BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alabama Power
is partnering with Signature Homes, Southern Company, Oak Ridge
National Laboratory and technology vendors to introduce Smart
Neighborhood™ by Alabama Power.
Equipped for tomorrow and efficient today, this state-of-the-art
community of 62 homes will feature emerging energy-efficient
technologies, materials and appliances, and a community-scale power
system.
Smart Neighborhood – to be located at Signature Homes' new
Reynold's Landing community at Ross Bridge in Hoover – is a research and demonstration
project where energy usage and performance data are collected from
the homes' innovative features. The information will be analyzed to
understand how the features can improve the ways homes are built
and function to make people's lives easier.
Information from the HVAC systems, heat pump water heaters and
other technologies will help Alabama Power determine which programs
and services can provide new, creative energy solutions for
customers.
"Customers today expect energy solutions that fit their
lifestyles, and that is the idea behind Smart Neighborhood by
Alabama Power," said John Hudson,
senior vice president of Marketing and Business Development. "Our
goal is to continue to enhance our customers' experiences
and to ensure they have more control over their energy
use."
The energy for Smart Neighborhood will be provided by the
existing electric grid, as well as a community-scale power system
called a "microgrid," which is composed of solar panels, battery
storage and backup generation. The microgrid will have the
capability to generate more than 586,000 kilowatt hours of energy
annually, the amount needed for a neighborhood the size of
Reynold's Landing.
Information and data collected from the microgrid will provide
Alabama Power with valuable operational experience as the company
evaluates microgrid technology. Data from Smart Neighborhood will
be collected for two years.
"This project is another example of how Alabama Power continues
to be at the forefront of energy research and development so it can
continue to provide safe, affordable and reliable energy to its
customers well into the future," Hudson said.
Each technology-enhanced home in the Smart Neighborhood will be
equipped with:
- A high-efficiency Carrier Infinity® heat pump and Rheem hybrid
electric water heater
- Tech-connected automation: Carrier Infinity Greenspeed®
intelligence home comfort system with an Infinity Touch thermostat,
Rheem EcoNet mobile app and Vivint smart home system including
voice-activated security, smart locks, lights, cameras and garage
door control
- Interconnected Samsung appliances from the Alabama Power
Appliance Center: smart hub refrigerator, dishwasher, washer and
dryer, and an induction range
- Enhanced energy-efficient building features: improved
insulation, triple-pane windows and LED lighting.
Southern Company, the parent company of Alabama Power, is
supporting research for the project to better understand Smart
Neighborhood-type homes and the interactions between a microgrid
and the existing electric grid.
Signature Homes is the community developer and will oversee the
construction and sale of the homes.
"At Signature Homes, we are constantly looking for ways to
enhance the lives of our customers through innovation and design,"
said Chief Executive Officer Dwight
Sandlin. "We could not be more proud to participate in such
an exciting endeavor with top industry leaders Alabama Power,
Southern Company and numerous technology vendors to deliver one of
the first ever smart neighborhoods. Reynold's Landing homes of the
future will provide buyers the latest in technology, connectivity
and energy saving features, and is the perfect addition to the
award-winning Ross Bridge community in Hoover."
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a research partner, providing
expertise to develop practical solutions that could be integrated
into homes and power grids across the nation.
Construction on the community is set to begin this summer and be
completed by spring 2018. The microgrid will break ground this
summer.
"Hoover has always been a
strong community that leads in so many ways, and I am thrilled
Hoover residents will have the
chance to experience the technology and state-of-the-art benefits
of Smart Neighborhood," said Mayor Frank
Brocato.
To find out more information, visit the Greater Birmingham
Association of Home Builders' Parade of Homes, April 21-23 and continuing April 28-30. Representatives will be onsite at
the Sawyer Trail community in Ross Bridge to discuss Reynold's
Landing and Smart Neighborhood.
About Alabama Power
Alabama Power, a subsidiary of
Atlanta-based Southern Company
(NYSE: SO), provides reliable, affordable electricity to more than
1.4 million customers at a total retail price that has been below
the national average for decades. Learn more at
www.alabamapower.com.
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SOURCE Alabama Power Company