KB Home to build solar community in Calif.

Los Angeles-based home builder KB Home and Newhall Land have announced a land purchase agreement in the West Hills Village in Valencia, Calif. KB Home acquired 43 finished lots from Newhall Land and will begin construction on a new community in June.

The homes will be energy efficient and will include solar power systems. KB Home has also announced plans to open 10 communities in Southern California; all of the homes will be built with photovoltaic solar systems.

The new community will offer three new energy-efficient floor plans ranging from 2,941 sq. ft. to 3,646 sq. ft. with up to six bedrooms, four baths, and three-car tandem garages. Each home will be Built to Order, which allows home buyers to choose their home site and floor plan, which can be customized to fit their lifestyle and taste.

"We look forward to introducing area buyers to our Built to Order approach, and to offering some of the most energy-efficient homes on the market today, with solar power systems included in every home as a standard feature at this and many more of our new home communities throughout Southern California," said Steve Ruffner, president of KB Home's Southern California division.