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County leaders and special guests gained a greater awareness of green building and traditional neighborhood development during the live EarthCraft House test at 10 a.m., Thursday, July 23, inside the first new home in Daleville Town Center. The home on River Birch Avenue is built to EarthCraft House Gold standards and is extra energy efficient. Indeed upon the spec tests performed before the audience of guests the home came in even more energy efficient than expected.

Currently, there are only six homes in Virginia with this level of certification. Upon completion, the River Birch House will be the first of its kind in the Roanoke region. During the EarthCraft House certification test, guests observed the use of a blower door and a duct blaster to measure the tightness of the building envelope. The River Birch House also must score a certain amount of points for the proper use of approved energy-efficient materials.

"Build it tight; ventilate it right." That's how Deb Cheslow, regional technical manager of
EarthCraft Virginia, describes the goal for a tight building envelop that relies on a ventilation
system to assure high-quality indoor air.

The home tour itself was a real treat. Not only is the home energy efficient it has taken the 20th century home design to new updated standard. Daleville Town Center will be the first traditional neighborhood development in southwestern Virginia. TND is often described as "town building." Likewise, the 117-acre Daleville Town Center off of U.S. 220 can be called a "town in the making."

Local government officials including Jerry Burgess and Billy Martin, movers and shakers and the media came to the event.

The TND known as New Urbanism, TND is the art and science of creating lasting communities.
Guiding principles trace back to such great American towns as Alexandria, Va., and Charleston,
S.C. Successful modern-day prototypes include Seaside and Celebration in Florida.
True to form, Daleville Town Center's master plan integrates home, work, play, shopping and
civic life into a compact, walkable neighborhood.

The  Town center will consist of shops, restaurants, and office and commercial space. Its first tenant will be Fralin & Waldron, which is moving its residential business headquarters there in September. Waldron expects to have a nice opening for the end of September. The first commercial customer has signed a lease--Williams Lighting.

"It's time for all of us to look at the way we live, work and play," says Karen Waldron, chief
executive officer of Fralin & Waldron Inc., who envisioned and planned for Daleville Town
Center. "Everything within one community is a return to a traditional paradigm that simplifies
life and complements the local landscape.

"The Fralin & Waldron mission has long been to develop quality communities that meet
consumer needs. With Daleville Town Center, we are breaking new ground," says F&W
President Andy Kelderhouse. "We're taking the lead in introducing this type of master planning
in southwestern Virginia and helping to educate people on how compact, sustainable
communities can set the stage for better living."

During the next 10 years, some 300 residences will grow up in orderly blocks around Daleville
Town Center's marketplace. All will be connected by neatly-manicured streetscapes with
generous sidewalks and abundant green space for social gatherings and recreation. Complementing Botetourt County's bucolic scenery and honoring its rich history, homes will be available in five classic architectural styles - farmhouse, colonial, four square, European romantic and cottage - at various price points. The homes will be energy efficient and fully equipped with modern conveniences that further simplify life.

The River Birch House is a four-square model and will serve as the Daleville Town Center sales
office. The first residents will arrive in early 2010. Two more models will soon begin.
Submitted by Fralin and Waldron. Visit www.dalevilletowncenter.com for more information on this new traditional neighborhood development or contact Kathy Gentry, Fralin & Waldron associate broker, at (540) 776-7503 or kgentry@fwinc.com.