SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Blu Homes (bluhomes.com) announced today that it is opening a 250,000 sq ft manufacturing facility on the historic naval base on Mare Island, Vallejo, California. This factory will allow the green homebuilder to meet growing demand for its architect-designed, precision-built homes. Blu’s proprietary information and building science technology allows it to build homes of extraordinary beauty, quality and environmental performance that drop the life cycle costs of traditional architect-designed homes by more than 50%.

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“I am delighted that Blu decided to locate the factory for its state-of-the-art homes in California,” said Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom. “Blu’s beautiful, green homes align well with California‘s ‘Net Zero Homes’ goals. Their Mare Island factory, which will be producing its first homes before the end of the year, will provide important industrial jobs in California‘s growing green economy.”

“Blu Homes’ focus on innovation and environmental responsibility makes the Bay Area the perfect choice for their manufacturing facility,” said Tom Steyer, Co-Chairman of Californians for Clean Energy and Jobs, and Founder of Farallon Capital Management. “By building to the highest environmental standards, Blu offers American families what they want — beautiful homes, healthier living, better economics and a significantly reduced carbon footprint. If Blu’s production facility expands as planned, hundreds of green industrial jobs for Californian workers will be created over the next few years.”

Originally slated to be centered in Nevada, Blu shifted its sights to a California plant location after discussions with Mr. Steyer. “Tom made a very persuasive case for integrating Silicon Valley’s talent for developing and supporting innovation with the industrial strength of communities like Vallejo,” said Bill Haney, President of Blu Homes. “And with the commitment of Lt. Governor Newsom and Tom Sheaff‘s extraordinary team at Lennar Mare Island, we were able to find a fantastic location in the Bay Area. This facility represents an important growth landmark for Blu. The West Coast market for our precision-built homes is growing rapidly and the Mare Island factory will allow us to serve our customers in the best possible way.”

“Blu Homes’ new factory is a big step forward in the re-industrialization of the Bay Area,” said State Senator Lois Wolk, representing California‘s 5th Senate District. “It helps us rebuild our industrial base, while offering Californians something they clearly want — high-value, beautiful, green homes that are convenient to get, healthy to live in, and offer very attractive life cycle costs.”

By combining cutting-edge technology with operational innovations, Blu is revolutionizing the way homes are built in North America. For the homeowner, the benefits are undeniable: The opportunity to live in one of the strongest, most beautiful and energy efficient homes available. Additionally, Blu’s model of fixed prices, a short more predictable construction timeline, and the chance to personalize designs for free offers customers a superior experience.

Blu’s customers begin the homebuilding process by customizing their own homes for free online and in 3D with Blu’s proprietary 3D Configurator™. After selecting from a wide variety of designs, floor plans, interior design ‘palettes’ and appliance packages, homebuyers are able to visualize and receive pricing information for their new home in real time — all from the comfort of their home or office. Blu then builds each home with precision tooling and trained craftsman in its climate-controlled factory.

High-quality structural steel frames and precision-built construction are key to the Blu Homes process and enable Blu to build homes that are washed in natural light and extraordinarily strong. The same proprietary steel frames allow Blu Homes to comfortably handle the high snow loads of the Rockies, seismic activity on the San Andreas Fault, and high winds of the Coasts. They are fire and termite resistant. The steel framing also results in spacious, light-filled floor plans with widths of up to 34 feet, and ceiling heights reaching 16 feet.

All Blu finishes, fittings, appliances and systems are selected by Blu’s design team to create beautiful living spaces, high indoor air quality, LEED-certifiable environmental performance and healthier living spaces. Additionally, the factory building environment virtually eliminates concerns over mold and other allergens, which are common issues in the traditional site-building process.

“I couldn’t believe it when I watched my four-bedroom vacation home go up in South Lake Tahoe in only one day,” remarked the Bay Area’s Milli Josifovska, who was so impressed with the company she came out of retirement to join as a Blu sales representative. “The high quality of construction and environmental performance are what drew me to Blu initially, but the beauty of their work, the incredible convenience and the attractive life cycle costs have made me a true believer. My house was valued by my insurance appraiser just after Blu finished its work at almost twice what I paid for it!”

“I visited my home at the factory on several occasions during the building process, which allowed me to see the progress and the remarkable technology that was at work,” said Rich Mintz, a Seattle-based former Boeing engineer and purchaser of a Blu Glidehouse. “No one would build a car or airplane outside in the weather — and after seeing the quality of Blu’s factory, and the fact that everything is fully constructed before the house leaves the factory — the electrical, plumbing, and sprinkler systems, the floors, doors and windows, HVAC, bathrooms, kitchen cabinets, the appliances… everything!…well, I think Blu is building houses the way they should be built.”

After leaving the factory, Blu’s homes are put up on-site in one day and completed in less than two weeks by Blu’s own team of craftsmen. This speed and convenience is a result of Blu’s proprietary building science technology, which allows its homes to be finished completely and to high quality in its factory — then folded for quick and cost-effective setting on-site.

About Blu Homes

Blu Homes, Inc. is a Massachusetts– and California-based builder of green, architect-designed, and precision-built homes. Blu has built a variety of residential and institutional eco-friendly home designs for families and organizations across the U.S., from New York to the Colorado Mountains and the California Coast. Blu’s proprietary steel framing and building technology allows Blu to build homes that are as strong as they are beautiful and then fold them for quick and cost-effective setting across the continental U.S. and Canada. For more information on Blu Homes, contact build@bluhomes.com, or visit www.bluhomes.com.

SOURCE Blu Homes