Sustainable, Extremely Energy Efficient Townhome Development Coming To Garland, Texas

The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is now home to more than eight million people, making it the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the nation in 2023. The area has grown by nearly 6%, or about 460,000 residents, since 2020. And dozens of major corporations, such as CBRE and Frontier Communications, have relocated to the area, creating one of the country’s largest and most robust economies.

This rapid expansion calls for more housing options. 

During Q1 2024, DFW witnessed home starts rise approximately 45% from Q1 2023, signaling that developers are bullish on the region’s economic outlook and residential demand. 

One DFW-based developer, The New Modern Home, has extended its reach into Garland, Texas, a city about 20 miles northeast of downtown Dallas, because “it’s a great place to be,” said CEO Jimmy Tanghongs.

Tanghongs wanted to bring a different type of development to the city: sustainable, energy-efficient townhomes.

“Our new development in Garland is very different from what other developers are doing in not only Dallas County, but the rest of the U.S.,” Tanghongs said. “Each home in Pecan Grove will be solar- and battery-powered. This is something that no one is doing in the market right now.”

The New Modern Home at Pecan Grove will include 50 luxury townhomes. Each unit will be sized between 1.6K SF to 1.8K SF, priced starting in the $390s. With sustainability a No. 1 priority, the townhomes will each feature a solar panel system and a battery that aspires to lower the owner's gas and electricity bills to nearly nothing. This should be a big relief to buyers, especially considering that electricity prices have risen 3.6% since last year, surpassing annual inflation. 

“We, as builders, must evolve to construct buildings that are less damaging over time to the earth,” Tanghongs said. 

Similar to other markets across the country, energy-efficient and sustainable homes of all shapes and sizes are gaining popularity in Texas. In 2023, Texas produced the most renewable energy out of any state, 55% more than the runner-up, California. The state comes in third nationally for the most power generated from residential solar panels, increasing by more than 3,700% over the last 10 years. Even as Texas remains the No. 1 electricity consumer in the U.S., Tanghongs said it’s important to note that producing clean power from solar sources is vital to combat climate change, an issue looming over the construction industry.

“The New Modern Home builds extremely energy efficient homes by cleanly producing power using solar panels and storing it in batteries to help decrease our carbon footprint,” he said. “It will also equip homeowners against potential brownouts and blackouts, which Texas has seen a few of in the past several years.”

Tanghongs and his team ultimately chose Garland for this new development primarily for its proximity to Dallas, a growing job market with a highly-amenitized lifestyle, he said.

From the Pecan Grove site to Dallas city limits is about a 10-minute drive. This is ideal for those who have to commute to the city for work but still want to be able to live a more suburban lifestyle away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Dallas, Tanghongs said. 

On the other hand, it’s estimated that Garland brings in about 80,000 workers daily from out-of-town, a significant figure for a city of 240,000 residents. Tanghongs said that “business is booming in the city,” so having more housing options in a metro filled with this level of activity made perfect sense. 

“Our development is also just minutes away from the best of what Garland has to offer, including prime shopping centers, outdoor spaces, restaurants and highly-rated schools,” he said. 

Across the street from the development is the 97-acre Rowlett Creek-Dallas County Nature Preserve, a park filled with hiking and biking trails. Downtown Garland Square, a revitalized town center with an event lawn, patio seating and children’s play area, as well as the Firewheel Town Center, a 998K SF outdoor shopping center, are both less than a 10-minute drive away — along with a Super Target, Chick-fil-a, LA Fitness and Sprouts supermarket. Put simply, it’s right in the heart of the city, he said. 

“There are so many things to love about Garland, and we’re grateful that the city and its residents have welcomed us with open arms,” Tanghongs said. 

Before The New Modern Home started drawing up its Pecan Grove development, the firm met with the district’s city council representative to gain perspective on what a project of this nature would look like in Garland. The New Modern Home team received positive feedback from neighbors and residents, affirming its decision to bring these unique townhomes to the area. 

Potential buyers are excited for a new product that fills the gap between older, smaller developments and traditional single-family homes that are priced beyond the reach of many single buyers or even families, he said. It’s also a chance for Garland to show off what’s happening in the city and gives potential buyers an opportunity to live sustainably in townhomes that have a positive impact on the environment. 

“This sustainable development means Garland gets another feather in their hat for bringing another innovative development to their city,” he said. From cutting-edge and environmentally friendly to energy- and water-conscious homes, other developers will follow suit as customers see more of these homes and demand their builders to have these features.”

This article was produced in collaboration between the city of Garland and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.