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Saving, generating energy Builder aims to build house that maximizes energy-efficiency at a reasonable cost to the buyer Date published: 10/23/2009
BY RICHARD AMRHINE Just about everyone these days avoids wasting energy. Many people have taken steps to conserve energy. But very, very few people generate energy at home and sell back what they don't use to the power company. That's what will happen at the house local builder Jeff Hall of J. Hall Homes is building just off Caledon Road in King George County. The photovoltaic solar roof panels that will provide on-site energy production are only a part of the program that will make the house efficient to the point that it will be a "net-zero," or zero-energy, home. Other contributing aspects include the geothermal heating and cooling system, the advanced framing and sheathing techniques and the tankless hot water system, just to name the key elements. "It's really a matter of education," said Hall. "Once people understand it, the question becomes, 'Why isn't everyone doing it?'" He explained that in the case of this modest, 1,500-square-foot home he is building, the goal is to far exceed established energy-efficiency standards at a reasonable cost in a conventional-looking house. "People get scared when you talk about how much something is going to cost," said Hall. "But when they understand the tax credits they can take and the amount of money they'll save over time, they can see the return they'll have on their investment." In round figures, this J. Hall home would cost about $250,000 without the added energy-efficiency features, land not included. Adding them will raise the cost to between $280,000 and $300,000. Hall said prospective buyers can calculate the cost of various enhancements versus the savings each is estimated to provide, then determine what items will be least cost-neutral over the course of a 30-year loan. THE SOLAR SYSTEM Key to the project is the 3.6-kilowatt photovoltaic system with solar panels attached to the roof. The roof itself uses new 50-year Energy Star asphalt shingles that incorporate an ingredient that helps them reflect heat away from the roof rather than letting it inside the attic. Though it doesn't apply to new construction, such a roof used as a replacement on an existing home would qualify for a tax credit.
Date published: 10/23/2009
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