Sustainability at the heart of Watsonville’s eco-conscious Hillcrest Estate
Set on more than 11 rolling acres in Watsonville overlooking a bird sanctuary, our Hillcrest Estate subdivision embraces one key word in its development — sustainability.
The stylish yet eco-conscious residential community consists of 144 beautifully designed homes featuring a varied range of colors, materials, trims and moldings based on Victorian homes in San Francisco.
The homes will also include various sustainable features such as electric vehicle charging hookups, Energy-star appliances and solar-ready roof areas. The neighborhood will feature a community barbecue area, central turf/play areas, a slough trail and a bird watching area that emphasizes the natural environment.
Sustainability at Hillcrest
Hillcrest stands as an example of sustainable and eco-conscious development. The commitment to use eco-friendly products and manufacturers with the goal of creating a green community has always been central to its values.
The accepted definition of a sustainable home is “an efficient home that’s built or retrofitted in a way that respects resources, optimizes energy and water use, and will last longer with quality systems.”
Hillcrest went through an extension process to thoughtfully choose its sustainable features such as low VOC building materials, which are fully compliant with the California Environmental Standards Act.
Low VOC, or volatile organic compounds, are not harmful to the environment and humans. The term refers to paints and other products that have a very low or zero VOC, e.g. sealants, adhesives and cleaners. Low VOCs are good for both the environment and living organisms.
Conventional paint contains a higher level of VOCs that are released into the air and that cause ozone depletion. Low-VOC products contain a lower amount of VOC content than conventional paints and create no impact on the ozone layer. They also help to maintain the quality of air indoors.
Access to electric vehicle charging stations is vitally important to Hillcrest. New data also show that California, with only 10 percent of the nation's cars, now accounts for over 40 percent of all zero-emission cars.
Over the past 10 years, annual sales of plug-in electric vehicles in California have gone from just 7,000 in 2011 to more than a quarter of a million sold in 2021.
Inside, the homes take advantage of LED lighting and controls, and solar-ready roof areas were thoughtfully chosen. And despite record rainfall this winter, California is susceptible to drought conditions, and Hillcrest is committed to installing water conserving fixtures.
Set along the pristine California’s Central Coast, Hillcrest felt more than obligated to feature homes that are not only energy efficient and environmentally healthy, but respectful to the natural environment as well as comfortable for family life.
Check out this stylish and eco-conscious residential community for yourself here.