Energy Efficiency

Home automation solutions from McMillin Homes and Control4 help you save money, stay safe, and breathe easy

Take a quick look around you; how many electronic gadgets, gizmos, and doodads do you see? If you’re like most people, you’re surrounded by smart phones, computers, and a score of electronic devices that are supposed to “simplify” your life. But what often happens is you spend tons of money and time trying to make all these things work just the way you need them to.

That doesn’t have to be the case in your home, thanks to the latest-and-greatest home automation gear from Control4. True, we’ve been promised the home of the future for six decades, but it’s better late than never - and with the equipment and options available in a new McMillin Home, you’ll likely say it was worth the wait.

It’s commonly said that green living is a way of life or a major commitment—and therein lies the trouble. Honestly, we all seem to have a few too many commitments in life, and even the promise of smaller utility bills often isn’t enough to inspire earth-friendly action. Thankfully, there are a couple of additions you can make at home that can make a huge difference, with little effort required.

That may be our headline, but it's not our story; according to the June 16, 2010 print edition of the San Antonio Business Journal, McMillin Homes ranks as the number one San Antonio green residential builder. It's based on the overall number of green homes built in 2009 (we built more than 250, for those keeping score).

Normally, we don't toot our own horn too loudly, as we prefer to let our accomplishments and homes speak for themselves. But in this case, we saw an opportunity to make a couple of important points about McMillin's commitment to environmentally sustainable practices as part of doing what's right for our communities and homeowners.

Contrary to popular belief, Thomas Edison didn't invent the light bulb; many historians actually credit Sir Humphry Davy with producing the first incandescent bulb almost 70 years earlier than Edison. That's not to take away from ol' Tom, of course, since his improvements to the design and construction, plus his own power distribution system, made the product commercially viable.

One month ago, I made the prediction that lingering Spring comfort would soon give way to hot summer South Texas temperatures; today, I'm sad to report that my powers of prognostication were correct. We're already stretching into the mid-90s here in San Antonio, and hopes for one, last cold snap are quickly fading.

It's April already, which means that the three-week spring temperatures South Texas gets every year will soon make way for the brutal heat of summer. Air conditioners are required to work overtime in our neck of the woods, which typically means hefty electric bills. Thankfully, we all know a few ways to cut back on electricity use; every McMillin home even has a number of energy-efficient features built in.

We've all heard of the numerous benefits of buying a home—mortgage interest deductions, building equity and net worth, and owning an appreciable asset, to name a few. But while those are true for all home purchases, there are certain advantages unique to buying a brand-new home versus a pre-existing home that you should take into account when considering your options. Here are our top five, in no particular order: