Recently named Austin’s Master-Planned Community of the Year at the 2021 MAX Awards, Whisper Valley in East Austin is celebrating the opening of its new Model Home Park with the annual Whisper Valley 5K run and festival on Saturday, September 18, from 8-11 am.
The timed fun run takes runners through the newest phase of the community, Whisper Highlands, and will also feature a farmers market with local vendors, El Xolo Tacos food truck, raffle prizes, and a free concert at 7 pm featuring The Voice finalist Jordan Matthew Young.
Bonus: The 5K is dog- and stroller-friendly. Early registration is now open and costs only $25 per runner. Each participant will walk away with a finisher medal, T-shirt, swag bag, and the chance to win prizes in a raffle drawing.
Proceeds from the event will benefit FarmShare Austin, a 501c3 organization that is accelerating organic farming knowledge to scale organic food access in Central Texas. To register for the 5K, visit WhisperValleyEvent.com.
If you don't know about Whisper Valley yet, there's a lot to be impressed by. It won the Master-Planned Community of the Year distinction at the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin’s annual MAX Awards back in June.
A panel of judges from real estate markets across the nation selected Whisper Valley for the top honor, recognizing the innovation and impact this sustainable development will likely have on future master-planned communities because it is the first large-scale, sustainable, master-planned community in the nation.
Situated just east of the SH-130 Tollway and 25 minutes from downtown Austin, Whisper Valley features zero energy-capable homes and green lifestyle amenities. Home builders include Pacesetter Homes, GFO Home, Terrata Homes, AHA Dream Homes, and Thurman Homes, with new homes starting in the upper $300s to $600s. Model homes are open Monday-Saturday from 10 am-6 pm and Sunday from noon-6 pm.
Whisper Valley makes sustainable housing affordable thanks to the EcoSmart Solution, an innovative green energy service provider currently only found in this unique Austin community.
Every home is connected to the revolutionary GeoGrid, or geothermal energy supply system, that is installed upfront with the rest of the community infrastructure. A ground source heat pump located in each home delivers heating or cooling as needed, reducing energy consumption by about 65 percent.
Coupled with Solar PV, smart home technology, and energy-saving home appliances, the EcoSmart Solution enables zero energy-capable living and helps homeowners enjoy average utility savings of $1,250 or more per year depending on personal energy behaviors.
All 7,500 single-family and multi-family homes planned for Whisper Valley will be zero energy-capable, which EcoSmart defines as a home with a HERS rating of 25 or below. Homes in Whisper Valley typically have a HERS rating between 16-20, which is an astounding energy efficiency rating.
Whisper Valley also recently introduced an optional Power Resiliency Package to its EcoSmart Solution program. The Power Resiliency Package pairs a battery with solar PV in Whisper Valley homes to work with the local grid to store excess energy and optimize its use, providing resiliency in the event of a grid failure or blackout.
Green living goes beyond the home in Whisper Valley. The community showcases 700 acres of greenspace, parks, and amenities including trails, a resort pool, fitness facility, a dog park, and lifestyle programming. Onsite organic gardens are managed by the community farmer.
Future amenities will include a 600-acre public park, retail and commercial, two school sites, a planned transportation hub, and a fire station.
To learn more about Whisper Valley’s zero energy-capable homes, call 512-710-3799 or visit www.whispervalleyaustin.com. The community is located off SH 130 along FM 973 in East Austin at 9400 Petrichor Blvd.
