ATLANTA, July 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power and PulteGroup are celebrating the opening of Atlanta's first Smart Neighborhood™. Leaders from Georgia Power, PulteGroup, the Georgia Public Service Commission, U.S. Department of Energy, City of Atlanta and the project's technology partners joined together to officially open the neighborhood today at PulteGroup's development in Atlanta's Upper West Side, one of the city's most vibrant and popular areas.

"The Smart Neighborhood will allow Georgia Power to continue to be at the forefront in offering innovative solutions that help our customers more efficiently manage their energy usage," said Paul Bowers, chairman, president and CEO for Georgia Power. "The research, insights and learnings we receive from these homes will help us better understand the interactions between rooftop solar, in-home battery storage, energy efficiency measures and our electric grid – maximizing the value of renewable energy and shaping how we grow our smart home offerings for customers."

The first 46 townhomes developed at Altus at the Quarter will be a part of the Georgia Power Smart Neighborhood, where each technology-enhanced home will be served by Georgia Power and supplemented by rooftop solar installations and in-home battery energy storage.  

The homes will feature Pulte's Hutton and Summerford floor plans. The four-story townhomes span 2,800+ sq. ft. and feature three to four bedrooms and a two-car garage. They will be equipped with the latest energy technologies such as optimal insulation for maximum efficiency, advanced heating and cooling systems, LED lighting, electric vehicle chargers, and home automation featuring smart thermostats, smart locks, smart light switches, smart outlets, outdoor cameras and voice control. With the additional insulation and rooftop solar, the homes will have a home energy rating system (HERS) score in the high 30s compared to the average HERS score of high 70s for single family homes built in 2017.

"In developing Atlanta's first Smart Neighborhood, we are further demonstrating our commitment to product innovation and sustainable building practices," said PulteGroup President and Chief Executive Officer Ryan Marshall. "This partnership with Georgia Power provides us with a unique opportunity to introduce innovative solutions that create lasting benefits for homeowners and the environment."

Main features in the Georgia Power Smart Neighborhood home include:

Energy Efficiency

• Mini Split, Lennox – This HVAC system features high efficiency heating and cooling for the top level in Smart Neighborhood homes.
• Puck, Flair – This smart thermostat integrates with the mini split to easily adjust the temperature of the top level of the homes.  
• Water Heater, A. O. Smith - The Voltex® heat pump water heater will be able to connect to the homeowner's energy management platform to be used as a thermal energy storage device.

Home Automation

• Home Control Panel, Vivint Smart Home - The panel lets you control many of the connected products in a Smart Neighborhood home, including arming and disarming the security system, all from one convenient touchscreen.
• ecobee4 Thermostat, ecobee – This smart thermostat will ensure Smart Neighborhood residents are comfortable in their homes. With room sensors, homeowners can manage hot or cold spots, and with built-in Amazon Alexa Voice Service, homeowners can even ask it to order groceries or read the news.
• Video Doorbell, Vivint Smart Home - The video doorbell alerts you to visitors and lets you see and speak with anyone at your door from anywhere.
• Smart Locks, Vivint Smart Home – Smart locks can automatically lock up at night or when you leave and let you give keyless access to family and guests.
• Smart Shades, Lutron – Smart shades are located throughout the entire second floor in the home and can be raised or lowered via phone or voice control.
• Smart Outlets, Vivint Smart Home - Smart outlets allow you to remotely control and schedule your outlets from anywhere for added convenience and energy savings.

Battery Storage

• Battery Energy Storage System, LG Chem - The two in-home battery storage systems store electric energy for later consumption, giving Smart Neighborhood homeowners additional peace of mind with a reliable and safe source of backup power.
• Battery and Solar Controller, Delta Electronics – The controller platform will enable the LG Chem battery energy storage system by forecasting and scheduling operations to automate energy bill savings.
• Solar Panels, installed by Hannah Solar - The rooftop solar panels will supplement the grid to power the homes. The panels will produce approximately one-third of the homeowner's annual energy usage.

For a full list of the Georgia Power Smart Neighborhood technology and partners, visit www.georgiapower.com/smartneighborhood.

Georgia Power is also collaborating with Southern Company Research and Development (R&D) to better understand the integration between rooftop solar, in-home battery storage and the traditional electric grid as well as how homeowners interact with their connected devices and high efficiency technologies.  The project's additional research partners include the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, who developed the Smart Neighborhood's home energy optimization platform to intelligently schedule each homes' major appliances, in coordination with solar and batteries, to minimize cost while optimizing each homeowner's comfort. Additionally, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is providing design guidance, data analysis and final reports for the Smart Neighborhood project.

"I want to applaud Southern Company and Georgia Power, Pulte Homes, and the many other individuals involved in making today possible. This is the culmination of a lot of hard work and I know that in many ways, it's also just the beginning. The Georgia Power Smart Neighborhood at Altus at the Quarter is an example of the future of American energy and innovation. This project leverages the resources of the public sector with the ingenuity and nimbleness of the private sector. It relies on cutting-edge technology that enhances energy efficiency," said Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes.

Georgia Power offers a full suite of smart-home options, which includes easy access to products and services to help make customers' homes more energy efficient and connected. The company brings together popular products in the Smart Neighborhood, including the latest in smart thermostats and smart home products such as smart filters, lighting, door locks, light switches, vents, smoke alarms and doorbells, to a single convenient online portal on Georgia Power Marketplace.

About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

About PulteGroup
PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM), based in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of America's largest homebuilding companies with operations in more than 40 markets throughout the country.  Through its brand portfolio that includes Centex, Pulte Homes, Del Webb, DiVosta Homes and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods and American West, the company is one of the industry's most versatile homebuilders able to meet the needs of multiple buyer groups and respond to changing consumer demand.  PulteGroup conducts extensive research to provide homebuyers with innovative solutions and consumer inspired homes and communities to make lives better.

For more information about PulteGroup, Inc. and PulteGroup brands, go to pultegroup.com; www.pulte.com; www.centex.com; www.delwebb.com; www.divosta.com; www.jwhomes.com; and www.americanwesthomes.com.  Follow PulteGroup, Inc. on Twitter: @PulteGroupNews.

SOURCE Georgia Power