Geothermal-powered housing development saves homeowners big bucks

From above, the 2,000-acre new housing development just outside Austin, Texas, looks much like any other. Each home has solar panels, but that’s no longer uncommon.

But the Whisper Valley community is entirely unique thanks to what lies below. Far below.

The master-planned community, which will eventually include multifamily units and garden apartments in addition to single-family homes, is built atop an enormous geothermal grid. It’s the largest ever created for a residential community – essentially a blueprint for greener living. It is also saving its residents thousands of dollars in energy bills.

The geothermal grid will heat and cool every home in the community, which, when completed…