Tesla partners with Brookfield, Dacra to establish first all-solar neighborhood in Austin

A new neighborhood in Southeast Austin is set to become the first Tesla Solar neighborhood, part of the electric automaker and clean energy company's goal to build up solar energy resources at the neighborhood level.

Homes at SunHouse at Easton Park, located on Solari Drive, will feature Tesla V3 solar roof tiles, Powerwall battery storage capabilities and vehicle charging stations. The houses will reside in Brookfield Residential's Easton Park, and are being developed in partnership with Brookfield, Tesla and real estate developer Dacra.

Installation of solar roof tiles began in June, and will continue in phases with the mission of creating an "energy-neutral, sustainable community," Brookfield shared in a news release.

“Neighborhood solar installations across all housing types will reshape how people live,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk in the release. “The feedback we get from the solar and battery products used in this community will impact how we develop and launch new products.”

Ultimately, Tesla Energy will use SunHouse as a model for larger-scale housing communities across the globe, Brookfield said. Tesla will continue to oversee SunHouse's energy systems as the neighborhood is established.

According to Brookfield, the all-solar community will benefit the entire city of Austin by reducing demand on the local electric grid and providing residents with pre-stored energy during outages.

“The City of Austin is excited for the arrival of these affordable options to housing powered by renewable energy,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler in the release. “I am excited for the Tesla, Brookfield, and Dacra partnership’s approach to sustainable energy and housing as an example of the out-of-box thinking that continues to make our community a beacon of innovation for the rest of the country and world.”

The SunHouse community will be located south of Tesla's forthcoming gigafactory, a manufacturing plant expecting to bring the 5,000 jobs to Travis County.