By Kristen George

MYRTLE BEACH -- A step toward a more eco-friendly future for residential development will be taken today as New York-based RWO Acquisitions, along with the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority, announces the construction of a Myrtle Beach community that offers energy-efficient homes and healthy lifestyles.

The community, Withers Preserve, is the first in America to participate in General Electric’s new ecomagination initiative.

Ecomagination aims to decrease energy consumption by about 20% through the use of energy-efficient appliances, light bulbs, heating and cooling systems and other products. In addition, windows and doors are installed tightly to reduce drafts, and building materials, such as those used for the roof, are used for their energy efficient properties. Withers Preserve represents the first of many anticipated partnerships between RWO and GE, said Robert W. O’Neel, RWO’s chief executive officer.

Despite the extra cost of nearly $5,000 per home to ensure each is “Certified Green” by the Environments for Living program, O’Neel said the decision was simple.

“There’s a real push all over the industry right now to make products as energy-efficient as possible,” O’Neel said. “When you listen to what the customers are talking about, it’s the cost of gasoline, global warming and other issues related to the consumption of energy. If you can build homes with energy-efficient features, you are going to spend less money than if you try to add those things later.”

While consumers like the environmental impact of energy conservation, they also will benefit financially. Not only will they save 20% on their energy bills, but will also earn discounts on insurance rates, O’Neel said.

In addition to its ecomagination benefits, Withers Preserve is being built with the intention of encouraging residents to enjoy healthy lifestyles and conserve energy at the same time by decreasing gasoline consumption and walking more.

To promote this type of lifestyle, Withers Preserve will be built in a neo-traditional style that includes parks, plenty of trees, sidewalks lining every street, bike trails and the convenience of having most of the community’s amenities within a seven-minute walk or bike ride from any of its homes.

“The community is very pedestrian-friendly,” said Withers Preserve President Rick Ryan. “We’d like to see the residents staying out of their cars and walking as much as possible. Also, by building everything so close together within walking distance, we’re avoiding sprawl and creating a tight-knit community.”

In addition to pools and parks, one of the community’s largest amenities is its proximity to The Market Common, a 100-acre downtown shopping and dining center being developed adjacent to Withers Preserve by Chicago-based McCaffery Interests Inc.

Withers Preserve, a 900-acre residential community, is located along the Grand Strand in the property of the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. When completed, the community will have about 3,000 homes and condominiums ranging in price from $200,000 to more than $1 million.

The development of the former Air Force Base is a joint public and private project that includes a 3,970-acre parcel of land with $30 million of new infrastructure, including 29 acres of lakes, more than 200 acres of new community parks and four miles of new roads.