front/rear porches
  • The use of heavy duty doors, windows, screens and locks throughout the house
  • The construction of a safe room – aka panic room – to keep your family secure in the event of a home invasion

Highlight Homes welcomes the chance to help you transform your “home sweet home” into a “home safe home!” To get started, simply call us at 678-873-9234, email us at info@highlighthomesga.com or fill out our convenient online contact form and someone will be in touch with you shortly!  To learn more about Highlight Homes and view our online gallery of work, please visit www.highlighthomesga.com.

Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics – https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv15_sum.pdf

Coldwell Banker – https://blog.coldwellbanker.com/blog/home-renovations-and-features-for-2017-smart-home/