Christopherson Homes’ Wisteria community in Rocklin recently became the first housing development approved by the State of California under its New Solar Homes Program (NSHP). The designation has helped increase sales, according to Diana Sanger, Christopherson Homes’ director of sales and marketing.

“Some homebuyers looked at our homes a year ago and passed them up,” Sanger says. “The same people came back this year because they heard of the solar roofing. Solar was an obvious choice because it is a huge savings to people.”

Buyers will receive a $2,000 tax credit for the first year through NSHP. Wisteria homes, which range from 2,738 square feet to 4,852 square feet, start at $500,000.

Old Country Roofing, a Vacaville, Calif.-based roofing company, supplied and installed the solar roofs for the Wisteria community. The roofs could cut homeowners’ average energy use and cost by half, according to Amy Morgan of the California Energy Commission. Christopherson Homes plans to install solar panels on all future developments, Sanger says.

The New Solar Homes Program was created to encourage solar installation in new home construction in California over the next 10 years. The program offers rebates for homes with electric systems that achieve at least 15 percent above current Title 24 Standards and include Energy Star appliances.