Home Automation

At Girard homes, it is our mission to create an easier, healthier and more efficient lifestyle for our new home buyers. One of the ways we do this is by including home automation features in each of the homes we build. These features are designed to allow you to have control over your home from anywhere in the world using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Each home that we build comes equipped with a standard base automation system allowing you to control thermostats, garage doors and your Ring Doorbell.  If you decide to expand your system, you can control just about anything you want in your new home, including built-in speakers, security cameras, blinds, home theatre systems, ceiling fans, and much more. One of the best things about this system is that it is easily expandable, even years after the initial installation.

Energy Efficiency

With the cost ofenergy consumption rising, we want to allow our customers the options to build an energy efficient home that brings them one step closer to energy independence. This allows our custom home buyers to spend less money on utilities without having to make changes to the ways they live. We do this by making the following technologies available to each new home buyer that we work with. Many of these technologies not only improve your lifestyle by making a more efficient and user friendly home, but they also help to provide a cleaner and safer environment for future generations. 

Solar Energy (PV)

With many recent improvements in the way in which solar panels are manufactured and installed, solar energy is becoming a much more affordable source of renewal energy, especially in residential applications. Solar energy systems that we install on our new homes are usually "grid tied systems." These systems use photovoltaic technology to capture energy from the sun. Once captured this energy is converted from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) which is then able to be used to power everything in your home. This system is tied directly to the power grid so during times when your solar panels are not producing enough energy your home can pull additional power off the grid. The best part about this is that this also goes both ways. On bright sunny days when your solar panels are producing more energy than what is being used, the excess power is put back onto the grid, making your electric meter spin the other way, in which case you are essentially getting paid by your local energy provider for the power that you add to the grid. With low maintenance costs, this is a great way to reduce your monthly utility bill.  

Solar Water Heater 

Another energy-saving option we offer is a solar hot water heating system. Solar water heating is one of the most efficient ways to harness the energy of the sun and it also takes up significantly less space on your roof. It oftentimes only requires one or two panels. The second largest energy expenditure that a home owner usually has is their water heating cost. Solar water heating is a fairly simple process and works by heating a solar conductor which is placed on the roof and contains a transfer fluid. After heating, this fluid is circulated to a heat exchanger in the water storage tank where the potable water is heated to temperatures as high as 150 degrees. This system also includes a back up heating system for those cloudy days, ensuring that you are never left without hot water.  

Ecobee Thermostat

A standard feature in each new home, the Ecobee Thermostat is the latest innovation in heating and cooling for your home. The thermostat "learns" your preferences and adjusts itself accordingly to keep you comfortable and to remain as efficient as possible. It does so by automatically setting the entire home to your preferred temperature at your preferred time of day. When you're not home, the Ecobee will turn itself down to avoid wastefully heating or cooling an empty home, but don't worry, the Ecobee will have your home at the optimal temperature before you come home. If you do happen to come home at different times each day, and setting a specific schedule isn't practical for you, the Ecobee thermostat has a motion sensor that will determine if anyone is in your home and return to operating at your optimal temperature. 

Security

The most important aspect of a house is ensuring that it truly feels like a home. A major component of that is feeling safe and secure at all times. We understand this at Girard Homes and include several standard features in each of our semi-custom and custom homes to make sure you feel secure every time you walk in the door. 

Ring Doorbell

The Ring doorbell is a WiFi enabled video doorbell. With the Ring, you can feel safe always knowing who is at your door. The Ring is also equipped with two-way audio so you can communicate with any visitors without ever having to open the door. The motion sensor camera within the Ring doorbell will also alert you when someone is at the door, even if they never ring the bell. 

MyQ Smart Garage System

The MyQ Smart Garage system allows you to open or close your garage door from anywhere in the world with your smartphone, tablet or laptop. Nearly everyone has been out and about and suddenly got that sinking feeling wondering if they really did close their garage door. With the MyQ Smart Garage system, you'll never worry about your door being open again. The MyQ Smart Garage comes standard with each custom and semi-custom home.

Our passion to deliver only the best new construction homes has led us to incorporating some of today's latest technologies into our homes including solar electric, solar water heaters and home automation systems. Girard Homes builds custom and semi-custom homes in the following new home communities: Breckenridge Park, The Gates, Old Hawthorne, The Gates, The Gates at Old Hawthorne, The Vineyards, Copperstone, Thornbrook, Dear Field Ridge, Westcliff and Village at Bearfield

"Building The Future Today"