Quay Valley on Track to Become First Green City in United States
Released on: August 15, 2008, 3:50 pm
Press Release Author: Quay Valley
Industry: Real Estate
Press Release Summary: An eco-friendly community devoted to making this world a greener place.
Press Release Body: Los Angeles, California - August 15, 2008 - With final development plans expected to be completed before the end of the year, Quay Valley, Calif. is quickly nearing its goal of becoming the first completely environmentally-friendly and sustainable new master-planned town in the United States. The community, nestled on 13,000 acres just off the I-5 corridor in the heart of Kings County, is taking a green approach in all aspects of its plans to incorporate residential, professional, entertainment, retail and educational facilities into its impressive, eco-friendly landscape.
Kings County Ventures managing partner Quay Hays, company chairman Vince Barabba, renowned Master Planner Ken Brindley and a world-class planning team of over 200 professionals have been refining the development plans for the community for the past two years. The Specific Plan calls for the town's primary energy source to be solar, with panels required on every rooftop as well as covering three 100 acre reservoirs. All homes and businesses built in Quay Valley will be required to meet strict environmental mandates that include the use of low-E glass windows, Energy Star appliances, indoor air filtration, tight building envelopes and highly-efficient heating and air conditioning systems. All residences are mandated to be the equivalent of LEED Certified or better, and all non-residential buildings the equivalent of LEED Silver or better. The entire community will feature fiber optic connectivity, providing an advanced technological environment for all residences and businesses. Water requirements will be approximately half of that needed in traditionally built communities, as nearly all water used will be reclaimed and recycled in order to conserve as much as possible and significantly reduce the amount needed.
The team has recently completed development of the community's 50-acre research ranch, which functions as a microcosm of the planned community. With the creation of a fully-stocked test lake, planners can better understand water seepage, irrigation and true evaporation in the area. Native trees, orchards, plants and a variety of groundcovers have been planted to determine which will thrive in the area. The team is now utilizing the information gathered from its research to finalize development plans. "We have worked diligently over the past two years to ensure that Quay Valley will be the model for other eco-friendly planned communities throughout the world and that each part of the city's infrastructure functions in the most efficient and environmentally-friendly way possible," says Brindley. "From every home to every sidewalk, our vision is to create a community that not only enhances the quality of life for people today, but also ensures that the needs of future generations can be met."
The mission of Quay Valley is to provide an exceptional place for people to work, learn, live and play; co-existing with nature with minimal impact to the planet to help assure it can be enjoyed by future generations. To bring this to fruition, Quay Valley's creators plan to embed new sustainability practices into the core of the community through education. With assistance from West Hills College, Quay Valley will help to promote its sustainable practices through a "green-collar" job training program as well as hands-on educational opportunities at the community's research ranch. In addition, the California Institute of Sustainability and Earth Sciences, envisioned as a satellite campus of Fresno State University, is expected to open in the initial phase of the community's development to help further the message of sustainability and attract researchers and scientists to the area.
Although still in its planning stage, Quay Valley has already been recognized as one of the most progressive advancements in smart growth and green community design. The city will feature residential and business areas, waterways and trails - all designed to promote walk-ability and reduce the need for auto trips.
"We have planned this community to decrease our dependence on imported oil as well as increase the use of eco-friendly products," says Barabba, who as former General Manager of Corporate Strategy and Knowledge at General Motors. "By effectively integrating an individual's personal transportation requirements with the renewable energy resources of Quay Valley we plan to create an environmentally responsible transportation system that allows them the ability to continue to enjoy life, learning, work and play. This approach is designed to serve as a demonstration of how the next generation of transportation technologies can improve the quality of living well beyond the improvements in transportation." The community is planned to be asphalt free to reduce the urban heat island effect, relying on environmentally-friendly crete products instead.
All outdoor lighting must adhere to the International Dark Sky Association standards. Once complete, Quay Valley will feature 50,000 homes with approximately 150,000 residents, and city planners anticipate that over 50,000 new permanent jobs will be created both during the construction phase and afterward as more businesses and entertainment venues open. Phase 1A of Quay Valley, which will contain destination retail as well as homes and attractions, is expected to begin to come on line in early 2011.
"We have received tremendous support from the region as well as from the many state agencies that have worked with us in the development of this community," says managing partner Quay Hays. "All of us involved are excited to begin development on Quay Valley and see the first residents and businesses take hold in this revolutionary new community."
Web Site: http://www.quayvalley.com
Contact Details: Quay Valley Info@QuayValley.com 310-459-5800