How Thoughtful Landscaping Supports Sustainable Communities

Desert landscapes like those in the Phoenix West Valley are distinct from anywhere else in the country. Howard Hughes has delivered award-winning communities across a range of unique biomes. From the green and dense forests of The Woodlands in Texas to the tropical climate in Ward Village in Hawaii, the environment around these areas is just as much of a feature as any amenity.

Here at Teravalis, we see ourselves as faithful stewards of the environment. The creation of our community should result in the least possible impact on the vibrant desert landscape around us. Along with working with local organizations and setting ambitious benchmarks, sustainable landscaping is vital in preserving our natural vista and conserving the area’s water supply.

Xeriscaping: A Sustainable Approach to Desert Landscaping

Native plants play an essential part in the desert ecosystem. Plant life in Arizona is uniquely suited to surviving the desert climate, requiring less water and having innate resilience to warmer temperatures.

Xeriscaping is a term that may be familiar to some living in the West Valley. It’s a method that uses a sustainable landscaping approach, relying heavily on vibrant native plant life. Stemming from the Greek word “xeros,” meaning “dry,” xeriscaping incorporates various regional plant life like aloes, cacti, and agave, which decorate a home’s exterior with stunning greens, purples, and yellows. As native species, these plants are low maintenance since they already thrive in the desert region.

Native Arizona plant life offers just as stunning and vibrant landscaping as a front lawn, but without all the routine maintenance, water, and fertilization to keep them looking green year-round.

Additional Benefits to Sustainable Landscaping

While the use of drought-resistant native plants certainly helps to reduce water usage, there are added benefits to including these plants throughout Teravalis. Regional plant life is a familiar resource to local wildlife, like the many pollinators that call the West Valley home. Native plants help these pollinators to thrive and reproduce, which, in turn, produces more plants through pollination. What results is a desert teeming with stunning flora and a healthy animal population.

Sustainable landscaping also has a very direct benefit to homeowners – lower utilities and less yard work. By choosing drought-resistant plant life for your yard, you’ll spend far less on irrigation. Many plants, like aloes and agaves, require a lot less pruning and maintenance than other shrubs and bushes.

Sustainability is a Top Priority in Teravalis

As stewards of the land, sustainability was top of mind when designing Teravalis. As our community grows, we have committed to repurposing trees and plants native to the Buckeye region, such as ironwoods, palo verdes, and ocotillos.

Beyond sustainable landscaping, our community is also making significant strides to limit our impact in other ways. For one, every home in Teravalis will be ENERGY STAR-certified, meaning homes must be at least 10% more energy efficient than other homes built at the minimum energy use requirements. ENERGY STAR homes in Teravalis will come with a wide range of smart home technology and low-energy appliances that make saving power easier and help lower utilities.

Every home in the community will also be WaterSense-certified. WaterSense homes follow the EPA’s water use guidelines and are 30 percent more water-efficient than typical new construction homes. These homes will have standard low-flow appliances like toilets, shower heads, faucets, dishwashers, washing machines, and more.

Combining sustainable landscaping, innovative technology, and far-reaching efficiency benchmarks is key to developing a sustainable community. Part of our mission in Teravalis is to lead the way for future change by meeting the needs of our residents and maintaining the delicate balance of the desert environment. Through thoughtful design and a deep respect for our land, we look to bring something truly unique to West Valley.

About Teravalis™

Teravalis is primed to be a 37,000-acre premier master planned community located in the West Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area, in Buckeye, Arizona. Translating to “land of the valley,” Teravalis is positioned between the White Tank and Belmont Mountain ranges and is committed to embracing the natural High Sonoran Desert beauty. Utilizing innovative technology and sustainable planning, the community will feature unparalleled amenities and wide-open spaces to explore and discover.

Teravalis is a community of Howard Hughes®, known for its mission to curate vibrant communities that elevate the everyday, creating meaningful moments in great places where people can live their best lives – and thrive for generations to come.