Smart Neighborhood coming to Ross Bridge

A new "Smart Neighborhood" is set to come to Ross Bridge. The 62-home community will be located at the Reynold's Landing community in Ross Bridge, according to a release from Alabama Power. 

The neighborhood will have a community-scale power system, and the homes will have energy-efficient materials and appliances. The power system is called a "microgrid," according to the release, and is composed of solar panels, battery storage and backup generation. 

Called Smart Neighborhood, the community will serve as a research and demonstration project, and energy usage and performance data from HVAC systems, heat pump water heaters and other technologies will be collected, according to a release. That information will then be analyzed and used to improve how homes are built and function.

"Customers today expect energy solutions that fit their lifestyles, and that is the idea behind Smart Neighborhood by Alabama Power," said John Hudson, senior vice president of marketing and business development. "Our goal is to continue to enhance our customers' experience and to ensure they have more control over their energy use."

The project is in partnership with Signature Homes, Southern Company and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Signature Homes is the community developer, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a research partner.

Construction is set to begin this summer and will be completed by spring 2018, according to the release.

"Hoover has always been a strong community that leads in so many ways, and I am thrilled Hoover residents will have the chance to experience the technology and state-of-the-art benefits of Smart Neighborhood,” Mayor Frank Brocato said in the release.