Armstrong Builders, DHHL team up on green homes

Honolulu-based Armstrong Builders partnered with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to build Kumuhau, a project with 45 single-family homes in Waimanalo.

Armstrong said the homes are affordable and environmentally friendly.

“We combined a number of green features with a thoughtful layout to allow residents to save money and minimize their environmental footprint for years to come,” James Keller, Armstrong’s president, said in a news release.

The builders used Hawaiian Plantation-style architecture for three- to five-bedroom homes, which are LEED Gold certified.

Green features include solar photovoltaic panels, rainwater harvesting systems and dual flush toilets, as well as house fans to decrease the need for air conditioning.

The homes won a Gold Award for best detached home of the year in the 2011 Dream Home Awards, the company said Wednesday.